Wii racer

As a PC racing mainstay, Trackmania is making a brave switch to the most playful of the consoles and thus the furthest away from the roots of the rigid and ultra comprehensive PC ecosystem. Yet equally important to the choice to move to Wii is the need for a competent racer that doesn't feature a mustached plumber. F1 2009 lacked finesse, yet remains the most wide-ranging of titles for this 'universally appealing' console.

The Trackmania series' strengths lie predominantly in the online medium – where PC gaming can still better its console brothers for sheer power in numbers. The games are the proud holders of no less than six Guinness World Records including 'biggest online race,' 'most popular online racing sim' and 'largest content base of any racing game.' This last point is crucial to the success of the franchise on the Wii – the most content – lite of any console.

Gameplay

This new installment simply entitled Trackmania Wii certainly looks the part if nothing else. Obviously we are not talking about blow-you-away HD graphical prowess here, but considering the wealth of content and accessibility included, the visuals go a bit beyond simply neat, tidy and functional. Less surprising is that the content looks to be wholly satisfactory; being a ported version of Trackmania United, you would expect no less of course. The customary trio of vehicle types seen in the DS version has been increased to the traditional seven and there will be 265 tracks over six different environments to play with before making your own.

The usual solo and multiplayer based campaigns and tournaments are included as well. The ever popular HotSeat mode and four way split-screen multiplayer action is alive and well. The wifi enabled multiplayer capabilities should ensure some lengthy sessions with friends and foes from all over the world. This all comes complete with ranking tables for on and offline gloating, and the ingenious peer2peer engine that was so effective on the PC will also be compatible.

The Copper game currency returns to allow all sorts of goodies to come your way after winning solo medals or trading in your own creations. It is through this system that players can buy 'blocks' for their racetrack creations and embark on those loop the loop and impossible twist dreams, or laugh at others' attempts to construct a similarly special experience.

Customization

Like most games across any genre nowadays there is generous customizing to be had here – but only the truly capable ones will offer worthy gameplay to match such window shopping. Trackmania has offered just that in the past, so hopes are high that once the countless hours spent creating tracks and vehicles are finished, the time spent racing is just as fun. Yet this is still a port, and not the long awaited official sequel most fans are biding their time for – Trackmania 2 is set for 2011. So the fear with Trackmania Wii, as with F1 2009, is that most fans will simply wait out until the real McCoy appears on the scene.

As an introduction to the series, its quirks and unconventional qualities make this Wii port a worthy option. However, for some newcomers to the franchise (and there are many), the sheer amount of stuff offered will prove daunting, especially for those remote wielders more accustomed to the pick up and play ethics of Mario Kart.

Some have expressed fears that this game isn't really going to appeal to anyone. The die hard fans of old – if they even have a Wii – may well hold out for the sequel, whilst any newcomers may shy away from the choice and considerable effort needed to get the most from such a title. Although it can be played lightly, Trackmania is not a title you dip into; rather, it is a racer with RPG levels of intimate customization.

Nice pastime

The success of the DS edition in 2008 should do much to quell such doubts, as a new army of converts has embraced this unconventional way to race. Even though bigger and better things are coming, 2011 is a long way away, and Trackmania Wii could serve to pass the time nicely.