Jimmie Johnson’s Anything With An Engine – Review
Platform | Release Date
360, PS3, Wii | November 15, 2011
Developed by Isopod Labs
Published by Autumn Games/Konami
The Pitch:
To fulfill the competition’s “Anything with an Engine!” motto, the contestants race vehicle designs created by Jimmie’s world class crew from some of the most unlikely of everyday objects – such as tubs, shopping cart, easy-chairs, and lawnmowers. Each vehicle is equipped with nitro, custom front and rear weapons systems, and hydraulic rams.
All of these devices are activated and upgraded throughout each race by showing off driving skills and winning the favor of the crowds who cheer on and cast their votes to provide power-ups to the racers. Enter Jimmie’s El Cajon Arena and engage in various race and elimination style events across progressively more challenging tracks, decked out with pyrotechnics-laden theatrical sets and strewn with wicked hazards, traps, and jumps!
Kart racers have a sordid history. Since Mario Kart first drifted its way onto the SNES in ’92, we’ve seen countless attempts by other developers to capture the same magic. Yet this seemingly simple formula escapes so many developers, and for every game like Crash
Team Racing we get two like M&M’s Kart Racing. There seems to be no stable means of predicting quality in this genre, and now Jimmie Johnson’s Anything with an Engine defies all reasonable logic by being one of the best kart racers of this generation.
Let’s face it; this game has an uphill struggle. Developer Isopod Labs has one other game under their belt in their 4 year existence – 2008’s Vigilante 8: Arcade for XBLA. The title reads like the return of Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart’s Super Off Road, but with a NASCAR driver to make everyone who hates NASCAR wonder why they would want the game and everyone who loves NASCAR wonder why this weird DVD won’t play. The cover art features a gigantic picture of Jimmie Johnson smiling like a paper towel mascot above a sumo-wrestler wearing a gas mask riding a motorized toilet. Ok, I have to admit that last part is pretty cool.
Yet somehow, someway, the game actually manages to be good. The driving is tight, with some of the best turning and drifting controls I’ve seen in any kart racer (including Mario Kart itself). The 13 tracks are all themed differently and have plenty of shortcuts and interactive set-pieces to keep things interesting. Actual thought was put into developing new racing modes so you won’t find yourself unchallenged once you’ve learned the tracks. From top to bottom, it’s an impressive package.
A major aspect of kart racing is powerups, and JJ:AWAE has found a few unique ways to tackle the standard mine/missile/turbo rotisserie. In most race modes, racers will start with no powerups. Players earn points by drifting, running over point markers, and attacking other drivers. These points unlock rams, projectiles, and the standard kart powerup fare, and most powerups have multiple levels of upgradability. Gamers used to other kart racers will likely find the weapons severely lacking in punch, even at the highest upgrade level, but this is not without reason. Being hit with attacks not only slows you down, it also dings your vehicle’s health bar. Too much damage, either from enemy weapons or just from swapping paint, and your kart will explode costing you a significant amount of time to reset.
Another novel idea here is the inclusion of pit stops. At the end of any lap, racers can trade a little bit of their lead away for a restock of ammunition and a repair of vehicle damage. During Endurance races, which can last a dozen laps, pit strategy becomes extremely important. Do you fall back on this lap, or do you risk being able to get around the track one more time without taking damage? It’s a deeper thought process than is typical in kart racers, and displays a surprising amount of intellectual maturity for a game where you can throw toilet paper at your enemies.
Most of the choices in JJ:AWAE seem to reward skill over parity, which diametrically opposes what Mario Kart has become. The best
racer here will be rewarded with better powerups and boosts throughout the race, and there is little salvation for the less talented except practice. This hints at Jimmie Johnson being involved in more than just a spokesman capacity; someone involved in this project values the skill associated with finding the best lines within a racetrack.
If you look past any suspicions caused its budget price, questionable character design, and any of the other dozen things that on paper should make Jimmie Johnson’s Anything with an Engine a terrible game, you’ll be in for a treat. It’s not all gumdrops and lollipops, though. If you’re interested in online play it’s worth noting that I was unable to find any multiplayer games, even when attempting to host my own. My ranking in the top ten on the leaderboard also seems to indicate a lack of a myriad of promised online functionality. Still, if you’re looking for singleplayer or local multiplayer, there’s plenty to enjoy here.
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