Cars

Cars is a video game based on the film of the same name, and a sequel to the Disney/Pixar film. It is available or in production for the following systems: Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Mobile Phones, and Leapster.

The PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Mobile, and Leapster versions of the game have different gameplay, storyline, and characters than the other platforms.

The Wii version includes functionality geared towards its controller, and is a launch game. It also features the voice-over cast from the Cars film.

Storyline
Taking place after the events of the movie, Lightning McQueen must prepare for and race in the 2006 Piston Cup season and beat Chick Hicks at the Los Angeles International Speedway.

Chapter 1

 * Radiator Springs Grand Prix: In what is later revealed to be a dream, Lightning races against Doc, Sally, Ramone, and a British car named Fletcher. Mater does commentary for the race. After Sally wakes Lightning from his dream, she tells him about Doc wanting to meet him at Willy's Butte and some cars at Flo's that might want to race him. He then goes over to Flo's and meets Mack, who tells him that, due to spending some time relaxing in Radiator Springs, he will need to spend some time to get back into shape before the next Piston Cup season starts.


 * Lizzie's Postcard Hunt: McQueen goes into Lizzie's Curio Shop and sees Lizzie looking at her postcards, which she has been collecting for 60 years all the way down Route 66. While trying to look at them himself, he accidentally knocks down a shelf, which sends a nut flying and hits the on button on a fan, which blows the postcard collection flying out the door. Throughout the rest of the game, players have to help McQueen find and retrieve the cards, of which there are 20 total and are scattered throughout Radiator Springs, Ornament Valley and Tailfin Pass. When they find them all, they can go back to Lizzie's and give them back, but she does not even remember that she lost them.


 * Radiator Cap Circuit: Fletcher and Gerald, racers from Britain, and El Guapo and Papo, racers from Mexico, all challenge McQueen to a race around Radiator Springs. Interestingly, this appears to be Fletcher and McQueen's first meeting, despite McQueen's having dreamed of Fletcher the previous night.


 * Tractor Tipping: Lightning goes to Mater's junkyard and asks Mater if he would like to go tractor tippings, but Mater then teases him for being scared of Frank. Lightning assures Mater that he will try to stay away from Frank and, if he catches them, run away. The mini-game requires the player to tip all of the tractors before the timer runs out and without being caught in Frank's headlights or the searchlights. The amount of tractors to tip varies in each level while the first one has no searchlights. Sometimes, the player will have to push a bridge into a ditch in order to get to a tractor, but if they block off a tractor they did not tip, they will lose.


 * Sally's Sunshine Circuit: The groupie twins, Mia and Tia, want to drive with Lightning. Sally challenges them to a race; the winner will drive with Lightning. Flo also races. The level is played as Sally.


 * Doc's Lesson: Powerslide: Doc trains McQueen to powerslide (i.e. turn right to go left) around Willy's Butte.


 * Doc's Challenge: Doc and McQueen race around a track which is considerably more challenging than a circle around Willy's Butte.


 * Palm Mile Speedway: The first Piston Cup race. Before the race, Chick teases Lightning by saying he will spend more time in front of him until Doc comes to shoo him away.

Chapter 2

 * Luigi to the Rescue: McQueen informs Luigi that there are some tires lying around all over town, much to Luigi's horror. McQueen offers to ask Mater to pick them up for him, but Luigi decides to sets out to collect them himself. In each level, the player, as Luigi, must collect all the tires and hubcaps which are scattered around Radiator Springs, then return them to Luigi's Casa Della Tires, all before the timer runs out.


 * Boostin' with Fillmore: McQueen tastes some of Fillmore's Super-Octane Boost Juice and inquires if it could help him go faster. To test it, they have a race through the forest south of Radiator Springs. Ramone, Tia and Mia also participate in the race. When the race is over, McQueen gets permanently equipped with a boost tank, which can speed him up to a limited extent.


 * North Desert Dash: El Guapo and Papo boast about their new gold rims. The taunting soon inspires Fletcher and Gerald to race them. McQueen also participates.


 * Sarge's Boot Camp: McQueen runs an obstacle course in Sarge's Boot Camp designed to make him more agile off-road. He does the course three times, each time with different obstacles on the track.


 * Sarge's Off-Road Challenge: Sarge forces a tired and overheated McQueen into a long off-road race north of the boot camp. Ramone, Fillmore, and Sheriff also race.


 * Motor Speedway of the South: Also know as Motor City Speedway, The second Piston Cup race, which was the setting of the movie. It is also the longest Piston Cup race in the game.

