UK-based Zoo Digital Publishing really know how to confuse people. Back in late 2001 Conspiracy Entertainment released a translation of the Japanese racer Choro-Q Advance under the name Gadget Racers. That game later went on to be released in Europe as Penny Racers. This new Gadget Racers, currently only scheduled for a European release, is a translation of Choro-Q Advance 2 which released last year in Japan. All this confusion aside, this latest racer looks like it may be well worth checking out when it hits the shelves at the end of May. With three different race modes, 60 courses, 50 vehicles and 130 different interchangeable parts, Gadget Racers sounds like it will have more than enough to please those looking for a new racing game on the GBA.

The first game in this miniaturized car-racing series was flawed with sloppy collision detection and average graphics, but it wasn’t without some redeeming features. The races were varied offering standard track and road based races as well as those on ice and water. There were even some battle stages that required the player to snap on weapons to their vehicles for an extra strategy during races. This sequel will offer more of the same with the racing action spanning across five different areas; City, Off-road, Wonder, Marine and Sky, the latter two offering a significantly different type of race on water or floating in the sky.

One of the strongest aspects of the previous game was the ability to win and purchase new car parts. What this meant is that the player would have full control over the look and feel of their vehicle. Not only could you change the main body shell of the vehicle, but also parts were available to upgrade engines, tires, steering, brakes and a whole host of other features. The sequel will feature a similar selection of 50 vehicle body designs and over 130 interchangeable parts. Once again, the player will be able to purchase these parts through winnings gained from placing highly in races or earn them by winning races.

Whilst much of the game sounds very similar to its prequel, Japanese developers Takara have included some new features for fans of the series to look forward to. The biggest of these is the inclusion of three different game modes. Sprint Mode allows players to race through a series of five courses in five different areas with standard racing rules. In Battle Race players are armed with weapons and must attack their enemy whilst dodging incoming attacks. Finally is the most varied mode Road Cup. This mode features a total of twelve different race events including Speed Champ, Coin Collector, Curling, Shooting, Zig Zag and Dash & Jump. In all of these events the player must fulfill certain in order to progress to the next.

Gadget Racers is still based around a mode-7 engine although a number of improvements have been made to it. For starters the races will now include various weather effects including rain and snow. It also looks like the engine will now allow for non-flat tracks which feature bumps and ramps. Other than that, in a graphical sense the game looks largely the same as the previous one albeit with more colourful environments.

The latest Gadget Racers is unlikely to wow gamers with its originality (or lack of), but despite its faults the original Game Boy Advance release was addictive and entertaining. If this latest game offers a solid racing experience with refined vehicle handling, greatly improved collision detection and is reasonably priced then ZOO Digital might just have a niche hit on their hands which will tide gamers over until the next big name racer hits the shelves. However, if Takara didn’t address the issues raised with the first game, then it’s unlikely that Gadget Racers will offer significant appeal to warrant a purchase. Whatever the situation, be sure to check back in about a months time for our full review of Gadget Racers.

- John