Just when you think you have seen just about every cute movie related game on the market, along comes a new one! The new one happens to be the one I am reviewing today! Toy Story Racer is one of those games which is not only one great game to play, but also gives that warm familiar feeling you get whenever you encounter the Toy Story gang.

The game starts out by letting you choose from 4 different characters, 8 more will be unlocked as you complete challenges you are given. They range from that irascible but lovable Buzz Lightyear to our favorite cowboy Woody. Other characters include such favorites as Rocky Gibraltar, Slinky Dog and Mr. Potato Head (my personal favorite!).  As each character brings his or her own special racing element, I highly suggest that you try each one at least once. Each one will bring a totally different feel to the race as well as hilarity.

You have numerous choices when it comes to the races themselves. I especially enjoyed this feature as too many racing games of the same genre pretty much entail the standard around the track, which can get more than a little monotonous! This one stands alone though, when it comes to your choice of style. Some of your game modes include the traditional Lap Trial, which is the standard race around the track until you beat the target time. But wait! Try the less standard version of Lap and go with the Reverse Lap Trial. This is hilarious and I guarantee a lot of smiles here.

Other modes include Survival, which is exactly what it sounds like. Survival of the fittest, car that is. You will find yourself ducking weapons, which are put in your way to thwart your success. I have to tell you that although I liked the challenge of Survival, trying reversal Survival gives a new meaning to the word challenge!  When you are playing, make sure to hold down the last button next to your right thumb on the Controller. This will light up all the targets in bright red and give you a real step up when you are in the search mode of a particular race. Really gives you an edge!

One thing I have to add before I go on is the Etch A Sketch. If you find yourself going in the wrong direction, an Etch A Sketch will appear on the screen gently guiding you to the right way your car should be heading. It is worth going the wrong way just to see that familiar toy which has been loved by so many for so long. That alone will bring a smile! Another thing I have to add here is just how much I loved the tracks. Straight out of Toy Story itself, you will find yourself racing around the inside of a home, under the beds, across the slick kitchen floor, and if the house is a little too tame, take a spin out into the backyard. This really makes this game so different than any other racing game you will have played and how refreshing!       

Gameplay: 8.9
This is one of those games, which is refreshingly consistent throughout the game. Whether you choose to race in a tournament or just take some laps around the track, the challenge and fun level continues to grab your attention and keep it!

Graphics: 9.7
To say the graphics are absolutely beautiful and true to the movie is an understatement!  From the fine detail in every character to the reflection on a polished floor to wallpaper on a room you are racing through, everything is perfect. The graphics get you in the mood for the race and this only lends to the beauty of the game.

Sound: 10.0
Sound just does not get any better than this! I just have to point out that before I started the game, I was curious as to how they would do the voices. Having seen the both movies more times than I want to admit, I was hoping for at least voices close to the movie voice-overs. My hopes were more than realized! The people who put this game together spared no expense as they have provided voices so similar to the movie voices that you can easily identify with your game characters as the real deal!

Difficulty: 8.9
I love the fact that the difficulty always has just the right amount of challenge, yet never so difficult that your chances to win a race are out of reach. Although the races will require a certain amount of strategy, it never misses the mark when it comes to also providing fun and laughter along the way.

Concept: 8.0
Racing games have been around almost as long as games themselves. What distinguishes this game is not only the fact that it is movie based, but that it stays so close to the characters we have all fallen in love with.  

Multiplayer: 10.0
I played the game several times alone but have to admit that when I chose the two player, it really gave me a higher challenge level, one though that even the youngest gamer will enjoy and not be discouraged by.  

Overall: 10.0
I fell in love with Toy Story years ago as it had to be one of the most charming movies I had seen in a long, long time. Like so many others, I have followed its sequel and the characters themselves. When you are so familiar with the characters, it is often difficult to switch from movie to game and still have the characters true to form. This game has done it beautifully. It is one of those games, which is for kids but also brings out the kid in all of us.