okemon with 2D racing. That's how upcoming DS title Monster Racers is being sold by publisher Koei. It's not a surprising comparison. In it you track down various monsters, just like in Pokemon. The difference though is in the catching. Instead of engaging in turn-based battles where you chuck little orbs onto the ground and watch brightly coloured creatures electrocute the crap out of each other, you race them. Win the race and the monster is yours.
Apart from this key difference, there's not much to separate Monster Racers with Nintendo's all-conquering beast. Monster Racers' "collect 'em, raise 'em and race 'em" concept, and cute and bright art style are strikingly similar. The point of the whole thing is to build up your collection of monsters by beating them in races and breeding them. Strategy comes in the form of using creatures where they're most appropriate. The game's various real-world locations provide specific challenges, icy areas, for example, will be better suited to certain monsters.
