Common Sense Media Review
By Christy Matte
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Put your face in the race, and zip your way to a win.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Face Racers: Photo Finish
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
FACE RACERS: PHOTO FINISH is a 3D racing kart game with 20 tracks that span a variety of environments. Players can take their own pictures and map them to the driver's face. They can also customize their race cars. The game has four main race types: Championship Tour, which brings players through four tracks; Quick Race, where players choose just one track to race; Battle, where players knock each other out in an elimination game; and Time Trial, where you'll speed through a track on your own to get the fastest time possible. Each of the games has plenty of options, including the number of racers, the number of laps, the difficulty level, and whether you'll do a normal or elimination race. Power ups include several different missiles, a mine, a helper that speeds you ahead, a shield, and one that makes the other racers slow down temporarily. There is also the \"In-Your-Face Taunt\" that uses your face to temporarily \"blind\" other players. The game can be played with others through local WiFi or online.
Is It Any Good?
Face Racers: Photo Finish is a fairly standard racing game with the added fun of seeing your own face in the driver's seat. With responsive controls and plenty of difficulty levels, it's easy enough for newer players, but challenging enough for those with more experience. Kids will enjoy customizing their characters, not only with their own photos, but with hair styles and accessories. Players can use the gyroscope, Circle Pad, or +Control Pad to steer, allowing kids to choose the method that is most comfortable. There are 20 tracks to unlock, each with a different terrain. The power-ups could be a bit more interesting, but overall this is a fun and likeable game that can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages and skills.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about being a good sport in a game. Are the power-ups in racing games fair gaming? What about in real life?
What do you do to manage your family's media consumption?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo 3DS
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Majesco
- Release date : December 6, 2011
- Genre : Racing
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks )
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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