Wacky Wheels HD
- October 26, 2016
- Cascadia Games
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Wacky Wheels HD" is a racing game where players compete against wild animals in go-karts across dangerous tracks. This reboot of the classic game features wicked power-ups, unique tracks, and characters such as Uno, Sultan, and Hari the grizzly bear. Due to technical and IP restrictions, this is a dated version and can no longer be updated.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Xbox
Reviews
- Graphically better than the original, with some beautiful race tracks.
- Captures the spirit of the original game and offers nostalgic fun for fans.
- Includes a 4-player split-screen mode, which is a rare feature for PC games.
- The game is plagued with bugs and often fails to launch or runs poorly on modern systems.
- Controls are unresponsive and floaty, making gameplay frustrating and unenjoyable.
- Does not feel like a true remake of the original, lacking the charm and mechanics that made it beloved.
- graphics19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics have received mixed reviews, with some players noting a marginal improvement over the original while others feel the visuals are underwhelming and lack creativity. While the retro aesthetic appeals to some, comparisons to the original game highlight a perceived decline in quality and child-friendliness. Overall, the graphics are seen as a nostalgic nod to the past but fail to innovate or impress significantly.
“The retro yet polished visuals and classic kart mechanics/weapons make this a must-have for kart racing fans.”
“The visuals are in the spirit of the original, which has always been an old favorite.”
“I like the Super Mario Kart aesthetic going on; there is plenty here to admire and to build on.”
“The graphics are only a marginal improvement over the original DOS game.”
“Boring and ill-fitting graphics design.”
“Previous game is 10x better; yes, it runs on 1990's VGA graphics, but it's still better and is definitely child-friendly. This new one is in no way child-friendly at all. My daughter got lost on the track, and after I sat and watched how it was played and how the game portrayed itself, I thought it is a disaster and should be removed from Steam.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Gameplay is described as chaotic and somewhat buggy, with flat tracks that can be difficult to navigate and odd boost and turn mechanics. While the retro visuals and classic kart elements appeal to fans, many feel the gameplay does not capture the charm of the original, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution. Despite some changes aimed at balance, the aesthetic choices have left players dissatisfied, impacting their enjoyment of the gameplay experience.
“The retro yet polished visuals and classic kart mechanics/weapons make this a must-have for kart racing fans.”
“Again, my major complaint is not gameplay-wise, even though there were some things removed like the hard turn and power-ups being changed. I don't mind them as long as it helps to make for a good balanced experience.”
“Maybe it will get better gameplay-wise, but really the style and aesthetic is not appealing; it's not charming at all.”
“The tracks feel too flat (hard to see sometimes), weapons make it chaotic, and boosts/turn mechanics feel odd.”
“Somewhat buggy gameplay.”
“The gameplay did not feel like the old game, or the classic version I got on Steam.”
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized for being thin, pitchy, and overly reverberant, leading to a lack of cohesion with the gameplay. Many users feel that it lacks the necessary impact and energy, detracting from the overall experience.
“The music is thin and reverby, creating an atmospheric but somewhat lacking experience.”
“The music feels pitchy and reverby, which often detracts from its overall fit within the game.”
“While the music has potential, it could benefit from more punch to enhance its impact.”
“The music needs some more punch to it.”
“Thin, reverby music.”
“The music is pitchy and reverby, and doesn't really 'fit', which reverby and pitchy music seldom does.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for being somewhat buggy, with multiple users reporting issues that affect gameplay.
“Somewhat buggy gameplay.”
“Somewhat buggy gameplay.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players report that the jumping mechanics feel awkward due to a perceived speed increase during jumps, leading to a jarring landing experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. This results in a sense of grinding frustration, as the jumps fail to deliver the excitement typically associated with them.
“The AI seems to lag through the air when jumping, and for some reason, it's like you're sped up to 5x speed when jumping, which makes it feel like you come to a grinding halt when you land, so the jumps don't even feel awesome to do.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is marred by frustrating mechanics, such as getting stuck in seemingly navigable spaces, which detracts from the overall experience and immersion. Players express disappointment that these technical issues overshadow the emotional engagement the game aims to provide.
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers a rare 4-player split-screen mode on PC, which is a notable feature; however, it still requires some optimization to enhance performance. Overall, it shows promise despite these optimization needs.
“It's so rare to see a PC game featuring a 4-player split-screen mode, and even if it still needs some optimizations, the game feels pretty promising!”
“It's so rare to see a PC game featuring a 4-player split-screen mode, and even if it still needs some optimization, the game feels pretty promising!”
“It's so rare to see a PC game featuring a 4-player split-screen mode, and even if it still needs some optimization, the game feels pretty promising!”
