Micro Machines V4 (DS) interview: Multiplayer, Wi-Fi, and Wii

Micro Machines V4 (MMv4) will soon strut its stuff on the DS. The game has had several incarnations on different gaming consoles, but it’s still pretty new to handheld systems. Cubed3 (C3) caught up with Codemasters and Supersonic and got some interesting info about the game and its future.

No doubt, Micro Machines has quite a big following and there’s a pressure for both developer and publisher to deliver fresh content without taking away the nostalgia factor. As such, the developers turned their focus on what made the title a success – multiplayer options. But even with such objective, the team ensures that the single player game is as good as the multiplayer game.

The team worked to get the gameplay and graphics on the DS as close as possible to other versions of the game. Of course, the addition of the touch screen controls and Wi-Fi play serve as the major come on of MMv4. Unfortunately, the team decided against Wi-Fi Internet races. Implementing it would have compromised the gameplay too much because of latency/technical issues.

Aside from the various game modes (battle, races, chases, time trials, checkpoint games), the DS version will feature the trading mode where players can swap cars using DS wireless capabilities.

Testing the handheld waters might just open the doors for a next-gen console appearance. Codemasters is not ruling out the possibility of a Wii version, especially since the controls can be adapted for the Wiimote and Nunchuk. Producer Jamie Firth even offered some ideas, “Maybe ‘pushing’ the cars around? Maybe an accelerator and then you ‘turn’ the cars with your chucks? IÂ’m sure all budding games designers out there would want to chip in with some ideas!”

We smell fun and excitement in there, don’t wii?

Pre-Order: [Micro Machines V4 for DS]

Micro Machines V4 (MMv4) will soon strut its stuff on the DS. The game has had several incarnations on different gaming consoles, but it’s still pretty new to handheld systems. Cubed3 (C3) caught up with Codemasters and Supersonic and got some interesting info about the game and its future.

No doubt, Micro Machines has quite a big following and there’s a pressure for both developer and publisher to deliver fresh content without taking away the nostalgia factor. As such, the developers turned their focus on what made the title a success – multiplayer options. But even with such objective, the team ensures that the single player game is as good as the multiplayer game.

The team worked to get the gameplay and graphics on the DS as close as possible to other versions of the game. Of course, the addition of the touch screen controls and Wi-Fi play serve as the major come on of MMv4. Unfortunately, the team decided against Wi-Fi Internet races. Implementing it would have compromised the gameplay too much because of latency/technical issues.

Aside from the various game modes (battle, races, chases, time trials, checkpoint games), the DS version will feature the trading mode where players can swap cars using DS wireless capabilities.

Testing the handheld waters might just open the doors for a next-gen console appearance. Codemasters is not ruling out the possibility of a Wii version, especially since the controls can be adapted for the Wiimote and Nunchuk. Producer Jamie Firth even offered some ideas, “Maybe ‘pushing’ the cars around? Maybe an accelerator and then you ‘turn’ the cars with your chucks? IÂ’m sure all budding games designers out there would want to chip in with some ideas!”

We smell fun and excitement in there, don’t wii?

Pre-Order: [Micro Machines V4 for DS]