Car Toons! Review

Anyone disappointed with a certain other anthropomorphic car franchise may want to look into Car Toons! Sure, the bite-sized physics puzzle gameplay is entertaining enough on its own. However, a surprisingly sharp sense of humor is the secret best thing this little game has going for it.

Each stage in Car Toons! is a puzzle that must be solved by moving all of the good guys into their parking spaces and pushing all of the bad cars off the stage to their doom. Sometimes this is as simple as tapping the car and moving it forward a few feet. However, usually the solution involves balancing multiple cars, causing platforms to vanish at the right time, and making use of each car’s special abilities. In addition to handling slightly differently, the ambulance, police car, and fire truck can all use a special skill when the stage allows it. The ambulance can jump, the police car can turn around, and the fire truck can boost forward like it’s suddenly in Burnout CRASH!

The puzzles, while usually very straightforward, are varied, inventive, and action-packed. However, the stages are so small and can be finished so quickly that even though the 108 total amount sounds like a lot, most players will just burn right through them. At least there are more on the way.

Besides, the game has such a charming presentation that players will have a good experience even if it’s not a particularly long one. The look of the hero and villain cars nail the kind of 80’s toy cartoon feeling the game seems to be going for as does the purposefully cheesy “Take on Me” inspired soundtrack. The best parts by far though are the genuinely funny one-liners. One car can’t shut up about Russia and Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, when riding on top of a bad car it quips, “Only my wife has the privilege to be a burden.”

Plenty of games have clever designs and plenty more have clever writing. Car Toons! is fortunate enough to have both.