Guess who’s making it to the big screen and also to video game consoles? It’s none other than everybody’s favorite Japanese cartoon- Speed Racer! Warner Bros. has announced plans to release the game on the Nintendo Wii and DS. A PlayStation 2 version is also expected to follow.
The Speed Racer video game will feature a ‘car-fu style of fast-paced action that will also be seen in the movie. Yes, the Wachowski brothers of “The Matrix Trilogy” and “Speed” fame have directed the movie.
In the Speed Racer game, gamers will play the role of the characters from the movie and will also drive the same cars used by them.
Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Development and Production, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment said: “Speed Racer” is an exceptionally creative property and teamed with the Wachowski brothers’ vision it makes for action-packed racing gameplay. The game will capture the intensity of the racing in the film to give gamers and movie fans a chance to take the wheel after they experience the film.”
The Speed racer video game is being developed by Sidhe Interactive, a game development studio based in New Zealand.
Besides, John Gaeta, the Co-VFX supervisor on the Speed Racer film and long-time collaborator with Wachowski, is also working with Sidh and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to assist in maintaining a very close film-to-game aesthetic connection.
And, the Wachowski brothers, Andy and Larry are absolutely no strangers to games, as they themselves have previously worked with developers on several hit games based on their Matrix movies.
The Speed Racer Game for the Wii will releases along with the theatre release of the movie on May 9, 2008. The PlayStation version is expected to release when the DVD of the movie releases.
What remains to be seen is whether the Speed Racer game will take advantage of the Wii Racing Wheel. That would most certainly be welcomed by gamers.