Michael Schumacher Kart Racing

After you have sorted out your options and chosen your race method, you start out on the made-up FUN karting level, which you must complete to access the Intercontinental A and Formula Super A championships. The championships are rather like 'pick 'n' mix' championships where you choose the next race and can redo races if you like. Very easy but very unrealistic.

The visual effects in the game are stunning, and the game runs like a dream, you can crank it upto full-res with no problems. The sounds are also impressive, and certainly create a realistic karting feel. The driving physics are somewhat unrealistic, however, and if you slide your kart will instantly screech to a halt, which all karters know is not the case in real life! The AI in the game is disgraceful. The game takes much pride in claiming the AI has "aggression", when in fact that is all they have! If you do not get away from the AI instantly (which isn't difficult), they will simply ram you. They go off their racing line to do this and just keep driving into you only. This is totally ridiculous. Karting is a non-contact sport and you would never find driving like this at any level. Perhaps 'Michael Schumacher World Dodgems 2002' would be a more appropriate title!

That aside, the game is all round fun and for the cheap price it is at, you won't be dissapointed in buying this game!

The tracks are nicely mapped and are of various degrees of difficulty, some like Amsterdam being relatively straightforward while Las Vegas is downright evil in some of it's corners.However, they are not unfair, and it is a matter of learning the right lines, just as you would on a normal racetrack. This gives you the feeling that in the end you will be able to master the tracks.

The level of the AI drivers is fairly good, being fair, but a bit slow in the first level, average in the second, but they come into it's own on the last set, where they are more devious and race harder, with at least two competitors usually up vying with you if you are in the lead.

For those who enjoy karting, this is a pretty good recreation of the experience, probably as good as you will be able to get on the PC. For those budding future Schumachers, always out on the karting circuits, practice can begin at home. I would however recommend a driving wheel and pedals, as this does make it a lot better.