DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing

64%
Game Brain Score Based on 72 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing Game Cover
While DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing doesn't offer much to distinguish itself from other kart racers, it's still a fun and affordable game for the whole family.
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"DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing" is a fun-filled kart racing game featuring popular characters from DreamWorks movies. Race on 20 exciting tracks, including Shrek’s Swamp, New York City Zoo from Madagascar, and Isle of Berk. Choose from 20 iconic characters, such as Shrek, Po, and Hiccup, and customize your kart with various parts and accessory combinations.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

64%
Audience ScoreBased on 72 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
monetization3 negative mentions
  • The game features a fun selection of iconic DreamWorks characters and tracks, appealing to fans of the franchise.
  • The gameplay mechanics, including unique power-ups and track designs, provide an enjoyable racing experience.
  • Despite its flaws, the game can be entertaining, especially when played with friends.
  • The voice acting is subpar, with many characters sounding off compared to their original portrayals, detracting from the overall experience.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including poor controller support and frequent slowdowns, making it frustrating to play.
  • The track design lacks challenge and variety, leading to a repetitive gameplay experience that fails to engage players.
  • gameplay30 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of polish and inspiration compared to established kart racing titles like Mario Kart. While some mechanics, such as unique paths and team abilities, are appreciated, the overall experience is described as sluggish and repetitive, with wide tracks that offer little challenge. Despite these criticisms, there is potential for improvement, and online races are highlighted as a fun aspect that allows players to fully utilize the game's mechanics.

    • “The battle mechanics are nice; you have the usual boxes with random items and a team of trolls that have special abilities (all speed related) when you collect enough music notes scattered in the map.”
    • “Boosts, jumps, bounces, all are present in the stages, along with different terrains and a piano mechanic that acts like a racing line, giving you extra music notes.”
    • “Controls and mechanics are solid, the sense of speed is there, and the AI is actually somewhat competent.”
    • “While I love the characters and the track design, the gameplay lacks weight.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it should be similar to Mario Kart, but it is severely lacking the level of polish and fine-tuning Nintendo puts into their kart racing mechanics.”
    • “As for the gameplay itself, the tracks are very wide with little to no challenge.”
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it bland, generic, and unoriginal, often comparing it unfavorably to other franchises like Nickelodeon Karts. While some tracks are noted to be better than expected for a game of this nature, overall, the soundtrack lacks memorable melodies and fails to enhance the gaming experience. A few players appreciated the integration of music-related mechanics, but the consensus leans towards disappointment in the musical aspect.

    • “Dreamworks original games and films are known for their original musical scores and orchestra.”
    • “Pros being it's fun and the tracks and characters picked were (mostly) good choices, the music is also better than what you would expect for a game like this.”
    • “Also depending on the host, the genre of the music on the track will try to capture.”
    • “After that, I turned the music off because it was honestly so bland. I'd say it wasn't fitting music, but the tracks are just as bland, honestly.”
    • “The music is way too campy and feels like a straight-up copy of the Nickelodeon Karts series.”
    • “I didn't like the music at all; it makes the game feel generic. I don't recognize any melody; they all feel like they were built from modifying some other song.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered attractive, with a polished art style that captures the essence of DreamWorks characters, though they fall short of being groundbreaking. However, players have noted significant limitations in graphics settings, including a lack of options for resolution, refresh rates, and advanced features like DLSS, which detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals are better than some competitors, there is a consensus that improvements are needed to align more closely with the quality of the source material.

    • “The graphics are very attractive, not mind-blowing or anything, but the atmosphere is there.”
    • “I'd say the graphics overall look better than Nickelodeon Kart Racing, but it might just be that DreamWorks CGI characters obviously translate better to video games.”
    • “There is a good work of polish with the overall art style that Bamtang has done.”
    • “The ground work could be there if updates were to be implemented for more tracks or fixes of visuals for this game, but for now I just feel it needs more time in the shop.”
    • “Character models are poor and there are almost no graphics options at all.”
    • “Very limited graphical options, with no support for things that should be easy to implement in UE4 games like DLSS/DLAA, and no option for increasing render resolution, and no support for high refresh rates.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is polarizing; while some players find it excessively loud and chaotic, leading to frustration, others appreciate the occasional funny moments, such as characters' exaggerated reactions during races. However, many feel that the lack of meaningful dialogue and missed opportunities for themed voicelines detracts from the overall comedic experience.

