
While you can upload your own maps and download others’ creations, that’s about the extent of it - this is no LittleBigPlanet. Content-sharing options are limited, and none of the customizations affect your in-race performance. Just one problem: There’s not much point to messing with any of this. Your first track won’t be very good, but playing around with these beginner features intuitively points the way toward more complex creations. Shortcuts like automatic scenery placement will let you get up and running in just minutes. While the performance and input limitations of the Vita make the process feel somewhat cumbersome, the level editor manages to be both relatively powerful and easy to figure out. The real challenge comes in designing custom tracks, which requires the use of a considerably more complicated level editor. Despite the drifting’s somewhat superfluous nature, we actually liked to drift as much as possible, since sliding around the tracks at odd angles while counter-steering felt a little more engaging than just pressing left and right while holding down the gas. This is racing by the strictest definition of the word, but it’s not exciting or invigorating.

The controls feel mushy, botching any chance of capturing some much-needed traction. There’s a drift feature, sure, but that exists solely to charge your special meter, which powers a turbo-boost and shield. That is a problem.Ĭonsider: You can navigate just about any of the few dozen included courses by simply steering left and right.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to care quite as much about the actual racing, which is about as sloppy and bland as the customization is comprehensive. Choose a custom vehicle shell! Slap a sticker on your buggy! Dress up your little “Mod” person as a fursuiting cowboy! This is all you! You are expressing yourself and being creative! Isn’t that rad? To be sure, ModNation Racers: Roadtrip is packed to bursting with potential tweaks, mods, and makeover options.
