Nicktoons Racing - PlayStation

Only in this program will you find tracks with giant fingers growing out of pink dirt, power-ups that include the "Powdered Toast Man Crouton Launcher" (yes, it enables you to launch huge croutons at your opponents), and prizes such as a wheel of cheese. Players can get behind the wheel with and race against 12 Nickelodeon characters, including Tommy from the Rugrats, Ren and Stimpy, or Helga from Hey Arnold. There is also a Mystery Rider in a black car; to uncover his or her (or its!) identity, racers must win on all 12 tracks.

This Windows-only program has three difficulty levels, a feature that allows not-so-great racers to progress towards discovering who or what the Mystery Rider is. Five game modes include an option for two players to race head to head, a relay option and a couple of practice options that won't damage trophy standings. Players must win first place on the easier tracks before they can access the more difficult ones. And if players don't have a game pad or joystick, they must race using the arrow keys.

Everything from talcum powder to "gritty litter" comes into play as racers manoeuvre their cartoon characters around the bends of these twisted tracks. Our one complaint is that we only get to see the backs of our favourite Nick characters as they speed through their surreal world. (Ages 6 and up) --Anne Erickson