Rumble Trucks

Where do smaller titles draw a line between minimal content and appealing mini-games? It’s strange how some thrive on offering little gameplay with good replay value and some fall short because of it. Rumble Trucks falls in the latter category, with its simplistic mechanics and horrid trial and error.

The 24 available tracks are split into 3 worlds with each their own little truck, but even though there are 3 types of trucks for each, repetition already sets in quickly here. In every world, the tracks look largely similar and seem bland and empty to boot.  In addition, the sound for every world is equally repetitive and only further drones in the tedium. The only separations are the alterations in jumps and sporadic added elements; though sadly none of those are good additions. Spikes, gaps and added debris on the track are only irritating aspects that get the worst out of the car’s acceleration and gameplay physics.

Missed a star there cap'n.

Though the game never explains itself, the supposed goal is to complete each track within an allotted amount of time. By performing simple tricks, like wheelies or flips, a bar fills with what appears to be a speed meter; making the little car go faster up to a certain point. By collecting up to 20 stars, time gets subtracted from the overall completion, helping to complete a track. These gameplay elements both have issues, concerning their implementation: First off, performing tricks is only useful or advised in the very beginning, to gain momentum in order to go as fast as possible as soon as possible. Secondly, the stars scattered across the field are superfluous, as only getting over the finish line in time matters and to do so, one must jump over as much as they can.

But the largest issue in this miniature title is the forced and flawed trial and error routine. To unlock new tracks, the prior one must be completed with a medal first. Many tracks need to be completed in a very strict timespan, making any enjoyment out of any level fly away. The simple tracks need to be remembered and then simply skipped as swiftly as possible, but even then the bobbing physics might not allow it. It not only grows into needless frustration, but also locks away too much content for those that simply want to enjoy a small title. It juggles risk and reward in all the wrong ways and punishes gameplay, in order to only allow a form of non-enjoyable speed runs. That combined with the simplicity and repetition sink the final nails into this little racer that looks charming from afar.

Good luck with that.

Rumble Trucks is a title that really should be skipped, like it skips its own devices. With nothing but its cute façade being appealing of any sort, it’s hard to imagine anyone getting any fun out of this little racer. It has a simple idea of doing tricks and collecting things, but works that into the game all wrong, making it an endless string of frustration and boredom. The added in-game achievements are hardly anything to fuss over, in order to have to endure this game. Even in its miniature genre, there are dozens of better games to be had.

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Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed. (@Daavpuke)