Homie Rollerz
Ages: Everyone

Alert - a wonderful game.

You race to earn respect, trick out you car, unlock tracks and race as different Homies - Big Red, Mac Daddy, El Chilote, Gata, Big Loco, Willie G and Hollywood. The Homies all race their special cars, special tracks and aim for special rewards like having a less violent neighborhood, for a zombie - get life. Willie G in his Lowrider wheelchair races to help a crippled friend. As you probably have caught my drift - this game has responsible characters who, as the Homie creed seems to be, take care of one another.

The good vibes in no way diminished the action or competitiveness of the racing. Winning isn't all - winning in style is. Your mission is to pull off as many slick tricks without it taking too much of a toll on your speed, and to foil you competition. The touch screen is only used for a map, so steering is done with the +Control Pad. Tricks are done using R and L shoulder buttons - driving on two wheels, hopping and doing a roll when going over a ramp.

Track elements include boost patches, trick ramps, hazards and item boxes. Item boxes are where you collect items that you use to slow down your opponents - brick walls, basketballs, oil slicks, bottle rockets, and confuser juice. Hot sauce gives your car a speed burst of flame and camouflage makes your car invisible for 10 seconds. You have to press X to use these items while keeping your finger on the A button to accelerate - a little tricky. You can see what kind of destructo-fun the Homies can wage upon one another. Multiplayer will take up to 8 players, and in Spanish too.

But the message that these guys - regardless where they started from, or how they look - are friends and care about their community, while subtle, will be heard by the kids playing the game and that makes this game a winner. And yes, I have Homies on my desk.

Fun Factor: Fun and with good vibes.
Female Factor: How about more Homie woman.
Player Friendly: No easy wins.

Reviewed by: Editor - 06/08