Parents' Guide to Wreckfest

If it's an over-the-top destruction derby-style racer you're after, this is refreshingly different, fusing destruction with deep customization, physics, and modes to indulge in. It might take a few events around a track in Wreckfest to fully appreciate the attention to detail, here, including the tight and responsive handling of your vehicles (which really do feel different depending on which ride you're in). You'll also pick up on how damage affects your vehicle's handling, learning the nuances of the dirt and paved tracks, and straddling the balance between making it to the finish line before others (in circuit racing) and causing a tactical collision (or better yet, a multi-car pileup) to give you an edge. And yes, there are straightforward Destruction Derby and Dirt Showdown modes, which is a large and often messy area to smash up rival vehicles before they can do the same to you. As you likely know, the last person whose vehicle can be driven wins the match.

While not the sharpest or most striking game graphically, Wreckfest looks great and runs smoothly with elements that compliment the gameplay (including good music and sound effects). The multiplayer and career modes should help keep this game enjoyable over a long period of time, but it might feel repetitive playing the single player races over and over. While you might not have heard about Wreckfest, this $40 gem is worth picking up for driving fans, kart racing lovers, and others who might enjoy an unadulterated smash-em-up racer.