Nerdicus SNES Review #31: Biker Mice from Mars

Title : Biker Mice from Mars

Publisher : Konami

Developer : Konami

Genre : Racing

Players : 1 / 2 Player

Release Date : 1994

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $20-$30

Please tell me I'm not the only one that remembers this cartoon series from the early 90's? It was one of those animated shows that you couldn't peel your eyes off of for some reason. Probably because it was so damn bizarre. I really would have loved to be sitting down in the storyboarding room for when they came up with the concept of this show.

"Hey, John? Did you come up with an idea for a new show yet?"

"Not yet, Bill. But I did run over a mouse with my motorcycle this morning while eating a Mars bar..."

"Mouse...Motorcycle....Mars...John, you're brilliant! MAKE A SHOW!"

*sighs* I just don't get it...but I still watched it...and little ten year old me was VERY entertained. How can you resist 3 bad ass mice from SONS OF ANARCHY named Throttle, Modo and Vinnie who are battling against evil villains on Earth who destroyed their home on Mars. HOW DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE!?!?! So many damn Anthromorphic TV shows, comics, and video games in the 90s! Damn!!!

Well, as it is usually the case with any successful cartoon, this show had to be thrown onto video game consoles. This particular game was released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo, but the show actually went through a revival ten years ago and games were released for the DS and PS2.  Oh boy, I can't wait to review those when I finally get the chance.

In the meantime, let's get this out of the. I give you, Biker Mice from Mars....the racing game....*slams head on desk*

Picture if you will, Mario Kart...with mice, in an isometric view. Remember how RC Pro Am had that isometric view going for it in the NES? Well this is pretty much the same thing, except prettier. You'll have the choice of either going head to head with a friend, or just competing with the PC, and in this case the PC is going to absolute destroy you in the harder difficulty settings. It's actually kind of funny seeing how cheap they are. JUST LIKE MARIO KART.

Come on, tell me you don't get pissed off when you're in first the entire race, then you get hit with a shell, then another shell, then ANOTHER. And boom..7th place finish. Dammit...but if you want to hear more vents about Mario Kart, just check out my MARIO KART SNES review for it. This is BIKER MICE baby...

You'll have your choice of characters to choose from that were pulled straight from the animated series. At least the character designs are pretty cool, and the voice acting is actually pretty decent. Sounds a bit garbled, but entertaining nonetheless. Side note on the music and sound effects, as its probably my favorite thing to come out of this game. That rock music is absolutely epic.

Just like Mario Kart, your racers have different talents regarding their speed and handling, but also what type of special attack they are able to pull off. Choose wisely, and let the race begin.

If you've played a racing game before, I don't need to explain the mechanics. Avoid obstacles, hang tight on turns, and look for any shortcuts you can. Of course, in this game, you'll also have the opportunity to blow away your opposition using your special attacks that become available once you pick them up. Typical items such as money, invincibility, speed boosts etc are some of the things you'll find yourself grabbing. Very reminiscent of Mario Kart.

The races itself are pretty damn hard if you are playing at the highest difficulty. Much like Mario Kart, you'll always have one or two racers from the PC who are absolutely BEAST. They'll hit you with everything they got, and always tend to pass you by no matter what. Damn cheat mode....

The level designs are actually pretty cool in this game, as the cartoony style fits perfectly with the animated series. Courses range from the straightforward, to the insanely complex, and due to the isometric view, it actually takes a bit of getting used to and you might not do so well the first time around. You need to get used to each course. At least little hands pop up and tell you when a turn is coming up, that way you don't have to quickly check the map at the bottom of the screen.

Depending on what place you finish in, you'll get points as well as money in which you can use to upgrade your vehicle in a shop in between races. It's critical that you upgrade as often as possible, otherwise the AI controlled vehicles are going to slaughter you.

I'll admit it, a lot of people don't like this game, but I find it to be one of the most challenging and entertaining racer games out there for the SNES. It's not bad, it's just insanely difficult. Still, if you enjoy the style, and you're into Mario Kart-themed racing games, it's hard to pass it up.

But boy...I hate that isometric view!

Final Score (out of 5) :

Until next time, keep on gaming!