Original Release: Midas Interactive, 2007, PlayStation 2
Other Releases: PSP/Wii (2009)
An iffy budget racer that takes a cartoony approach to the Hercules mythology without stepping on Disney’s toes
Heracles Chariot Racing (PSP, Midas Interactive, 2009)
Where to Buy: No longer officially available (discontinued with all PSP Minis in 2015)
How to Emulate: coming soon!
Review by: C. M0use
Heracles Chariot Racing is a mediocre, sloppy racer that doesn’t do anything that’s offensively bad, but also doesn’t have much more to boast than cute touches.
It really looks like the designers wanted to do a Disney Hercules licensed racer, but of course the big D wasn’t about to greenlight such a thing, so they got as legally close as possible with a Pirate Crunch type version. The game had sort of an odd development life as it started out as a full-fledged PS2 title in 2007, albeit only released in Europe, before getting demoted to PSP Mini and WiiWare status in 2009 when it came to the US on offer for only $8.
At least with the Wii version they added motion controls; on the PSP, even as a budget mini, I just don’t see the point when the system is choc-a-bloc with superior casual racing games. It has extremely obstacle-happy courses that are often obnoxious, and it’s one of those games where you start each new race in last place and get to watch the robotic computer vacuum up all the fun stuff ahead of you as it rubberbands into its designated place.
Maybe if you REALLY dig the mythology and like the idea of cartoony designs, otherwise I don’t see much of an audience for this. You do get a respectable 30 tracks total, but it’s barebones beyond that.
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