Join your favorite Nicktoons characters as they race around the track! Nicktoons Racing has come to the Game Boy Advance, and is a vast improvement on the Gameboy Color version. Racing is silly fun, and kids will love racing as Tommy and SpongeBob.

There are twelve tracks to choose from, with three different styles of play: Cups, Race for Fun and Time Trial Mode. Only the first four tracks are available in the beginning, until unlocked in the Cups mode. There are three Cups, each with four races. As the requirements to move on the next Cup race aren't strenuous (place 3rd), unlocking new races isn't hard. Race for Fun isn't about winning, but about racing for fun on all the tracks unlocked by racing in the Cup. Time Trial Mode is simply about improving racing times, and doesn't feature other racers. Choose from thirteen characters from several Nick shows, like Tommy, Angelica, Darwin, CatDog, Stimpy, Ickis and Arnold, each with their own racing strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Tommy has high acceleration but low power, while Patrick Star has low acceleration but high traction. Hazards abound on the tracks (mainly as holes in the ground), but there are also fun powerups and bonuses!

Racing is done from a behind the racer perspective, and works very well. This viewpoint makes the gamer feel like they're really driving. Hazards are sometimes difficult to avoid, but the powerups help regain lost time. Our favorite powerups were Tommy's Talcum Powder and Darwin's Coconut Launcher. While these powerups are fun, it's sometimes hard to launch them and continue racing at the same time. The tracks are somewhat varied, with different scenery, but often the same type of hazards and feel to the racing. The controls are nicely done, not super-twitchy as is often the case with kart racers. And, the difficulty levels truly make this a game for everyone in the family! Easy is very easy and is perfect for the young gamer, while the difficult level is challenging enough for adults.

The graphics are superb, and capture the essence of the Nicktoons characters well (our favorite is Tommy). The backgrounds slide by seamlessly and really give the sensation of the varying speeds. Sound effects are just right, and the music is upbeat and fun, not annoying. There is a multiplayer option, but as each player has to have their own cartridge, this probably won't be utilized very much, which is a shame, as racing games beg for friends to get involved.

While this is an admittedly knock-off kart racer on the lines of Mario Kart, it's a great game in its own right. Kids especially will identify more with the familiar Nicktoon characters, than with Mario. And, the different difficulty levels really make it accessible for young kids and much easier than Mario. There are fewer tracks and nothing similar to Battle Mode or the ghost function, though. The downside of this is that this game may be too easy for some adult gamers, but the difficult level is probably right on target for the rest of us. It's refreshing to see a solid game with a well-known franchise behind it, as too many sorry games are produced with nothing more to recommend them than a well-know logo. Really, the only drawback I can find is the requirement for individual game cartridges for multiplayer capability.

A truly fun kart racer that won't tax player's reflexes or frustration levels!

Graphics: 8 
Excellent graphics!

Sound: 8
Good, catchy tunes that aren't annoying.

Concept: 7 
Racing games abound, but this one is a cut above most!

Overall: 8.1
An engaging kart racer, which while not as good as the top of the class Mario Kart, manages to hold its own in the crowded field of racing games. A definitely worthwhile game, especially for younger players.