Chapter 3

 * Mater's Backwards Lesson: Mater teaches McQueen to drive backwards. The minigame requires the player to follow Mater around a track two times and drive backwards whenever Mater does. After the race, Mater congratulates Lightning by trying to say his name backwards, ending up with "Gintil," but Lightning's name is not "Litnig."


 * Sheriff's Chase: McQueen and Sheriff reminisce about their chase scene from the movie. McQueen notes that he was only caught because of he got tangled in barbed wire and telephone wires. Sheriff thinks he is being tempted to a rematch and accepts the challenge. The two of them do a single-lap, one-on-one race through Radiator Springs and into Ornament Valley. Winning will unlock Ornament Valley as an explorable location.


 * Sheriff's Hot Pursuit: The player plays as Sheriff and has to find and chase down speeders, who are speeding around Radiator Springs or Ornament Valley. If they get away, the player loses. The mini-game has five levels: Speeders (Fletcher, Gerald, and Mia), Hooligans (El Guapo, Tia, and Barry), Road Hazards (Snot Rod, Papo, and Lenny), Delinquents (DJ, Wingo, and Sonny), and Hot Rodders (Vince, Boost, and Chick Hicks). This is the only event in the game to not have a cut-scene.


 * Rustbucket Race-O-Rama: In Ornament Valley, a previously broken-down racing arena called Rustbucket is the site of a demolition derby known as the Rustbucket Race-O-Rama. Mater races, along with six cars who are just as rusty and beaten-up as he is: Zeke, Lewis, Buford, Cletus, Judd, and his long-lost cousin Tommy Joe. The race is 12 laps long. When Mater wins the race, he is awarded with a boost tank, which he gives as a present to McQueen. The boost now lasts longer.


 * Ornament Valley Circuit: Four race cars from New York (Vince, Barry, Sonny, and Lenny) challenge Lightning to a race around Ornament Valley. They refer to the race as an "opportunity" for Lightning to become the best race car in town.


 * Sun Valley International Speedway: The third Piston Cup race.

Chapter 4

 * Sally's Wheel Well Sprint: Sally and McQueen go on their date which Sally won earlier in the game. They decide to go for a drive to the Wheel Well, but it eventually turns into a race, which starts at the bottom of Tailfin Pass. After the race, they go watch the view of Radiator Springs. Winning the race will unlock Tailfin Pass as an explorable location, though a portion of it still remains unlocked.


 * Doc's Check-Up: Doc gives McQueen a check-up, which is concluded by the two of them, as well as Ramone, Fillmore, and Sheriff, racing around town.


 * Tailfin Pass Circuit: Fletcher tells El Guapo, Vince, Sonny and Lightning about how he finds races in America exciting. Afterwards, the five cars have a race.


 * Delinquent Road Hazards: Boost, Wingo, DJ, and Snot Rod, the tuner cars who appeared briefly in the movie, refuse to let McQueen enter a specific part of Tailfin Pass, stating that it is closed to him specifically. In response, McQueen challenges them to a race, saying that when he wins, he will be allowed to pass. When Lightning demands that one of Boost's tanks be thrown into the deal, they become determined to win. The race takes place in the "closed" part of Tailfin Pass, which includes an old mine. When McQueen wins, Boost gives him a tank, says "This isn't over, McQueen!", and drives away with the rest of the gang close behind, leaving McQueen puzzled.


 * Monster Truck Mayhem: Luigi outfits McQueen with monster truck suspension so that he can race with three ugly-looking monster trucks, Count Spatula, Ginormous, and The Crippler. The race takes place in the Rustbucket Stadium and is 12 laps long. In the race, Lightning takes on a more monster-like personality. After the race, he continues acting monstrous until Mater reminds him that the race is over.


 * Chick's Challenge: Chick Hicks appears in Ornament Valley and challenges McQueen to a race, in which Vince, Barry, and Sonny also participate. When Lightning wins, he says that he will be seeing Chick on the track for the upcoming Piston Cup race. Chick replies "Yeah, I'll see ya, if you ever make it there" and speeds away, leaving McQueen puzzled.


 * High Speed Heist: When Mack is on the Interstate, the Delinquent Road Hazards rob him of McQueen's gear. First, DJ locates him and plays soothing music to get him to sleep. Then, Boost follows, jumping onto the roof of Mack's trailer via a movable ramp that was presumably placed by Snot Rod, causing Mack's trailer to open, and Wingo collects all of Lightning's supplies. All four drive away.


 * Lightning Strikes Back: Mack calls and tells Sheriff about the robbery. Lightning goes onto the Interstate and collects his gear back from the Delinquent Road Hazards, heavily denting them in the process. They get locked in the impound and confess that Chick hired them.


