Expect anti-grav racing, not fast rodents in DS's Rapid Racoon
Is this the oddest named game of the year?
In certain parts of the world – Elvisland, for example – a rapid racoon might be considered something of a fast food delicacy (pass the peanut butter dipping sauce, please). So quite how Lexicon Entertainment came up with the name for its budget-priced DS WipEout-style futuristic racer is a question open to debate.
The slim thread of logic seems to be that each of the eight teams (five of which you have to unlock) has a mascot, one of which is a racoon.
Go figure...
Moving on to more solid ground, however, developer DK Games has spent some time explaining Rapid Racoon's different modes of play. Easy mode limits the speed your opponents can race at, while in Normal, they try to stop you passing them but aren't overly aggressive in their use of power-ups (such as missiles, mines, bombs and magnets). In Hard mode, it's a free-for-all.
As for the tracks, they're themed across three environments: the industrial UndaCity; the trees, cliffs and water of Neo Terra; and a frontier space station. Wi-fi mutliplayer is also promised, although the number of players hasn't been detailed.
Indeed, with a release date of February 2008, there should also be plenty of time to break out the focus groups and perhaps work on another name.
