Yeah, I totally Smurfed that.
There are so many kart racing games it is impossible to go a month without a new one showing up somewhere on some console. The Smurfs are ripe for such a game. It was released a while back on Switch and PC, but now it is heading to Xbox and PlayStation for a second run at the finish line. From the minute I booted it up the inspirations were right on the surface. This game is never shy about taking all the points from Nintendo’s flagship series, but that doesn’t mean it lacks any sort of innovation. Smurfs Kart is a fun romp that only feels limited by its source material.
If there is one series of games that have done better than most licensed kids’ drivel it is the Smurfs. Smurfs Kart continues this tradition even if it is a little more than predictable. There are 12 Smurfs to choose from. Some I recognize like Papa Smurf and Smurfette, while others are well beyond my experience with the series such as Astro Smurf and Blossom. It would have been nice to see some other characters besides Smurfs themselves, but it works. There is very little difference between each of the characters outside of cosmetics. Karts are not really upgradeable and everything works pretty much like Mario Kart.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
The comparisons don’t end there either. The on-track action is almost identical. Powersliding is done by tapping the right bumper and holding it creates up to three levels of spark boost. The handling was easy to pick up right out of the gate and I was tearing through tracks without much effort by the second race. Power-ups also mimic Nintendo’s offering with bananas replaced with clumps of dirt and green and red shells replaced by acorns and bees respectively. The coin mechanic is also here, but it uses Smurfberries because OF COURSE it does. It all makes sense and transfers into the world of the Smurfs perfectly.
The track selection is laid out exactly like that “other” kart game as well. There are a host of tracks broken up into cups with some interesting ones scattered about and a few offerings in reverse. My biggest issue is that none of them feel distinct enough to stand out at first. The beginning cups are all full of lots of browns and drab color schemes. This makes them all feel very similar. Tracks are just as important as characters in a kart racing game. This title just misses the mark early and often. The sign posting is also a problem where there are arrows pointing the way, but I still missed them thanks to the color palette. The tracks are well designed with some decent verticality, but they just feel too familiar too soon.
As far as modes go the game feels light on that front as well. With only two modes in multiplayer this dries up quickly. It is also worth noting that it is only local, but does support up to four players. It is fun for a little bit, but like a lot of the rest of the game it loses appeal quickly. SIngle player fares a little better with the normal modes you would find in every other kart racing game. Sadly I was just bored with the tracks far too soon for it to hold my interest.
I do love that they mimicked the assist controls from the Mario Kart games. It is nice for younger players not to have to worry about staying on the track of having to hold a button to accelerate. I always appreciate these types of additions, but like other games it is easy to turn on which I admit I did more than once. I was wondering why I didn’t have as much control over my kart as I should have.
The game has a decent presentation even with the drab color scheme. It is odd that a colorful cartoon game doesn’t have more of an injection of color though. Outside of the Smurfs themselves, I rarely saw a sprinkle of blue. The frame rate holds up and is improved up to 60fps from the Switch version. It even holds in split screen which is nice. The audio is just kind of there. The music is forgettable and the sound effects are pretty limited. Eden Games seemed to do what they could in the time frame, but it feels empty compared to how I remember the cartoon.
Smurfs Kart is a decent racer that is a nice alternative for consoles without Mario Kart. It simply doesn’t have a lot of staying power though. I was done with the game before I finished the main tournament mode and I didn’t find myself coming back to collect stickers. Some type of unlock system or some more unique and inspiring tracks would have gone a long way. Still if you love the Smurfs and enjoy Mario Kart, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