 * Smasherville International Speedway: The fourth Piston Cup race. Before the race, Lightning confronts Chick about the robbery, though he pretends to not know anything. After the race, when Lightning wins, Chick is outraged. Lightning offers a rematch, which Chick gladly accepts. Darrell Cartrip suggests that they have a televised grudge match. Lightning recalls his dream from the beginning of the game and suggests that there be a Radiator Springs Grand Prix: three races, each in a different part of Ornament Valley, followed by one more Piston Cup race.

Chapter 5

 * Radiator Springs Grand Prix: Mater and Darrell commentate a longer, harder version of the race in Lightning's dream, which Lightning races against Chick, Fletcher, Gerald & El Guapo.


 * Tailfin Pass Grand Prix: A complicated, dangerous race around Tailfin Pass. Vince replaces Fletcher as the fifth racer.


 * Ornament Valley Grand Prix: After a boring interview with Vince, the final race of the Grand Prix takes place. Vince, Barry, and Sonny race along with McQueen and Chick.


 * Los Angeles International Speedway: The final Piston Cup race, in which Lightning wins his Piston Cup. To celebrate, he, Mater, and Sally go on a cross-county road trip. McQueen places his Piston Cup in the window of Doc's clinic, alongside Doc's three Piston Cups.

Xbox 360 and Wii Bonus Content
The Xbox 360 and Wii versions of the game feature two mini-games and a road race exclusive to these versions.
 * Mater's Countdown Clean-Up: The object of this game is to collect 100 pieces of trash scattered around Radiator Springs under a time limit. Each time the player collects a piece of trash, a couple of seconds are added to the time limit. It can only be played on as Lightning or Mater. This mini-game can be unlocked on other versions of the game by a cheat code.


 * Mater's Speedy Circuit: A 6 lap race around Radiator Springs. It can also be unlocked on other consoles by a cheat code.


 * Ghosting Mater: The player has to scare Mater home by driving him under the yellow arrows. This one, however, is not unlocked on other consoles by a cheat code.

Mini-games

 * Tractor Tipping (8 levels)
 * Doc's Lesson: Powerslide
 * Luigi to the Rescue (8 levels)
 * Sarge's Boot Camp (3 levels)
 * Mater's Backwards Lesson
 * Sheriff's Hot Pursuit (Categories: Speeders, Hooligans, Road Hazards, Delinquents and Hot Rodders)
 * High Speed Heist (where The Delinquent Road Hazards hijack Mack and grab Lightning's goods)
 * Lightning Strikes Back (where Lightning retrieves his goods and The Delinquent Road Hazards, arrested by Sheriff)

Playable Characters in Arcade Mode

 * Lightning McQueen
 * Mater
 * Sally Carrera
 * Doc Hudson
 * Ramone
 * Flo
 * Sheriff
 * Chick Hicks
 * Wingo
 * Darrell Cartrip (piston cup arcade mode only)
 * Strip "The King" Weathers (piston cup arcade mode only)
 * Lightning McQueen (monster truck version)
 * Count Spatula (a monster truck new to the video game)

Playable Characters In Certain Levels

 * Mater (Tractor Tipping & Rustbucket Race-O-Rama)
 * Sally Carrera (Sally's Sunshine Circuit)
 * Sheriff (Sheriff's Hot Pursuit)
 * Luigi (Luigi to the Rescue)
 * Boost (High Speed Heist)
 * Wingo (High Speed Heist)
 * DJ (High Speed Heist)

Other Characters Appearing

 * Guido
 * Sarge
 * Fillmore
 * Mack
 * Lizzie
 * Snot Rod
 * Mia & Tia
 * Fletcher & Gerald (British racecars new to the video game)
 * El Guapo & Papo (Mexican racecars new to the video game)
 * Vince, Barry, Sonny, & Lenny (New York racecars new to the video game)
 * Tommy Joe, Buford, Cletus, Lewis, Judd, & Zeke (demolition derby racers new to the video game)
 * The Crippler & Ginormous (monster trucks new to the video game)
 * Numerous Piston Cup racers - #33 McCoy, #34 Banks, #51 Aikens, #52 Joltsen, #54 Clarkson, #56 Buck, #58 Medford, #63 Henderson, #64 Zeb, #74 Turner, #79 Bashman, #84 Riley, #101 Lee Jr., #117 Guenther, #121 Masterson, #123 Suregrip, #191 Cortland and #282 Hollister
 * Numerous tourists - Sedan, 70's Sedan, Hatchback, Stationwagon, Minivan, SUV and Motorhome

