As someone who really enjoys a good karting game and the beloved Smurfs franchise, I knew that when I had heard that Microids and Eden Games were coming out with a game called Smurfs Kart, I was absolutely sure that I had to check it out for myself.
Karting games are such a universally enjoyed sub-genre in the gaming landscape. Due to them typically being an experience that kids and adults can enjoy, it seems that just about any IP out there has its own karting title.
But, while they mostly all boil down to the same thing, developers that know how to fully realize the franchise’s DNA in a karting game can really make the difference between a good one and a passable one. So, having spent some time playing Smurfs Kart, I think it’s time to talk about my final thoughts on the game.
Smurfs Kart Review Biggest Takeaways
- Eden Games has done a wonderful job at making the game, overall feel like the perfect Smurfs racing game in terms of look and feel.
- Tracks have a lot of character though don’t offer enough hazards or innovate as the game goes on.
- Gameplay can seem a bit bog-standard with little innovation for karting as a whole.
- Smurfs Kart doesn’t feel like a complete game without online multiplayer.
- Unless you’re a true fan of the Smurfs, this may not satiate your karting appetite.
Final Score: 6/10
A Smurfing-Good Aesthetic Throughout
Giving credit where credit is due, Smurfs Kart most definitely nails the total vibe of what the Smurfs actually is. From the music that plays during a race, to the wacky courses that make you feel like the size of an actual Smurf, there’s a lot of novelty to this title that other karting games really can’t replicate.
As a die-hard fan of Activision’s Toy Story Kart from 2001, this game actually gave me a positive feel from the time that I picked it up to the time that I finished my last race. Because of the scale, making you feel really small, it made me feel a bit of nostalgia as I thought back to Toy Story Kart.
It’s moments like that which can make this game feel special as its wonders make you feel like a kid again. Whether it’s giving you memories of watching the Smurfs as a kid or even tying into another experience altogether, that’s a magical thing to capture in gaming, and it nailed it.
Related: All Playable Characters and Courses in Smurfs Kart
Gameplay That You’d Expect
I think it’s a pretty fair statement to say that Smurfs Kart didn’t try to reinvent the wheel here with its karting gameplay. I know that, Eden Games knows that, and Microids knows that. It’s just a fact that at this point in time, there seems to be a wall that developers have hit in terms of ways to innovate the gameplay of a karting game.
Yearly, there are what seem like endless karting games that release and really just change the skin of the IP serving as its face. The same goes for Smurfs Kart. You have courses to race with Smurfs owning differentiating abilities to use against each other, pick-ups to use either as weapons or power-ups, and a handful of modes you’ve played time and time again.
Though, it wasn’t expected for this game to do something insane and shake up the genre. It was made to be a good Smurfs karting game. And at the end of the day, the gameplay works, justifying the game’s existence.
My big complaint about gameplay though is that most things just feel good enough. Some examples include things like how there aren’t ways to upgrade karts or swap them out, with characters puttering around in their own, singular karts forever.
Courses don’t have very much peril implemented into them either which can make them feel more like a tour than a karting race. There weren’t nearly enough hazards strewn throughout, and quite a few were really short. I cleared every course in the Grand Prix alone, in a matter of about an hour, give or take.
What I did really like about the courses though was the fact that there are a ton of secret trails and shortcuts to give you the leg up on the competition. Though there could have been more obstacles, the courses were crafted really well and most have a true character to them that makes them unforgettable in a way.
If Only It Had Online Multiplayer
Smurfs Kart only offers players 3 modes, Time Challenge, Grand Prix, and Free Race, but all modes are great in their own right. And the game also includes a multiplayer mode which allows for 4 players to race together. The problem here is that it’s limited to local multiplayer with no online functionality.
Now don’t me wrong, I’m a strong voice when it comes to local multiplayer but you have to add online multiplayer in instances like this. Games like Mario Kart 8 do a great job with this feature and it would’ve been really great to race alongside other Smurfs fans from all over the world.
Should You Smurf Your Money On This?
When it comes down to it, Smurfs Kart was made for certain types of people. The first type is children who are all about the Smurfs. With the movie recently released a year or so ago, and another Smurfs game, The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf, released just a year ago, there’s been a boom for the franchise with a younger audience.
Your other half of the targeted demographic here are the adults that grew up on the Smurfs and have a deep love and connection to the long-standing IP. Whether playing this to feel like a kid or actually playing with their own children that are getting into the same series they know and love, there’s something here worth enjoying.
So, if you’re wondering if Smurfs Kart is for you, it really all comes down to your love of the Smurfs themselves. This isn’t a bad game, by any means, and it nails the standard karting formula perfectly. It just isn’t a game that offers anything more than any of the other karting titles releasing, aside from its beloved characters and charm of being shrunk down.
Smurfs Kart is available now for Nintendo Switch with a planned release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2023.
If you’re interested in knowing more about Smurfs KArt, be sure to check out some of our helpful guides on the game, such as “All Game Modes in Smurfs Kart”.
