I recently had the opportunity to test out one of the most recent offerings from Codemasters, Micro Machines V4. Codemasters is the development company responsibly for such titles as Operation Flashpoint, Colin McRae Rally 5, and the upcoming Jericho.

So it was with some optimism that I installed Micro Machines on my computer. My experience was mixed.

I’m only moderately interested in racing games. I mean, at least one good racing game is always in my gaming stable, and I break it out whenever i have the need for some speed. But I’ll give anything that looks like fun a shot, and remembering my childhood playing around with toy cars seemed like a good time.

The install went smoothly, and I had everything up and running relatively quickly. The PC version is a DVD, however, so have a magazine ready while installing.

The controls are simple. Forward, back, left, right, weapon. Controlling the vehicle in-game is a matter of learning to powerslide while holding down the accelerator, and only occasionally slowing down. The game has a fun battle element, as players gather up items strewn about the track and use them to take out opponents. Don’t worry, though. The actual violence is minimal, on par with anything I’d give an ‘E’ rating.

There are over 750 vehicles to collect, but I found that dizzying and exciting number to be a bit of a letdown, as the vehicles themselves tend to be bland and generic. All you really get is a different paint job sometimes, and they’re not even exciting paint jobs. I was more impressed with the various vehicle stats, which introduced a good strategy element to the game.

Vehicles handle differently in the game, with some giving better acceleration/grip/maneuverability than others. This allows you to pick the best vehicle for the job. Unfortunately, with 750 vehicles to choose from, you’ll probably just find yourself building a bond with 5 or 6 and never touching the others.

There are three types of race in the game, including laps, checkpoint, and battle (where the goal is simply to vastly outrun your opponents), and the game has simple, stable multiplayer support for up to 4 players. Frankly, I was confused by that, as it seemed this game would lend itself well to having upwards of 16 players at one time on some of the larger tracks.

Speaking of tracks, there were some awesome ones. By far, this was the best element of the game. Aside from the usual household furniture, fixtures, and appliances, the cars could also go outside and explore a bit, tearing through the garden, over rooftops, and even through a chicken coop. This was a welcome addition to the game. Driving around made me feel a bit like a kid again, and when you’re playing with toy cars, who can ask for more?

If I had to pick out one glaring problem (for me, at least) it would be the camera control. As in, there isn’t any. It’s a problem I have seen in numerous games, and have been irritated by them all. The camera in this game follows its own path, sometimes behind, sometimes from the side, and it can make controlling your little speed demon a nightmare. On courses where the slightest deviation could send you into a tub of water or off a counter, I found it more than a little frustrating.My only other gripe is with graphics. I’m a graphics whore, and in this day and age there is no excuse for lackluster sprites in a game. While Codemasters upgraded the scenery a bit, it didn’t feel as polished as it should have, and the cars were still blocky and uninspired.

Overall, I think the game was fun though. A lot of fun, especially for kids who parents might want to provide with some video game entertainment without worrying about sex or violence. The replay value is pretty high, and adding a few friends to the mix via online play makes it even better.

I’d give it a solid 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. Like the latest action flicks, it won’t win the Academy Award, but it’s still a lot of fun.