Miniature toy cars racing around large-scale, everyday objects. Sound familiar? For those more 'experienced' gamers amongst you, it should conjure up fond memories of the fun-filled, action packed Micro Machines series of games (while the younger readers might well have come across the more recent offerings). If for some reason you've not heard of, or played the Micro Machines series, it revolves around racing miniature vehicles around everyday objects, with the main objective of simply winning the race. Oh, and also smashing your opponents vehicles off the map for added fun!

With this in mind, it's clear to see where Load Inc. have sourced the basic idea for Mad Tracks, and whilst the concept of Micro Machines remains strong in the game, they've incorporated some new features to show they're not just copying a classic. For starters, the cars are powered by a spring - sort of like those toy cars you have to pull back and release so they zip off before slamming into the nearest wall. This means that you can't just hold down the accelerator throughout the race - you've pretty much got to ration how much power you use.

Players race in different 3D environments such as miniature golf courses, around a child's bedroom floor littered with toys you can slam into to create obstacles for the person behind you, and even a full size pool table. Perhaps the best thing about these numerous environments is that it removes the monotony of simply racing for the sake of racing. Don't get me wrong - Mad Tracks lets you do this if you want to - but personally I feel it's more fun to play the other various game modes for added multiplayer shenanigans. Featuring fifteen events in total, Mad Tracks offers a range of different ways to play, and most of the events are different; some are plain and simple racing, whilst others will involve more complex tasks that get you utilising the environments more.

These extra modes are quite welcome too; not only can you race, but you can play different game types, like 2 on 2 football where you and a mate can play on a foosball table with the aim of trying to push a ball into your opponent's goal using only your car. Although it sounds pretty simple, it's quite strategic too. Will you go all out for that goal to beat your opponents into submission? Or will you play a defensive game, chasing opportunities when they arise? It's completely up to you, and that's what I like about this game. Sure, it's obviously not going to take on the likes of FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer, but in the short term it's probably twice as fun.

Aside from the football, players can take part in similar events such as mini-golf (or should that be mini mini-golf?!) where you push a ball around a course with the aim of getting your ball into the hole first. Or how about a game of darts, where you get three attempts to jump off a ramp onto a dartboard below, with the winner being the car that gets closest to the bullseye? These fun-filled games are just a few examples of the different events you'll take part in with Mad Tracks.

Oh, and did I mention there's an array of highly amusing weaponry available in the form of pickups on each level? Just another added feature that's transformed Mad Tracks into potentially one of the most fun Xbox Live Arcade titles yet! I've got to say, there's nothing more infuriatingly funny than firing an explosive rocket at your friend and knocking them off the side of the map just before they pass the finish line and beat you. How do I know this? It happened to me the other night and although it's pretty annoying, it was actually one of the funniest moments I've had whilst multiplayer gaming on the Xbox 360. I'm still being humiliated by it over MSN as I write this review. The plain old rocket is not all though - oil slicks, mortars, spring regenerators, spring destroyers, intense headlights to temporarily blind the players around you, and how about a freeze ray to turn that pesky opponent into a block of ice for a short period of time? This isn't a comprehensive list either, but it does highlight the diverse methods available of extinguishing your friends' hopes of beating you, or even your hopes of beating your friends. The weapons are perfect for exacting that sweet revenge and humiliating your buddies every time you see them!

The graphics in Mad Tracks aren't groundbreaking, but they're perfectly acceptable considering the size limits for Live Arcade games. Through your behind-car perspective you'll notice that the levels are fairly well detailed (although you really should be looking at the road, unless of course you like smacking into stuff and bouncing off the track). The cars are quite basic in appearance; you get to choose between three types (light, heavy, sports), each with slightly different stats and a different appearance. There's not really much more I could comment on with regards to the graphics - the game looks good, especially so as it utilises real-time reflections, but I can't help but feel that the texturing and modelling of the items within the game is quite basic. However, the graphics are certainly on par with other Xbox Live Arcade titles.

The sound is also fairly decent; the menus are accompanied by a great synthesized fast tempo track, which is quite good in comparison to some of the other Live Arcade titles. However, once you get into the game, you'll immediately notice the monotonous whining sound the cars make; since they aren't engine powered, they don't make different sounds depending on how hard they're being pushed, so instead you get a sound that is likely to make you want to turn the sound down - or better still, play your own soundtrack. The weapon effects are good though, and clear enough so you can tell which weapon has been fired by your opponents, giving you enough time to brace yourself.

The biggest problem with Mad Tracks is its length. At 800MP, it costs the same as most of the other games on the Xbox Live Arcade, but for those 800 points you get a measly 15 events - that's 15 levels that you can play on, and those are fixed in their game type; you can't pick which a map then pick a mode. I should mention that those 15 levels will fly by quicker than a super-charged Ferrari at full pelt. In fact, I managed to complete the game with all gold medals in the best part of an hour, and once the single player levels are completed, you won't want to revisit them, as they don't really offer much in terms of replayability, so you're pretty much stuck with playing the game with your buddies either over Xbox Live, or sitting next to them on the sofa. There are two further downloadable content packages scheduled to hit the Xbox Live Arcade, each offering a further 15 tracks, but these will cost you in the region of 350 points each. I guess if you're playing Mad Tracks often with buddies then it's justified, as there's hours of fun to be had here, but even then, there's only a certain amount of times you can race around the same levels before you get bored and move on.

Mad Tracks is an excellent little game. Though it's short, it offers a whole lot of fun, especially in multiplayer mode where I can almost guarantee you'll be either badly humiliated by you friends, or you'll humiliate the heck out of them. Is it worth the cost? I'd have to say it is - it's a perfect party game you can play with your Xbox-less friends, as it doesn't have the steep learning curve of the likes of Forza Motorsport 2. As it's certified as an 'E' for everyone, it's fun for the family too - I'm sure the kids will have almost as much fun knocking you off the course as you will launching rockets at them. So check out the demo as soon as you can, and you'll see that this is one of the most entertaining and fun games yet to grace the Xbox Live Arcade.

Reviewed by Harmz Singh for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).