Racing away
Magnaflux Runner seeks to add something new to the overhead racing genre, and while it is fun for a brief while, it can't quite live up the classics like Super Sprint or the mighty Micro Machines franchise. This one is pretty simple stuff, and features just two racers, one or both of which can be human or computer-controlled. The objective as usual, is to be the first one across the line but fortunately there's a bit more going on that just the standard racing. Instead, both players are armed with guns and also have the ability to drop mines on the track, while there are a number of threats and hazards littering the course. These include the likes of a cannon which pumps out fire randomly, laser beams, a cloud which inflicts damage, floating walls and a magnet which can either attract or repel the cars. That's pretty much it for the game and while it's kind of fun for a while, the appeal soon wanes thanks to its lack of obvious depth. The topdown visuals are simple enough, lacking in anything resembling character or detail, but the limited tracks are decently designed and provide plenty of twists and turns and which thus help to create a few manic and enjoyable races. The addition of the random elements bumps up the chaotic nature of the game and makes it even more intriguing but the real problem here is the lack of computer players and the weak controls. Having only two players available restricts the game's appeal pretty quickly and it soon gets tiring just racing against the same opponent, while the controls are slightly awkward and unintuitive and when all this is combined, you're left with little more than a mildly diverting racer.
