Eden Games
Smurfs Kart is an Arcade driving game designed for the very young fans of the Smurf universe. The result, however, only meets in part – and the fact that he presents himself on the console of Mario Kart does not help.
The panorama of Kart games is increasingly populous, especially on Nintendo Switch – console that lends itself very well to reckless raids. So, to challenge the eternal Mario Kart 8 for the palm, we saw proposals of all sorts: among the most famous, just think of the return of Crash Team Racing or to that of Chocobo GP (unfortunately forgetable). And to be added to the ranks, for a few weeks, there has also been Smurfs Kart.
The title explains his intent from the title: he brings the world of smurfs within a kart playing structure – and does it on Switch, where competition is not only fierce, but represents the excellence of the genre. A good idea?
Not exactly. But let’s smurf with order.
A game of kart, but with the smurfs
The new youth of the Smurfian brand – “Smurfs”, in original – goes hand in hand with the films that have reached the cinema and with some unpublished episodes of the animated saga that are broadcast on the channels for the very young. It is not surprising, then, that the license is also being beaten again in the world of video games: only some time ago, for example, we had spoken of the Smurfs – Mission Valfoglia (which you find on Amazon).
Unfortunately, however, Joy-Con in hand the idea is rather poor. The player is called to play the role of one of the twelve playable characters, who resume the most famous faces of Pufflandia: from Smurfette to the great Smurf, passing through Forzuto and Tontolone, to whom other not really famous protagonists are accompanied, even for those who know The saga since before learning to read, like the writer.
Once you have chosen your character, you can face twelve tracks, divided into several cups to your liking. And that’s all. There is no campaign with a story such as, for example, in crash team racing – even if it must be said that, if it must be verbosa like that of Chocobo GP, then it’s okay – and the feeling is that everything is a bit Too blurry and satisfy. Which is a shame, because on the very young Smurfs Kart could have his appeal.
Of course, there is the possibility of having fun in local multiplayer in Split-Screen, but the feeling of having already seen everything there is to see, after a short time, is difficult to drive away. And to be an accomplice of this feeling is the fact that there is no possibility of personalization, as in most of the other kart games.
Think about running and that’s it
The twelve characters present differ in the looks, voice and appearance of the kart, but under the skin they are practically identical. Not bad, you would say, if there was the possibility of unlocking customizations, perhaps obtaining victories and therefore prizes in-game. Unfortunately, in Smurfs Karts there is nothing of this, which evidently accentuates the problem of the few contents.
The same feeling of Dolceamaro remains also in front of the tracks: the slopes are set in legendary scenarios of the Smurial Saga: they go from the Buragrasso wood (this is for connoisseurs!) To the house of the evil Gargamella, passing through the dam in front of the village of our darlings.
There are several very delicious glimpses to see and, even if the slopes do not abound in genius shots, they are pleasant to face. It is also possible to travel them in a mirrored version, to give some salt and variety to the thing, but the fact remains that they are essentially too few and they learn very quickly.
The driving model is very basic – with simplified and reduced to the bone derail, as in Chocobo GP – and there are help to the guide designed for the very young, which we recommend deactivating if you are adults, unless you want the game We play practically alone, between accelerated and steering that avoid going off track.
On the tracks there are puffbacche to be gathered to enhance themselves (such as the Wumpa fruits in crash team racing or the coins in Mario Kart, to understand each other) and some variations on the theme of the objects to be used, which recall those typical of the genre. Hit the enemies, try to sow them, sudden accelerated: the objects do what you would expect, but we hoped for something a little more cared for in their obtaining, since every now and then it happens – with a factor a little too randomic than how it should be – to have mainly useful objects to sow a pursuer you don’t have, because maybe you are last.
The game also presents the possibility of choosing two types of speed, which correspond a little to the level of difficulty and influence both the actual speed of the vehicles, and how fierce your opponents are fierce. Nothing prohibitive, but we must say that by setting the maximum the challenge, lets you live with pleasure and the victory is not always obvious, as per paradigm in this kind of racing game.
Ran to Nintendo Switch
As for the gaming experience on Nintendo Switch, we were pleasantly surprised by the fact that the game keeps 30 fps rather constant. Of course, unfortunately they are not 60 fps and this compromises the sensation of speed a little, but considering the problems recently seen in operations such as Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 is already in itself good news.
The graphic rendering on Switch OLED in portable mode is quite pleasant: some tracks are a little poorer than others in terms of details, but the glance overall does not disappoint. The artistic direction is faithful to the world of smurfs and it is seen that Microids has moved knowing well the universe from which he drew for the realization of the game.
Not memorable but not even negative the soundtrack, even if some more songs would not have spoiled – which, you will have understood, is a bit the catchphrase of the whole game, crippled by the satisfaction of proposing too much and which ends with the Almost an appetizer and a little more.
