Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift Review (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, & PC)

It’s been decades now of Mario Kart’s reign over the arcade karting world. And the recent Mario Kart World only proves how deserving the franchise is of all the fame and recognition. Over the years, the series has polished rough edges and added new, innovative features to its foundational recipe. It has succeeded in avoiding growing stale. Where many franchises have failed to remain relevant, Mario Kart has proven over and over its worthiness for past, present, and future generations.  

I emphasize Mario Kart’s stark record, not out of gushing over it: quite the opposite. I think it’s about time another franchise took up the mantle. Perhaps even deviate from the formula that we’ve become overly used to by now. As exciting as power-ups are, wacky circuits packed with secret paths and traps, or even numerous ways to customize your kart’s speed and acceleration, it’s still refreshing to play through an entirely new idea. At least the genre can continue to evolve, and who knows? Perhaps a new king might oust Mario Kart from the throne.

For now, franchises like Sonic Racing, Crash Team Racing, Nickelodeon Kart Racers, and DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing have all had their shot at claiming the top spot of the best kart racer. All have their peculiarities about them. Their unique features, however subtle, set them apart from the OG. But none quite reach the heights of Mario Kart. To ask whether Garfield Kart is the series to compete with Mario Kart is laughable at best and ridiculous at worst. Let’s see why in our Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift review below.

No Shame in Being Lazy

Garfield Kart’s first entry was a major fail. At least as far as an actual satisfying playthrough is concerned. Many of its races found better luck in the meme world, which boosted its ratings a bit. However strong the fandom, it doesn’t change the fact that the first game is dull, unoriginal, and low-quality. So, for the sequel to be upon us? Honestly, it’s bewildering, but still exciting to see what publisher Microids might have cooked up this time. Perhaps with the change from Artefacts Studio to Eden Games, we might enjoy a half-decent game, or even better, find ourselves with a new kart racing favorite.

If you laughed at that, you’ve probably endured the first game’s frustrations. Likely gave up within the first few minutes of Garfield Kart’s low-budget fail. Perhaps you found the strength to check out the 2019 remake of the first game. And sadly, found the same janky physics, lack of content, and generic tracks. Far more flaws linger on throughout the series, and unsurprisingly, in the new sequel. 

Despite the ridiculous flaws of Garfield Kart that earned the series the title of worst-reviewed kart racer, some gamers quite enjoyed the inherent gameplay. If you can overlook its flaws, you just might enjoy its family-friendly races, easy-to-learn controls, and charming themes. And the same carries over to the sequel. 

This is a simple kart racer, seemingly designed for younger gamers who don’t pay particularly close attention to detail. Alternatively, it’s for Garfield fans who pardon Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift for its low-budget constraints, and casual players who don’t mind shallow depth and content.

Big Fat Hairy Deal

But scratch that. Eden Games and Microids are pretty significant studios in the gaming world. And sure, Garfield Kart’s biggest allure is its meme culture. But that should never be an excuse to lowball a game, ever. If anything, games that end up as the greatest meme titles never set out to be so. They put their best foot forward, and tons of bugs and gimmicks render them hilarious. 

On the other hand, perhaps Eden Games and Microids’ aim was to parody Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Because how is it that Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift shares too many similarities, it feels illegal. Controls, kart animations, circuit secrets and obstacles, and power-ups are all identical to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in concept and execution. The only difference is that your kart racers are from the Garfield universe, and the power-ups are reskinned into lasagna and dog bowls. 

This isn’t a case of comparing a new game to another, barely giving it a chance to breathe and be experienced as an independent entity. It’s a case of too many similarities glaring at you right in the face, screaming, “Look, look mummy! I know how to copy and paste, I’m pretty good, see?” As you simply rummage through the storage cabinets of all you know about Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and apply them to Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift.

If You Can’t Beat Them…

Here’s a quick rundown. Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift will grant you access to eight characters from the Garfield universe: Garfield himself, Odie, Jon, and more. Notably, some fan-favorites are missing from the roster: Lyman, Pooky, Squeak, and Doc Boy. Admittedly, you’ll have to be a Garfield fanatic to care about some characters being a no-show. But it’s also engaging to have an extensive roster you can experiment with and figure out your go-to, especially with each character having its unique base stats and personalities.

A limited character roster isn’t the only opportunity to engage Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift misses. Circuits are in need of more variety and creative inspiration from the Garfield universe. The overall detective, western, and pirate themes simply aren’t enough, let alone speaking to the true identity of Garfield. Tracks feel generic and pretty uninspired, which is disappointing given the game’s specific adaptation of a franchise as big as Garfield. Eden Games has tried adapting the franchise, to be sure, including with the lasagna-inspired paint coating you can add to your kart. It simply is lackluster and boring, which is hardly anything Garfield.

It’s impressive, though, the number of kart parts you can unlock that continue to add that distinct feel to your ride. Most especially, the number of paint stylistic choices you can use to stand out. It’s where the most fun lies, switching up your ride. Meanwhile, you can add parts that customize your kart’s speed and acceleration, and consequently your kart racer’s stats. But the options could certainly use deeper and more strategic combinations and skills. 

Join Them

It’s the same issues that boil over to the tracks, where only 12 tracks are featured across three universes. We certainly could use more unique universes, directly inspired by the Garfield franchise. And the 12 tracks could certainly feature more variety within them. Otherwise, a couple of races is all you need to see all that Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift’s world has to offer. That’s because the power-ups, obstacles, karts, and shortcuts regurgitate. 

The base kart models are the same. Meanwhile, the power-ups are of two types: the ones that boost your speed and those that derail opponents. And they are the same floating TVs, bars of soap, and dog bowls. The dog bowls have a touch more variety: single green for a rocket boost, three rotating rockets, red homing attack, and blue for attacking the lead. Sound familiar? Mario Kart 8 Deluxe familiar?

Controls work the same as Mario Kart, including the jumps, chained into drifts, to gain speed and momentum. In fact, anyone who’s played Mario Kart 8 Deluxe should quickly find their way around Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift. However, it won’t be the same frictionless experience. You’ll drive a lot slower and experience boosts that never hit optimum. You’ll grind to a halt when knocked over by opponents, put up with floaty jumps, and buggy drifting.

While not entirely unplayable, Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift certainly never wants you to enjoy a smooth ride, made all the more so by the frustrating usability. You cannot adjust the volume of the music, which gets annoying at times. You cannot remap controller buttons or keys. There are no private lobbies or decent matchmaking for that matter. Slow load times. Minimal content you’ll finish in an hour or so. Prominent crashes. 

Verdict

Yup. Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift is simply not the worthwhile kart racer you’re looking for, let alone the Mario Kart contender you might be hoping for. The first game and remake barely left a mark on the genre. And the sequel chooses the same path, to stick to generic courses and mirroring of nearly all of the features that make Mario Kart 8 Deluxe great. 

Yet, even in the mirroring of the tried-and-true, Garfield Kart 2: All You Can Drift still fails to deliver a smooth run. You run into a lot of issues that, while they don’t render it unplayable, certainly make for a frustrating and disappointing playthrough. Still, the series has always been cherished for its family-friendly tone. And its meme culturefest is sure to live on in the sequel. 

However, there are certainly far better kart racers out there. That I’m certain we can agree on.