Cowboy Kart Review (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch & PC)

Cowboy Kart is the tumbleweed of karting—a dustball that you know lacks the complexity of a great tornado, but also can’t help but watch as it aimlessly drifts back and forth, around a beaten track and in a figure of eight, similar to what you might see in an introductory square dancing class with pensioners who can’t differ between the rhythm from the steps. I suppose it’s a bit like watching paint dry, only there is no extravagant layer to ponder whilst you wait, nor is there anything there to give it that special post-gloss effect. It’s just a barren circuit—a circular system that frequents the dust, the tyre tracks, and the same worn path that we’ve seen a hundred times before. It isn’t Mario Kart, and it definitely isn’t Nickelodeon Kart Racers; it’s just a textbook imitation that “borrows” almost all of the same elements from a big-budget multiplayer racing series and adds its own Wild West theme to the mix. But that isn’t a bad thing. It isn’t a good thing, as it’s about as predictable as one might imagine it to be. Yet, beneath its familiar tropes and tongue-in-cheek references lies a solid entry-level karting game with some strong facets, believe it or not.

While I can’t force myself to sing Cowboy Kart’s dust-addled songs with high praise, I can acknowledge it for the guilty pleasure that it is. It might not go above and beyond to deliver an excellent kart racing game, though it does showcase the fundamental strengths of its chosen genre, with enough research and familiar gimmicks to give it that certain homely appeal. And that’s kind of what this is: a beginner-friendly karting exploit that leans into the traditional trappings of the circuit and keeps a firm grasp on what it takes to make a successful, albeit recyclable experience that can effectively swivel a few heads and appeal to the target demographic. It isn’t a new concept; it’s just a gentle nod to the forefathers of karting, and not to mention proof that, if you can add a new setting to the formula, you can get away with copying most of the same material. Here, it’s just a Wild West version of the same game that we’ve witnessed a dozen times before.

Cowboy Kart is exactly what it says it is on the tin: a track-based racing game that allows up to four players to engage in old-school dune hopping, with the aim being to outsmart other fledgling rodeo racers whilst duking it out for that all-important podium finish. Like other karting games of its kind, it features a cart full of weapons—TNT, horseshoes, and “cow pies”—and a selection of tracks, with each course offering its own unique layout and collection of set pieces. In other words, it’s Mario Kart, but with an older feel to it and a slightly dated nineties arcade aesthetic, to boot. That, in short, is Cowboy Kart.

If you were hoping to sink your teeth into a carousel of jam-packed Rainbow Road-like courses, then you might want to deploy your pit crew elsewhere. It isn’t that Cowboy Kart has a weak selection of tracks; it’s that it never really does anything to elevate the basic layouts of an old-school racing game. And by that I mean, the usual figure of eight formation or the bog-standard circle. There aren’t any major obstacles, nor are there any spectacular twists or turns with the usual flamboyant visual cues or extravagant special effects, for that matter. It’s just the bare-knuckle blueprint—the standard design that you more than likely would have seen a handful of times before in older N64 chapters, nothing more, nothing less.

As far as in-game mechanics travel, Cowboy Kart leans into all of the same areas as a traditional circuit-swiveling kart tourer. And by traditional I mean, it either involves skirting around a track, colliding with other racers, or utilizing one of several projectors to throw the proverbial spanner in the works, so to speak. It doesn’t take much to wrap your head around any of this, either. In fact, I’d say that if you have had some level of experience in alternate karting games, then you’ll probably be fully equipped to tackle most of the beaten paths in Cowboy Kart. What’s more, as there are little to no tricky corners or unfair obstacles to overcome, you won’t struggle to conquer the circuit and find the checkered flag, either. The split-screen multiplayer mode might shake the competition up a bit — but not to the point where you’ll feel like you’re struggling to gain a foot on the podium.

With all of the above said, Cowboy Kart does make for a great entry-level racing game for the younger player base, especially for those who want to learn the ropes and elevate their skills before taking on bigger, tougher, and more competitive tracks in alternate worlds. Of course, while the game as a whole would clearly benefit from a handful of additional mid-race weapons, curveballs, and stunt ramps, Cowboy Kart does make an effort to serve its purpose as a clean, lightweight alternative to your go-to franchise. It might not be a perfect solution for your needs, but it ought to be enough to scratch that itch for an hour to two whilst you actively search for another podium to plant your boots.

Verdict

While Cowboy Kart might not do enough to impress its target demographic with its dust-riddled collection of unimaginative tracks and uninspired ideas, it does serve its purpose as a solid love letter to nineties kart racing sagas of old. If you’re able to look beyond its lack of technical grace and complexity and see it for what it is—a simple yet oddly charming racing game with a target demographic that orbits the younger generation, that is—then you won’t have a hard time enjoying it for the few simple pleasures that it coughs up every once in a blue moon. Again, it’s best not to expect a perfect experience, because frankly, Cowboy Kart is anything but a textbook example of a perfect racing game. Discard that, and you’ll be able to soak up a couple of hours of play out of this tumbleweed drifter.