If Turbo Smurfs displayed an extremely reduced number of items, Eden Games has corrected the situation in Smurfs Kart, which greatly energizes the races, especially since it is possible to embark two at a time. Missiles (in the form of acorns this time) and vials of invincibility (which could be compared to Bill Ball from Mario Kart) have been retained, and are therefore joined by other goodies such as bugs. The usefulness of these is twofold: you can use them to neutralize a projectile, or place them in a vicious place for one of the competitors to roll over. There is also the protective bubble on which it is not necessary to linger, or the spring and its fantastic lifts. Let's not forget either the leaves (probably in reference to sarsaparilla) which grant a boost, as well as the yellow and red wasps. The former attacks the driver closest to us, while the latter attacks whoever is leading the race – a bit like the blue shell of Mario Kart. As for the pungi, from what we understand, it has the effect of putting the competitor to sleep, and therefore reducing his speed. Finally, we also spotted the rockets that fall on the participants when we are stuck at the bottom of the ranking. And the subtleties don't stop there since there are also springboards that allow you to get a boost by pressing R, Mario Kart-style skids, berries to increase top speed, and of course the essential super departure.
We feared the worst with Smurfs Kart, and in the end, Eden Games made an average copy, which is already a victory when we remember the Gear.Club Unlimited disaster.
Even if it means taking over everything that works in Nintendo's racing game, we would have liked it to be possible to keep the bugs behind you in order to protect yourself from a wasp or a missile. There, we are forced to wait for the alert to go off to counter the enemy attack at the last moment. In the same vein, one wonders why there is no way to swing projectiles back; a very simple mechanism that would have made it possible to better defend its position and not suffer the events. For example, in areas with ledges or walls, you cannot shoot at random or risk being punished by your own penis. These shortcomings seem anecdotal at first sight, but in highly tight races, they prevent the development of real defensive tactics. We then feel frustration, even a form of injustice when the others behind feast on much better items. And it's all the more incomprehensible that Smurfs Kart bets absolutely everything on bonuses. Indeed, the twelve characters in the game (Handyman Smurf, Papa Smurf, Clumsy Smurf, Cook Smurf, Farmer Smurf, Smurfette, Buttercup, Robot Smurf, Cosmosmurf, Hefty Smurf, Storm , the Prankster Smurf) are not differentiated by any characteristics of speed, weight, maneuverability, acceleration, or grip. Do not expect to modify the elements of their vehicles either: the Smurfs are all housed in the same boat. Well, almost because everyone still has a skill that is specific to them.
WHERE IS GARGAMEL?
Thus, the Prankster Smurf will take pleasure in sending explosive gifts to his opponents – if they are sufficiently reactive, they will nevertheless be able to get rid of them – while Storm will send them a salvo of arrows suddenly modifying their trajectory. We also like Chef Smurf's cakes which give the hiccups, which greatly disturbs the handling of the kart, especially in the winding portions. The principle of special skills may be charming on paper, however we regret that Eden Games did not show greater creativity because we quickly realize that certain skills are duplicated with items. One thinks in particular of Papa Smurf's magic powder which acts like the pungi, or of Clumsy Smurf's flashing light which performs the same functions as the spring. So, what is the point of choosing a particular character if, in the end, we can benefit from the same powers via the item wheel? In fact, it would probably have been wiser to reduce the number of objects available on the track so that the power of each Smurf is truly unique. Again, this impacts the strategic dimension of Smurfs Kart whose maneuverability is not the craziest. This impression of constantly rolling on eggshells means that you can't work on your trajectories as you would like when the circuits are well done in terms of track design. It's not Mario Kart, let's be clear, but compared to Chocobo GP which was released last March, the tracks have been much better thought out.
They intelligently combine technical sectors and larger areas to give rhythm to the races. But what is even more interesting with the Smurfs Kart tracks is the room for improvement they offer. Moreover, they incorporate a few shortcuts that we do not necessarily spot at first glance and which therefore encourage you to multiply the tours until you fully master the places and their particularities. Naturally, the circuits are located in environments known to fans who will have the opportunity to cross the road to Grossbouf, Gargamel and Azraël, without forgetting the dam, the village, the marshes or the beach. In short, on this point, the specifications were more than respected. Where the game seriously fails, however, is in the color choices which are not always judicious – this is particularly true for The Misty Swamps and Chaos at Gargamel where the visibility is not great for some segments. When one is launched at full speed, it is not easy to distinguish the elements of the decoration. This observation makes it possible to evoke the realization of the game which is rather correct taking into account the graphic capacities of the Nintendo Switch. The visual effects and textures are basic, it also clips, but the framerate responds present. Did we expect more? Not really, and we must say that we are even pleasantly surprised by the musical themes which are successful overall.
The principle of special skills may be charming on paper, however we regret that Eden Games did not show greater creativity because we quickly realize that certain skills are duplicated with items.
As for the content of the game, Eden Games has contented itself with the bare minimum. No "History" mode while the Smurfs universe lends itself perfectly to it, but a "Grand Prix" mode which allows you to choose between two displacements (Fun and Super Speed). Behind, it is a question of completing three Cups (Village, Forest and Gargamel) each containing four races. If we include the mirror variants, we arrive at a total of 24 proofs. Yes, it's not a lot. In addition to the "Grand Prix" mode, there is also the "Timed Challenge" mode which requires you to beat times set by the characters to collect medals (bronze, silver, gold). In the “Free Race” mode, a handful of options (engine capacity, level of difficulty, presence or absence of objects, among others) can be set to play without pressure. For its part, the multiplayer is limited to local split screen, up to four drivers can take part in the “Grand Prix” or “Free Race” modes. History not to pass for stingy, the developers have shielded Smurfs Kart from 110 stickers to collect. The latter are obtained according to the performances achieved on the track – finishing so many races with such and such a Smurf, winning such a cup in Fun or Super Speed, obtaining the gold medal against such a driver, etc. Personally, we would have preferred unlockable characters and cups as carrots. Finally, for a racing game that aims to be accessible and obviously targets a young audience – moreover, assistance can be activated to turn and accelerate automatically – we are surprised that Smurfs Kart does not have a tutorial detailing each item clearly. Because hey, subliminal messages sent during loading screens are light.