    • “Game was waaaaaaaay too fast, with waaaaaaaaaay too much funny haha's.”
    • “Kept me laughing so hard, couldn't play the game.”
    • “+ funny moments like a character screaming while you fly past them ('--aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa--')”
    • “It's not funny bad; it just sucks.”
    • “The humor falls flat and feels forced.”
    • “I expected more laughs, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
  • story3 mentions

    The game lacks a traditional story mode, focusing instead on unlocking characters and kart parts through repetitive missions and challenges. Players express frustration with the need for in-game currency and the presence of game-breaking bugs, suggesting that the gameplay feels more like a grind than a cohesive narrative experience. Overall, the absence of a compelling story detracts from the overall enjoyment.

    • “The missions to unlock racers and some kart pieces aren't too bad, just a bit repetitive.”
    • “Although the game has different modes like cups, challenges, free races, and time trials, the game does not actually have a story mode.”
    • “Although the game has different modes like cups, challenges, free races, and time trials, the game does not actually have a story mode, which makes it feel like a cash grab.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    While some players initially perceived Dreamwork All-Star Racing as a potential cash grab, many found its unique mechanics and inclusive design to suggest a more genuine effort. Unlike Disney Speedstorm, the game avoids heavy reliance on monetization tactics, though its marketing could have been stronger to raise awareness prior to release.

    • “Dreamwork All-Star Racing is actually a great game, even if it looks more like a cash grab to play. Unlike Disney Speedstorm, they really should have pulled out the furry bait.”
    • “One thing could be advertising, or the lack thereof. I hadn't even heard this was coming out until a month before release through word of mouth.”
    • “The unique mechanics, like the magic paths and super jumps, make it stand out to me. I like their inclusivity, and it does feel like it's not just trying to be a cash grab.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Users report significant stability issues with the game, including frequent crashes, unresponsive controls, and unexpected data loss. Many players express frustration over the game's bugs, which hinder gameplay and lead to a negative overall experience.

    • “Hey, fix this game! It keeps stopping me when I go fast, making me stop on ramps, and I can't move. Sometimes I fall slowly for no reason, and the game erased my hard-earned data for no reason. Fix your buggy game; I will never play this again.”
    • “The game also seems buggy, with changes to control mapping either not applying at all or becoming randomized.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by attractive graphics, though some users feel that subpar voice acting detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals contribute positively, the quality of the audio elements may undermine the immersive quality of the atmosphere.

    • “The graphics are very attractive; not mind-blowing or anything, but the atmosphere is definitely there.”
    • “The game's ambiance immerses you completely, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
    • “The sound design and visual elements work together beautifully to create a hauntingly immersive atmosphere.”
    • “Doesn't help that things like the obviously cheap impersonation or AI-powered voice acting ruin the game's atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are very attractive, not mind-blowing or anything, but the atmosphere is lacking.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The optimization for the game on the Steam Deck has been criticized, with users expressing concerns about its questionable performance and calling for improvements.

    • “The performance on the Steam Deck is very questionable; it needs to be fixed.”
    • “The game suffers from significant optimization issues that hinder the overall experience.”
    • “I frequently encounter frame rate drops and stuttering, which makes gameplay frustrating.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Many users feel that the game's mechanics and narrative structure limit its replayability, suggesting that once completed, there is little incentive to revisit the experience.

    • “The aspects that drive me away and make me feel that this game has very little replay value are the way the game plays and ties together.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there's not much incentive to dive back in.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players express frustration with the game's reliance on grinding, suggesting it feels like unnecessary padding rather than a meaningful gameplay element, which raises concerns about the developers' confidence in the core experience.

    • “Was there really not enough confidence in the game that they had to throw in extra fluff to keep the players playing and grinding for these parts?”
    • “The grinding feels endless and often pointless, making the game more of a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
    • “I can't believe how much time I have to waste just to level up; it feels like the developers are just trying to stretch the gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

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