Cars Race-O-Rama (2009). Play online

Summary

Cars Race‑O‑Rama rolls onto the Nintendo DS as a colorful, open‑world racing romp that lets players rev through five non‑linear zones, including the iconic Radiator Springs. Beyond standard circuit sprints, you can jump into quirky modes like Guido Kart, steering the clumsy forklift to bash rivals in a Mario‑Kart‑style free‑for‑all. The title leans heavily into visual personalization: Lightning McQueen’s bumper, hood, skirts, spoiler, wheels and paint scheme are all unlockable tweaks that reward the little collector in every session. While the handheld’s engine, crafted by Australia’s Tantalus Media, borrows tech from the console entries, critics noted the DS version feels more like a cash‑grab than a fresh experience, pointing to bland exploration and a pricey price tag. Still, younger fans appreciate its faithful character lineup and the ability to zip around beloved Pixar scenery. As the final pre‑2017 Cars title on the DS, it offers a nostalgic dash of Pixar flair for handheld gamers, even if its spark is dimmed by under‑whelming depth.

Storyline

Cars Race‑O‑Rama is set after the second movie and game. Lightning McQueen and the Doc Hudson Racing Academy race Chick Hicks Racing Academy. Chick’s crew crashes the Doc team and vows to win the series, shut down the academy, take over Radiator Springs and ban Lightning. Lightning accepts, calls Chick “Thunder,” and begins customizing his car.

In Ornament Valley, Mater meets his old rivals Bubba, Tater and Tater Jr. at the Rustbucket Stadium, where they once raced for towing rights to Radiator Springs. The Taters warm up to Mater and become friends.

The tour goes to Santa Carburera, where Lightning, Doc’s students and Flo meet Candice, who loses and demands new parts from her father. In Autovia they race against Chick’s VIN robots and the off‑road racer El Machismo, who blames Chick. Night races in Motoropolis City pit Lightning against the silent muscle car Stinger, and Lightning wins each round.

The final showdown returns to Radiator Springs Speedway. Lightning races Candice, El Machismo, Stinger and the VINs before a head‑to‑head with Chick. Using secret upgrades, Lightning claims the Race‑O‑Rama trophy; Chick storms off, vowing revenge. Candice, El Machismo and Stinger later apologize, and Lightning invites them to the Doc Hudson Academy.