I really enjoy racing games, especially arcade-style motocross and ATV racing games, so I was excited to try out Kawasaki Quad Bikes for the Nintendo Wii. With the obvious licensing, I knew the number of bikes would be limited, and the $20 price tag told me this was not the next MX vs. ATV, so the question is, "Should you part with Alexander Hamilton in exchange for this game?"

Kawasaki Quad Bikes offers 3 modes of gameplay. Single Race is what it sounds like: a 3-lap race around a single track. With 3 difficulty levels, 2 classes (speed/power level) of bikes, various unlockable bikes and tracks, this mode offers lots of possible combinations, bikes unlockable by collecting "Kredits" (coins with a Kawasaki "K" in them) during races and by winning races, and tracks unlockable by winning races.

"Time Trials" is a practice mode allowing players to learn the nuances of a track and develop strategies for different parts of the track, racing against a "ghost image" of yourself to improve your time.

Challenge mode is a cup race with 8 tracks and is otherwise identical to Single Race, and both Single Race and Challenge more offer 2-player split-screen challenge mode. (No online play.)

 

As you work up to more difficult tracks, some have logs embedded into the tracks and other obstacles requiring you to dodge or "bunny hop" over. Ultimately, you can unlock "Extreme Mode" for maximum obstacles and "Mirror Mode," which will be familiar to veteran Mario Kart players: all tracks are reversed, so turn left instead of right.

Controls follow the Excite Truck model, tilting the Wiimote (no nunchuck) to turn, quickly raising the Wiimote to "bunny hop," and using the 2 and 1 buttons for gas and brake. Like other games using this control scheme, handling takes some practice, but adults and kids around 8 and up will master it in no time. Other controls include handbrake and camera adjust, but note what's missing: leaning and stunts. This is not a stunt game. It's a racing game. And while you'd expect the inability to lean to cause a lot of biker death on jumps, the physics remedy this problem by allowing a rider to flip upside-down, land under the bike, roll out of it, and keep on going. Kids, don't try this at home. Ever!

This is my main complaint about this game: the physics. Certain tracks are very bumpy, and without the ability to lean, if you don't bunny hop before hitting the bump, you'll find yourself flying straight up and landing on your back.

 

Graphics and sound are mediocre, nothing exciting, but not distractingly bad, either. Turn down the background music, though, and listen to your own preferred tunes--the included music gets repetitive after a while.

Kawasaki Quad Bikes is pretty much exactly what you'd expect for a $20 game of its genre. It's just OK, better for someone who hasn't played the MX vs. ATV series. Is it worth $20? That depends how much the money is burning a hole in your pocket. Personally, I'd save up for something better, but if you see it in a used game bin, you could do worse. Don't rent it, though--you don't get a price discount on the rental.