Cars Mater-National

Also known as: Cars: Mater [UK]

Somewhat sluggish the second time around the track

Aside from optional Sixaxis motion steering, the PlayStation 3 iteration of Mater-National is more or less the same as the Xbox 360 version. Neither pushes its respective hardware, but both provide an adequate, sharply rendered representation of the source material. A slight frame rate dip in the PlayStation 3 version (especially during split-screen races) is countered by noticeably improved draw distance, but those who own both platforms can safely leave the decision to sheer preference. We're admittedly fond of a little force feedback in our racing games, but there's no shame in opting for motion controls.

Cars: Mater-National is essentially the same game as its predecessor, but with a weaker campaign and even less reason to give it a shot in this packed holiday season. Minor issues from the original remain unchanged, while online play is still missing and the single-player experience seems significantly less robust. While still quite playable for several hours, the lack of true innovation or noteworthy upgrades makes Mater-National seem like more of a rushed expansion than a full-fledged - or fully necessary - follow-up to a memorable kid-friendly racer.

You'll love
  • Familiar characters/settings
  • Generally solid voice acting
  • Monsters, Inc. cameos
You'll hate
  • Too similar to original
  • Frequent loading times
  • "Life is a Highway"
 
The Knowledge
Cars Mater-National
Cars Mater-National

Genre: Racing
Release date: Oct 29, 2007
Multiplayer Modes:
Offline
2 player VS
6 DECENT
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