G4TV

As hard as it may be to believe, gamers and fast food kind of go together. Sitting on your couch, playing your Xbox, stuffing your face with greasy delights…”having it your way” if you will. Burger King certainly hopes that’s the case with the launch of three budget games for the Xbox and Xbox 360 (each disc will run on both systems). So when you go in for your whopper, fries, large cola and stupid cardboard crown, another four bucks gets you a nice diversion for your home console.

And that’s what these games are – a diversion. What do you expect for four bucks?

Big Bumpin’

First on the menu is Big Bumpin’, a bumper-car romp through four different game modes that totally sucks if you’re playing with yourself, but loads of fun if you’re playing with a few friends. So Big Bumpin’ is pretty much a metaphor for life in general.

Each mode is basically bumper cars, though the two hockey modes are really where the game shines. Playing the hockey games over Live is actually a lot of fun. Not quite enough to make up for the absolutely awful single-player experience, but still a good time for four measly bucks.

PocketBike Racer

PocketBike Racer is the value meal of the Burger King trifecta. Welcome to the Xbox 360’s first kart racing game. While Mario and his mushroom-poppin’ pals have nothing to worry about when it comes to dominance of the genre, PocketBike is a surprisingly solid game for the price. Let’s be honest, it’s not like you were expecting any of these to be any good.

Single-player mode runs nicely, which a collection of races and tournaments to compete in for achievement points and to unlock better bikes. The power-up system makes things interesting, too. Rather than picking up specific weapons and items, you basically build up your power meter by going through cone gates. As it rises, new weapons become available for use. You can also use the power built up for a quick boost of speed.

The online mode in PocketBike Racer is fantastic…when it works. If you can get through random crashes and dropped games, the title has a nice, robust, eight-player online mode.

The only real down side is that the physics are a bit floaty, leading to some out-of-control moments that can get really, really frustrating; especially on the later tracks.

Sneak King

Sneak King is the gaming equivalent of the Whopper – tasty at first, though nothing special, and it makes you feel kind of ill by the end. This is the game that really got the buzz going about BK’s whole foray into gaming, thanks mostly to screenshots of the Burger King hiding in a garbage can, lying in wait for what appeared to be a college-age woman walking toward him. Stalking in the name of great taste.

The idea is that, just like in his commercials, the King must sneak up on unsuspecting and hungry pedestrians, surprising them with tasty treats from his menu. Get seen or heard before you lay the greasy foodstuffs on your prey and it’s game over.

It’s fun at first. But there are something like 40 missions in Sneak King, and they all play exactly the same. And the simplistic play mechanic gets old inside of 10 minutes.

SuperSize It

The Burger King games are worth having if only for the novelty factor, and the fact that the whole set would only set you back about 12 bucks (or the price of two value meals) back when they were first released.

If you’re only going to choose one, though, go for PocketBike Racer. It’s the most solid all-around offering, and it’s actually fun no matter whether you play alone or with a friend.

Article by: Greg Sewart

Video produced by: Paul Bonanno