Disney•Pixar Cars

The Cars video game adaptation puts you in Lightning McQueen's tires for the Piston Cup Championship and the events leading up to it. Ten characters from the Pixar film are playable, and over 30 races and mini-games cover the road, dirt and tractor-tipping ground the movie set up. The open environments connect via Route 66 and the racetracks themselves.

The campaign loosely follows the movie's plot: starting out as an arrogant rookie, racing through Radiator Springs, learning what teamwork means from Sally, Mater, Doc Hudson and the rest of the cast, then taking that into bigger Piston Cup events. Side activities include tractor herding, monster truck stunts and the demolition derby outside the main race progression.

Voice talent from the film returns, so Lightning, Mater, Doc, Sally and the supporting cast all sound right. Larry the Cable Guy and Cheech Marin reprise their roles. THQ published; Rainbow Studios developed the PC version with arcade-leaning handling rather than serious sim physics.