Motorstorm RC Vita

pro

The retro, old-school handling of the cars are simple but yet immensely satisfying, with high speeds and tight turning radius, a common characteristic of RC cars. Paying homage to games some of us grew up with like Micro Machines, Super Sprint and Supercars, there is nothing difficult at all about steering your miniature car around the track. However, to beat the top dogs (or your friends) you need to learn ever nook and cranny and shave off those precious seconds required to progress in the game. While the controls are great on both PS3 and Vita they are slightly more precise and responsive on PS3 where you use and for accelerate/break and for steering.

pro

If the classic arcade top-down racing gameplay of MotorStorm RC is old-school, the aesthetics of it is quite the opposite! The toy cars look fresh and the different tracks feature environments you recognize from previous MotorStorms. The desert of Monument Valley (MotorStorm), the jungle of Pacific Rift (MotorStorm: Pacific Rift), the arctic tundra of Arctic Edge (Motorstorm: Arctic Edge) and lastly the apocalypse themed ruined city (MotorStorm: Apocalypse). Each of the 16 unique tracks are filled to the brim with details that enhance the miniature feel and as a bonus you get a neat playground where you can harness your skills and just have some pure and unadulterated RC fun!

pro

MotorStorm RC is the first in the series to include cross-platform play between the PS3 and PS Vita and your game save transfers seamlessly without you having to press a button. Only thing that is seperate are the Trophy sets, you can earn trophies on both platforms!

con

There is no competitive online play. In the traditional sense there is no way to race simultaneously against your friends online. Instead the use of ghosts, pitwall, challenges and notifications make up the bulk of the online. Worth to note is that the PS3 version does feature four-player local split-screen. Some people will just be put off by constantly getting notices about how your times are being crushed by rivals, while others will get motivated to try and beat them. This is basically the Angry Birds of RC racing, for better or for worse!

con

The races are short and you will most likely finish them in around a minute. There are different modes (Race, Hot Lap, Drift and Pursuit) to mix things up but I wish the tracks were longer and had more unique obstacles or huge ramps.

con

Priced too low? No matter how you spin it, pay once, get both, for £4.79/€5.99 in Europe or for free in North America (because of a sponsor deal), it's a steal. Support the developer by picking up some DLC also!