Speed Kings PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Acclaim
  • Release Date: May 28, 2003
Metascore
61 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 13
  3. Negative: 3 out of 13
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  1. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    80
    Not a masterpiece, but it has something nailed that so many games seem to lack: it's fun. Lots of fun. Seriously. [July 2003, p.97]
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  2. Gamezilla!
    79
    It certainly isn’t the most polished title I’ve seen, but they do a few things right, a few special things that make this a game worth playing.
  3. GameSpot
    76
    Even though Speed Kings doesn't stray very far from the "Burnout 2" formula, it's a solid racer that does a great job of conveying an insanely fast sense of speed and requires you to think and react in an instant.
  4. TotalGames.net
    70
    If you can forgive the faults, love bikes and have the patience of a saint, then you will enjoy Speed Kings. The game’s major failing is to borrow so much from the real king of speed, Burnout 2, and never innovating in the process, merely imitating.
  5. Operation Sports
    70
    No online and that damn stopwatch thing is bugging me. It is a great game to play for short periods of time, but I don't think the game has much replay value.
  6. Game Informer
    65
    You'll reach velocities so incomprehensible that your reflexes are paralyzed. [July 2003, p.107]
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  7. Yahoo! Games
    60
    There's only so many tricks one can do on a bike cruising at 120mph. Variety is absolutely required, and there's not much in Speed Kings. And the trick control is not responsive enough.
  8. IGN
    55
    There's nothing that Speed Kings does that Burnout 2 doesn't smoke right off the line in every way possible. Physics, speed, track design, opponent AI, handling, graphics, audio -- Speed Kings really offers much, much less for your money.
  9. PSM Magazine
    50
    The biggest problem with the racing engine is that it feels more like a living pinball game than a motorcycle race. [Aug 2003, p.26]
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  10. Eurogamer
    50
    Speed Kings is vaguely entertaining, and certainly there are worse racers, but with "Burnout 2" and "Midnight Club II" to compete with, it's as if Climax couldn't see the point.
  11. Gaming Age
    42
    A collage of two genres that collide harder than the crashes you experience in the game. Why? For one simple reason, you don’t take time trial speed races and toss in Tony Hawk style tricks in to slow you down. Bad choice boys, oh what a bad choice indeed.
  12. GameShark
    40
    A perfect example of what happens when you try to follow inspiration yet forget to bring your own intuition and imagination.
  13. PSX Nation
    40
    Stick with "Burnout 2: Point of Impact” for all your risk-vs.-reward arcade racing needs, and leave Speed Kings for some other schmuck that doesn’t know any better to test-crash on his/her own.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. VarunB.
    7
    Not magnificent...but an overall fun bike racing game for the PS2...with plenty unlockables, this could keep you busy for a while. A good game to play if you have a few hours to kill.… Full Review »
  2. JustinS.
    9
    The game is really fun i think. The only thing that bothers me is that there is no map on your screen and that you dont have a trick list to look off of. They expect you to do tricks that you dont even know how to do.… Full Review »
  3. ScottW.
    8
    I hate that I read GameSpot's review, however, it is spot on. A good game that I have played for about 6 hours, so far. Decent graphics, blazing speed with rare slow-down when a lot is happening on the screen, all at once. This game is arcadey and the camera moves around behind your motorcycle as you turn, making it odd at first, but easy to get used to quickly. The crashes are ok and somewhat cool - I have seen some really nice crashes, but most are the same 'ol same 'ol. I don't know what to say about the trick system. It's good and then it's not. It's still fun and you only have to learn two or three tricks and then you get the POWERBAND. Awwww, yeaaaaahhh. Nice. Overall, a fun game with an arcadey feel (just like Burnout 2) with ok crashes and a GREAT sense of SPEED. The replay does not show the whole race and this has had me bent a few times because I wanted to see a crash that happened 1/2 - 3/4 through the race, however, the replay just stops. Oh yeah... the soundtrack stinks.… Full Review »
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