Average arcade-style racer
If F1 or real-world supercar driving sims are a bit too daunting for you, then Manic Karts may prove an entertaining alternative, but for those who seek a bit more in their driving games would be advised to look elsewhere. Manic Karts dates from 1995 at a time when a plethora of karting sims were available and offers much the same experience as these other games, including different power levels for your karts, a championship mode, a variety of tracks to race on and even a course editor. While Manic Karts doesn't really do anything wrong, it doesn't do anything spectacularly well either. The graphics are reasonable, with chunky drivers and karts, and a nice range of detailed backdrops, while the tracks themselves are well-enough designed but lack excitement or any great degree of fun. Everything rattles along at a fair old pace, and while the addition of the track editor is a nice touch, the interface is not exactly user-friendly, making it more of a frustration than anything else. If you are in the market for a simple, undemanding arcade racer, then this will fit the bill for a while, but Super Mario Kart it isn't and players would be advised to check out the Screamer series, also by Virgin for better examples of the genre.