PSP Playable Characters

 * Lightning McQueen (default)
 * Sally Carrera (default)
 * Mater (default)
 * Doc Hudson (Grand Prix 1 prize)
 * Sheriff (Grand Prix 2 prize)
 * Flo (Grand Prix 3 Prize)
 * Ramone (Mirror Cup Prize)
 * Luigi (multiplayer unlockable)
 * Sarge (multiplater unlockable)
 * Fillmore (multiplayer unlockable)
 * Lizzie (multiplayer unlockable)
 * DJ (1st boss)
 * Snot Rod (2nd boss)
 * Wingo (3rd boss)
 * Boost (4th boss)
 * Chick Hicks (Final boss)

Principal Voice Actors

 * Owen Wilson - Lightning McQueen
 * Bonnie Hunt - Sally Carrera
 * Paul Newman - Doc Hudson
 * Larry the Cable Guy - Tow Mater
 * Michael Wallis - Sheriff
 * George Carlin - Fillmore
 * Paul Dooley - Sarge
 * Guido Quaroni - Guido
 * Tony Shalhoub - Luigi
 * Katherine Helmond - Lizzie
 * Jenifer Lewis - Flo
 * Cheech Marin - Ramone
 * John Ratzenberger - Mack
 * Michael Keaton - Chick Hicks

Secondary Voice Actors

 * E. J. Holowicki - DJ
 * Adrian Ochoa - Wingo
 * Richard Petty - Strip 'The King' Weathers
 * Jonas Rivera - Boost
 * Lou Romano - Snot Rod, Minivan
 * Darrell Waltrip - Darrell Cartrip
 * Lindsay Collins - Mia
 * Elissa Knight - Tia

Additional Voices

 * Greg Baldwin - Lenny
 * Corey Burton - Fletcher
 * Jerry DeCapua - Vince, 70's Sedan
 * Greg Ellis -
 * Bill Farmer - Tommy Joe
 * Quinton Flynn - Sonny
 * Brian George -
 * Jennifer Hale - Hatchback, Station Wagon
 * Rob Izenberg - Barry
 * Joel McCrary - Ginormous, SUV
 * Nolan North - Sedan
 * Steve Purcell - Gerald, Count Spatula
 * Alex Reymundo - El Guapo
 * Rafael Sigler - Papo
 * James Patrick Stuart - Motorhome

Extra Information

 * Sometimes when Lightning McQueen is stopped, he will start to fall asleep, and he can only be woken up by the player pressing the Accelerate button.
 * The only inhabitants of Radiator Springs that do not appear in the video game are Red (the fire engine) and Bessie (the road paving machine). Bessie, however, appears in a deleted scene from the game, indicating that she was supposed to be in it at one point. Red isn't in it due to the death of Joe Ranft.
 * In each part of Carburetor County there is a "World's Largest Ball of...". In Tailfin Pass there is a giant ball bearing, In Radiator Springs there is a giant ball of devil's rope (barbed wire), and in Ornament Valley there is a giant ball of fan belts. Players can push them around for a while, but they will eventually regenerate in its original spot.
 * There is also the world's biggest tumbleweed in the ditch behind Sarge's Boot Camp.
 * If players follow and bump a car for too long, such as Mater, they will shake, get mad and hit you. Sometimes, when they do this, they yell at you for no reason.
 * Players can stay at the edge of a bridge and knock off cars for a while. Some get stuck and some get out. If the player leaves the area, they will appear on the road again out of nowhere.
 * If players go behind Ramone's store, there is a ramp leading to the rooftop. They can go up it and jump onto the roof of other stores where they will find additional points.
 * Sometimes when there is a new race or minigame, a car sits by it. Before they enter the event, they can push the car around and all it can do is yell at you. If they flip a car over, it can get back up.
 * In Ornament Valley after the player finishes the game, they can go to around where the railroad track is where there is a spot where cars sink their tires into the ground and become unable to move. They can still yell at the player after getting hit, though. Sarge does this too, but he does not talk. If he is bumped enough enough times, he will sink into the ground.
 * Behind Lizzie's store there is a ramp that lets players jump onto a crate behind Luigi's store that has a post card on top of it. Sometimes, it can be used to land on the store's roof.
 * Around the exit of the mine in Tailfin Pass, there is a place where cars disappear and appear out of nowhere.
 * Night Drive by the All American Rejects is also in the soundtrack of Juiced: Eliminator.

Reception
Reception for the game was mixed. The game reviews were below 8.0 and the rankings were below 80%.