Although it's had its hat in the ring since the 1980s, Disney has never really managed to release a top-tier video game, though some have come quite close. While Epic Mickey, The Lion King, Hercules, and Aladdin all have their own merits, they don't hold a candle to the best games of their respective eras. It doesn't seem like it'll break the mold too much, but Disney Speedstorm does seem to have a lot of potential.
Announced during Nintendo's February Direct, Disney Speedstorm is a free-to-play cart racer being developed by Gameloft, the studio behind the Asphalt series of mobile racers. All the elements of a good cart racer seem to be there, with beloved Disney and Pixar characters taking the wheel, an upgrade system, and tracks based on iconic franchises. But there's something about Disney Speedstorm that seems a little off.
Disney Speedstorm's Carts Look Too Real
Though the game looks like a solid cart racer, especially for a free-to-play one, Disney Speedstorm's carts don't seem to fit tonally with the rest of the game's visual design. If the Disney Speedstorm announcement trailer is anything to go by, then the game's art direction looks a little confused.
In the trailer, each cart racer is shown to take on a generally cartoon-y appearance, looking similar to their Disney Infinity counterparts. Mickey Mouse looks like a cartoon mouse, Sulley looks like a highly stylized and colorful monster, and even live-action characters like Jack Sparrow have been given a cartoon-y visual design. Similarly, the game's tracks also seem to take on a generally cartoon-y visual design, with the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed track showcasing some stylized ghostly pirate ships and the Monsters Inc. track looking like a scene ripped straight from the movie.
This same cartoon-y visual design doesn't extend to the game's carts, however, with pretty realistic-looking vehicles being shown throughout the trailer. While this isn't a big issue, the tonal juxtaposition of a colorful cartoon character driving a real, drab-colored car is quite noticeable, and it might make the game feel a little off to some players.
Disney Speedstorm Should Have Themed Carts
The easiest way to fix this tonal issue is by adding themed carts to the game. Right now, the carts shown off in Disney Speedstorm's announcement trailer do not fit their cartoon racers, with practically no references to the franchises they belong to. Captain Jack's cart is just a long speedster with dark colors, while Mulan's is the same but with an orange and red livery and the words "Dragon Flame" written on top.
To make each individual racer stand out more, and to help keep the game tonally consistent, each racer should have a themed cart. Captain Jack could drive a miniature Black Pearl, like Mario Kart 8's Landship cart, and Sulley could drive a cart made from the iconic wooden doors on the Scare Floor. Each racer's special abilities could also incorporate the themed cart, like Mulan's speed boost that could be visually represented by Mushu breathing fire behind the cart like an engine.
Adding themed carts to Disney Speedstorm seems like an obvious move, especially considering the game's free-to-play model. Though its free-to-play model hasn't been fully explained yet, it seems likely that Disney Speedstorm will want to charge players for something in the game, whether that's new tracks or new racers.
If Disney Speedstorm added themed carts, then this could be beneficial for both Gameloft and the player, as Gameloft could make themed carts a premium item that requires an in-game purchase. As for the player, they would receive a cart that actually fits the game's aesthetics and theme.
Disney Speedstorm will be available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
