1UP: Monster Racers First-Look Preview

Koei, famous for hardcore hack-n-slash with Dynasty Warriors and esoteric strategy with Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is finally branching out into a different demographic with Monster Racers for the Nintendo DS. This "catch ’em all" monster-collecting DS role-playing game sets itself apart with a unique dueling mechanic — specifically, monster racing.

Instead of the genre’s traditional turn-based battle mechanics, you’ll engage your opponents by racing in real time — first one to the finish line wins. With a retro 2D play style, the four-player races we tried at a recent Koei press event were intuitive enough to pick up and play, while also short enough keep us looking forward to the next one.