Excitebots: Trick Racing

It's got the retro-signifier name for the old schoolers, but otherwise there's no connection between Excitebots and that NES classic Excite Bike. But what the former lacks in nostalgic warm fuzzies it makes up for in titular accuracy. Bots is the sequel to the Wii launch racer Excite Truck, which served primarily as a demo for motion-sensitive steering. This time instead of 4X4s, there are bug- and animal-shaped vehicles (seemingly inspired by the Transformers Insecticons) whipping about the wild wilderness tracks. The game focuses on speed, style and silliness, adding mid-race pie throwing, soccer ball-kicking and poker playing to the off-road racing. Though it does amp up the immersion with the Wii Wheel, this fast-paced arcade racer doesn't even pretend to pay heed to Gran Turismo realism, preferring instead absurdist revelry.