RETAILBIZ: WHEELSPIN 42 MCV 18/09/09
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Legendary developer Archer Maclean delivers a brand new racing experience for Nintendo Wii owners… by James Batchelor WHEELSPIN IS A futuristic racing game created by Awesome Play, the studio lead by development legend Archer Maclean. Created specifically for Wii, the game doesn’t try to encroach on any other established racers’ territory, but instead focuses on providing a fun, accessible experience designed to appeal to both hardcore and casual gamers. “What we’ve tried to do is avoid competing with the big boys of the racing world because a lot of them are more focused on being simulations and they’re on higher tech consoles,” Maclean told MCV. “We didn’t want to do just a straight simulation – we wanted to do something more fun, so the Wii was the perfect choice.” Wheelspin takes place across a vast array of inter-planetary tracks and features a mind-blowing line-up of vehicles. It utilises the Wii Remote and Nunchuks as players scream along at
speeds of up to 650kph in three more accessible to casual players different modes and in various who don’t want to play the same multiplayer options online. tracks over and over again to access Solo mode challenges players to beat the others. times, unlock stages, discover shortcuts While racing or battling, certain and find secret spanners. accomplishments and securing victory Race mode is a frenzied battle against will earn players the cash needed to seven other cars along tracks that aren’t unlock upgrades and new cars. only challenging, but actually fight back With these souped-up racers, – throwing cars into the stratosphere at the trickier sections of each circuit breathtaking speeds. Wheelspin pushes the Nintendo Battle mode, Wii hardware further than any meanwhile, is a snarling test of aggression versus other game to date. mobility as players use Archer Maclean, Awesome Play their weapons as well as their speed to get to the front. become easier, giving them an Across all three modes, there are 13 advantage in each challenge. tracks to unlock, each with their own Wheelspin was built for the Wii from perils and quirks. Unlike other the ground up and tests players’ racers, which give players just a reactions to the max, with the slightest handful of tracks at the start, Wheelspin tilt of the Remote making the difference offers them 12 challenges from the between victory and disaster. word go, almost a third of the game’s The cars all handle differently, with content, and success in these unlocks players able to find a vehicle that suits the rest. This makes the game much their abilities, and the graphics, while
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not the most detailed, are some of the smoothest on the platform. “Wheelspin pushes the hardware further than any other Wii game to date,” says Maclean. “You have to see the graphics moving to believe it’s coming out of a Wii. The visuals rush past smoothly at 60 FPS all in widescreen.” The game is essentially a hardcore racing game for Wii, although casual gamers will find it accessible enough to enjoy the initial modes and races. Wheelspin will even be compatible with a variety of third-party controllers, including Logitech’s force feedback wheel.
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RELEASED: NOVEMBER TBC FORMATS: WII PUBLISHER: BETHESDA DEVELOPER: AWESOME PLAY PRICE: £29.99 DISTRIBUTOR: ADVANTAGE CONTACT: 0121 506 9585