Wii’s launch lineup has been an interesting lesson in what does and doesn’t work with the Wiimote. In the “doesn’t work” category is EA’s Madden. Standing clearly in the “does work” section is Wii Sports, Zelda, and now, Nintendo’s Excite Truck.

A very fast-paced, gleefully unrealistic racer — the jumps alone are jaw-dropping — Excite Truck is an exhilerating rush from start to finish. The game rewards you for crashing into other trucks and survivng, performing mid-air spins, and getting as much air time as possible after a long jump (in fact, you can only advance to the next race if you meet a certain amount of special-move criteria). By holding the Wiimote sideways (like an NES controller), you literally steer your truck, and it works so well that going back to the days of gingerly tapping a control stick to turn will be near-impossible. The graphics aren’t mind blowing, but are solid with no annoying slow-down, and employ a nice blur effect when moving really fast.

What’s most fun about Excite Truck, however, which I haven’t seen in any racing game ever before, is mid-race altering of terrain. By driving through several icons spread throughout the level, a hill will turn into a valley with falling rocks; flat ground will rise and form a steep mountain; water towers will fall in your path. It’s insanely entertaining, and combined with the innovative controls, make Excite Truck one of the best arcade racers to come along in recent memory.
KFR Rating: B+

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