If you have a second player to race against in wireless mode, you'll find that the multiplayer racing stands up pretty well. If not, you can still get a decent challenge from your computer opponents. The game steps up its difficulty fairly quickly, and the boost gaining/draining means that you and your opponents are likely to battle for position throughout the race. Special one on one races pop up every few races in the story mode, which are extra tough and mix things up just a bit.

It's too bad that the game doesn't find more opportunities to throw you something different. Grand Prix races are simply a series of normal races where you tally points for finishing in the top five, and the time trial -- probably the last mode anyone wants to spend time with in any racing game -- removes the competition element and pits you against the clock. There are unlockable cars, paintjobs, and awards you can earn (winning each race to collect rally postcards unlocks a final grand prix for example), but it's pretty easy to burn out on the game if you play it for an extended period of time.


If you're going for sheer quality, the PSP version of Cars is the best of the handheld games based on the movie. The console versions offer a more substantial experience and show a lot more personality, but despite its one-dimensional nature this version of the game allows for a completely respectable racing experience even without the movie license. There are better racing games out there if you couldn't care less about the movie, but for anyone interested there's a good bit of portable enjoyment in here.