Mickey's Speedway USA

Three rotten Weasels have sunk to a new low, dognapping Pluto and taking him for a fur-raising joyride across America. Alas for the Weasels, Mickey phones up his pals for help. Quicker than you can say "pedal to the metal," each and every one -- Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, even the rascally Pete -- jump in their go-karts for a full-throttle chase from sea to shining sea. Mickey and friends race through 16 great-looking tracks (plus several hidden courses) and four unique battle arenas. Since this is a game from Rare, you get the same needle-sharp play control of Diddy Kong Racing. Mickey's Speedway USA combines rich, subtle textures and a blistering frame rate in one gorgeous package.

In the one-player adventure more, Mickey's Speedway USA features four circuits. Traffic Troubles opens with the wide turns of Indianapolis, but finishes with a frenzied cliff-top rush through the Grand Canyon. Ice and snow impede your progress in Motor Way Mania's Alaska track. Highlights of the Freewayphobia circuit include underground jaunts through New York, Seattle and Chicago. Do well and you'll open the Victory Vehicles circuit, in which you can dash through the White House and over Malibu's sand-swept boardwalk. Find four car parts scattered about the tracks to open Franctic Finale, a brutal circuit that whooshes through Hawaii, Oregon, Texas and snowy slopes in Colorado. Power-ups include remote-control cars and aeroplanes that home in on leaders, slippery goo you can leave on the track and cloud that rains on a rival. Handily, clever artificial intelligence gives trailing drivers more powerful power-ups.

As many as four friends can duke it out in Contest Mode. The last driver to take three whacks from rivals' power-ups wins, so defensive driving is a key here. Lurk among the hedges of the White House lawn, put the foot to the floor in the Canyonlands Arena, ramp up your speed in the Dockyard and zip from deck to dance floor on the Steamboat. Kudos to Rare for the great use of sound, especially the non-stop chatter - the drivers heckle, gripe, boast and specifically address each other. In Mickey's Speedway USA, a friend with speed is a friend indeed.