Nintendo's announcement of the existence of Excitebots: Trick Racing—the sequel to Wii launch title Excite Truck—was annoyingly short on details. Consider us detail-free no more, thanks to the latest issue of Nintendo Power.


Excitebots: Trick Racing gets properly previewed in the mag's April issue, a portion of which is now available online. Don't worry, these scans are kosher, coming direct from Nintendo Power itself.

Perhaps most exciting about the Excitebots blowout is our first look at the game's visuals. Yes, you'll be piloting robot frog cars.


The Excitebots vehicle lineup includes an unusually appealing set of four-wheeled animals and insects, including bats, ladybugs, praying mantises, beetles and turtles. This thing has merchandising opportunity slathered all over it. Each is said to have its own weight and handling properties, with power-ups letting your Excitebot turn off its wheels, then run on two legs.

Controls look to be identical to the original Excite Truck, with many of the gameplay mechanics that worked in the original Wii game (ie. land deformation) returning for the more outlandish sequel.

Excitebots: Trick Racing looks like it will add some interesting power ups, including ... tambourines? Yep, tambourines.

Nintendo Power - April Issue [Nintendo Power]