Much like the games that were used as inspiration, there are a number of power ups that can be used, which can be acquired in ways that set itMuch like the games that were used as inspiration, there are a number of power ups that can be used, which can be acquired in ways that set it apart from other racers. There are the standard random pick-ups, such as those found in Mario Kart, which give you a random perk immediately. But there are other pick-ups that are designed around specific fruits allowing the player to slowly build up a stronger version of the associated ability over time, providing enough of the fruits are collected. With the ability to keep up to 4 different perks if the player chooses to hoard the items, they can be used to turn the tide of a losing race rather quickly. The issue with this is, with so many pick-ups being active at the same time, the AI can hit you with so many attacks in succession you go from first to last in the blink of an eye.The game has a few different modes from the start; however, you will be limited on your track options until you’ve completed the career mode, which can only be completed solo. This mode takes place across a number of cups, each consisting of four races of varying lengths. The AI is not overly challenging aside from when you get over-encumbered by the enemy attacks, which happens enough to make it mildly frustrating. The game is by no means bad and is presented in a cute, well designed package, but it’s too difficult for younger racers and too basic for most adult gamers. The races are fairly short, with the cups taking around 30 minutes to complete. Should you leave the game mid-cup, you have to start the entire ordeal over.Once each cup is completed, you will unlock additional characters, customization options, and tracks. I am happy to see the unlockable items are in place and not hidden behind a paywall. The limited number of tracks from the start is a bit of a hindrance if you wish to create your own championship, which would double as the local multiplayer option. There is also an option for a random championship to be generated, if you simply want to jump into the action. Online multiplayer is offered, although during my early access no games could be found.The controls are simple to get accustomed to, with the face buttons strictly being used to change between acquired power ups, the triggers used for the gas and brake/drifting/reverse, and the D-pad offering viewing options, such as first person mode, which is lacking from most kart games and sets this apart from the pack. The only complaint I have with the controls is the reverse, as it often takes two or more seconds to actually register you need to back up due to being stuck on one of the many jagged edges protruding from the environment, which is enough time to lose a significant lead.The roster of avatars is respectable, although there are no pros or cons to the racers or their respective carts, as they are merely cosmetic. This is nice as it allows you to use any avatar with your customized vehicle by default. While I did enjoy customizing my own cart (complete with the General Lee horn from the Dukes of Hazard), I found the lack of the option to use my Xbox avatar to be a missed opportunity. Additionally, my young son was not a fan of being required to be a girl, as the cast is exclusively female and we had to lie to him letting him know that one of the short haired girls was a dude. For the record, I have nothing against being progressive or inclusive, but most five year olds do not understand this concept.When playing couch co-op, I found the screen size with three players to be a bit lackluster, since the title opts to keep all of the screens the same size and block off a large portion of the screen with black boxes. This reduced my wife’s time joining in the festivities to a few races due to not being able to see. I noticed this mode causes performance to suffer, with a few minor bugs popping up such as my car hovering above the track, opposed to driving on it. Additionally, the Paw Patrol theme on repeat soundtrack would often stop or start randomly when playing with more than one player. I found this to be a blessing, since the music was the least thrilling part of the presentation. The visuals are well rendered and are reminiscent of many of the Rare titles or Glitch’s home world from the film Wreck-It Ralph.If you’re like me (Chad) and have no access to a Nintendo system to play their standout racer, All Star Fruit Racing is a respectable replacement, offering similar gameplay with slightly less polish. If you do have regular access to the granddaddy of the genre, you’ll likely find yourself yearning for more.
