Konami Krazy Racers is a Mario Kart of passable quality. There is not anything outstanding about it besides being able to play as Frank Jaeger in a kart racing game. Though, I suppose experiencing various Konami IPs within the environment of a kart racer is the entire appeal. And the game does give you that. What it doesn't give you is a meaningfully pleasing aspect of driving the karts. It's not actively bad, but noticeably barebones. Playing various kart racing games and experiencing their take on item pickups will make you aware of what a great decision it was to centralize Mario Kart around Mario. KKR's items are generally unwhelming and generic. The new/interesting aspects that this game brings to the genre are in its license tests and how some of its hidden characters are unlocked. These license tests are individual races to test your ability and unlock additional tracks and/or cups. They are a neat idea, but are too few and too easy (besides one!). Hidden characters are unlocked in a couple ways, but the one I found interesting is hiding them within courses in Grand Prix mode. That's a cool idea. Rewarding players that explore the reaches of the tracks and break from their instinctual gaming is good, actually. However, they are largly found through accident unless you know already and the one that isn't found that way trivializes all the game's challenges.

Reviewed on Dec 28, 2023


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