Cars

Play Magazine

This is a real racer, and a really big racer developed by the reigning kings of the kind, Rainbow Studios, who worked closely with Pixar and all of the celebrity talent from the film...to create a companion game as high-performance as the movies it's based on. [July 2006, p.70]

PGNx Media

Cars is not the most complex racing game around, but it manages to capture the Pixar spirit very well. Aside from this, it’s an enjoyable game with solid gameplay and a great presentation.

GameZone

This is a good game for families in that it really does offer a lot for many different ages. While hard-core racing gamers won’t get much out of it, everyone else will enjoy it.

1UP

It's kind of like a junior sandbox approach that younger gamers will enjoy because they can just trundle around without crashing or waiting for loads and older kids will love because it allows them to explore a large area and find characters and items that they'll recognize from the movie.

AceGamez

Although by no means perfect, Cars certainly raises the bar, and hopefully the public's expectations of what a video game tie-in should be. For this more than anything, Rainbow Studios should be applauded.

GameSpot

It's hardly the next big thing in driving games, but it still manages to deliver the most authentic Pixar film experience to the video game medium of any previous attempt, and it's certainly one of the better kid-oriented games to come out this year.

WHAM! Gaming

Besides some lazy moments where characters show up repeatedly and say the same things over and over, some clunky controls on the main map and some overly-long load times between races and minigames, Cars does the trick.

Next Level Gaming

What happens when a game does all of the little things right, but doesn’t deliver much in the gameplay department? That’s exactly what happened with Cars.

Worth Playing

It has some glaring visual flaws and technically deficient AI. While it captures the parts of the movie that captivated the kiddies, it disregards the heart of the film that made it enjoyable to adults.

Game Informer

This certainly shouldn't beat "Burnout" or "Need for Speed" for your racing dollars, but it might if you're shopping for the family. [Aug 2006, p.81]

GameSpy

The best thing that can be said about Cars is that it lays down solid racing gameplay without feeling generic.

Games Radar

Whichever version you play, Cars is a likable little racing adventure. The gameplay is nothing outstanding, but it's fun enough while it lasts, and overall it looks pretty slick.

IGN

Cars really becomes a balancing act in the end, and it will be up to the individual players to decide if the sum is greater or weaker than its parts. It’s definitely worth a rental for fans of the movie, though we’d strongly encourage people to weigh their possibilities before dropping the full purchase amount.

Cheat Code Central

If you attempt to unlock everything in this game you can expect it to last about 15 hours or so. The average gamer will probably get five to eight hours out of it before they've seen most of it and start to get bored. I would definitely recommend renting this for a weekend before committing to a purchase.

Nintendo Power

It looks nice, it plays nice, and it has plenty of unlockables, quality cut-scenes, and a decent multiplayer mode. Still, frustrations lie around every corner. [Aug 2006, p.84]

Deeko

As I said before, I'm a sucker for this type of game and Cars does satisfy some of my tie-in hunger pangs, but after all the dust settles I'm still hungry. I think THQ was on the right track here, but possibly are guilty of a false start.

eToychest

The racing in Cars is fun and accessible for children, and the story is appropriate for all ages, but frustrating mini-games and lack of direction at key points in a children’s game are both unforgivable oversights.

Sydney Morning Herald

Many youngsters will simply enjoy hooning around Radiator Springs, although some might get frustrated not knowing where to go next.

G4 TV

There’s little variation among the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox versions of Cars, and each hits the mark in terms of racing game basics such as framerate and sense of speed. Rainbow Studios has performed admirably here.

Pro-G

The racing is by no means terrible, and will serve its purpose for those interested in a Cars video game, but had that aspect been nailed, the whole experience would have been elevated a notch or two.

Detroit Free Press

The movie's a lot more fun than the game.