To describe Mad Dash Racing in a word would not only be unfair - it would be impossible. The closest I could come to doing so would be to say original, but that really wouldn't do it justice. I mean just LOOK at Sid and tell me original sums this punk cat up. It just doesn't suffice, not for him, and it doesn't suffice for the whole game. Brought to your Xbox by Eidos and Crystal Dynamics (those great folks who brought you Soul Reaver 2), Mad Dash Racing has an exceptional cast of "charismatic" characters, a razor-sharp look, and plenty of nooks and crannies for gamers to explore.

Hex, described as a nearly rabid wizard (I don't care what genre you play, this can never be a good thing!), has those ever so humble aspirations of world domination (I can hear the mwaaahahahaaa right now). In order to achieve his plans, he must collect all of the red meteor chunks in the land and bump off the king of the Tremmels (your race). Are you going to stand for that? Of course not. But you're not going to win this battle as the pious white knight - you're maintaining your special blend of attitude and etiquette all the way to Hex's lair!

If you think this is Xbox's equivalent of a typical Kart Racer, I'm telling you (not asking you) to put away those stereotypes right now. I don't only say this because the characters are racing on foot, but because you just haven't seen a game with this kind of attitude before. I'm not going to spoil the cast list, but to give you a short idea or some of these misfits, here's a brief summation of some of these rambunctious ruffians:

• Meet Sid, a purple cat with an ear piercing, some seriously sharp teeth, and one heck of an ego
• Spanx is an escaped lab weasel with more than a few twitches added to his personality (no doubt as a result of all those chemicals). Spastic isn't a strong enough word here.
• Ash seems to be dealing with some inferiority complexes. Hey, he's a dragon without fire and with pitifully small wings (I'm sure that doesn't make him the coolest dragon on the block)
• Oh yes, and then there's Betty, the sultry Mechanic. I don't want to get personal, but I think she's familiar with that block that Ash isn't popular on.

This is only the beginning, and you'll catch some of the amusing nuances the more familiar you get with your chosen racer. While there are nine characters, the first division between characters will come into play with some basic traits. There are three main types of racers: Bashers, Dashers, and Gliders. Bashers break through walls, are more immune to physical attacks and even get a bit of an adrenaline rush when they successfully bash something. Dashers have a little more turbo power than the rest, and quite often they'll take corners with a look something akin to what luge looks like. Gilders take to the air for their advantages, soaring over enemies and pitfalls with grace. Is one category not enough for you? Scattered throughout the fields are green meteors (I'll address these shortly.). Collect 10 and you can use all three abilities!

The red meteors aren't the only things you'll need to worry about collecting in Mad Dash. There are green meteors to collect which give you special abilities like the one above. There are a number of goals for you to achieve - making winning just a tip of the iceberg. Power ups are also a staple of this game - and some of them are bound to make you look twice.

• Blob Bombs - Splits into glowing chunks to give you the edge on opponents
• Psycho Chicken - This is just too funnny. The guided chicken missile (I'm NOT making this up) pounds who's ahead of you. Think fast and dodge if you've got one of these bogeys on your tail.
• Disco Ball - I've seen real-life people who probably think these make them invincible (at least to feeling ridiculous), but they're not nearly as lucky. In Mad Dash, Disco Balls allow you to gain a speed boost and a shield.
• Ribbon of Pain - Leave a thin land mine of problems for opponents who will be tripped by this clever little trap.

That's just a few of the special attacks, I'll let you discover the rest! In the meantime, don't forget to collect turbos for speed, hit switches to reveal hidden areas and traps, use bouncers to propel you over large hazards, and platforms to earn some extra bonuses of shortcuts. Another important element: Stuntz. Similar to freestyling, you can press the jump button and perform spins to earn energy rewards.

There are several modes in Mad Dash to choose from. If you're playing on your own and you're looking for something different, why not "challenge" the level? There are cash, stunt, and time challenges to face - and if you successfully beat a challenge, you'll earn a decal to unlock additional characters or levels.

Graphically and musically, Mad Dash Racing made more than a positive impression on me. The colors and character designs are the highlight of this title's looks, and the soundtrack is a ear-pleasing blend of bass-thumping techno and industrial music. I had been salivating for this soundtrack since day one. With bands like The Crystal Method, Fatboy Slim, Juno Reactor, Meat Beat Manifesto, Moby, and MDFMK - I'd be hard pressed to think of a soundtrack that impressed me more. Please game-world: Learn from this!

All in all, I felt Mad Dash Racing was probably one of the more unique games I've played since American McGee's Alice. There just seems to be an extra bit of personality, flair, and dare on the part of the game-makers which I think deserves some recognition. In a time when games pretty much follow a formula to be "safe," Mad Dash Racing takes some risks and does some things I never expected to see in a title. 

Gameplay: 8
For those of you who need more than a track to enjoy a racing game, Mad Dash has plenty of tricks, special abilities, side-paths, and characters for you to master. While some elements seem familiar to the genre, they come in brand new and unusual packaging. Go it alone, or whoop up to three of your friends in Versus mode. Hey - don't let those 4 multiplayer ports on your Xbox go to waste. There's plenty of this obnoxious bass-thumping fun to go around.

Graphics: 8
Mad Dash has some innovative character design for its randy bunch. While your first few hours of playtime may be kinda blurred (with getting used to the speed and all), you'll eventually start catching the colorful and extensive level design.

Sound: 9.5
This soundtrack rocks - I can't say it enough. They picked bands to match the razor-edged attitudes of the racers, and you'll even have flexibility in picking what tunes you'd like to listen to as you play. Voice overs are pretty typical, but you might be shocked by what you hear (or think you hear) once in a while.

Difficulty: 8
It's all about speed and control, baby. First get used to mastering the intense speed of Mad Dash Racing (hey, you saw it was called Mad Dash, now don't act surprised). Then, in the tradition of a combat racing title, there are plenty of power ups, tricks, and side-roads for you to explore (or explode, if that is the case.)

Concept: 8.5
I enjoyed Mad Dash immensely because I felt like someone finally created not only a combat racing game with an attitude, but one with some serious originality to boot. 

Multiplayer: 8
Multiplayer seriously contributes to the fun factor of any title in this genre - and Mad Dash is no exception. Get in some game-time with split screen action - it's a must do for this game.

Overall: 8
Mad Dash is a fun and truly original jaunt which breaks the mold of combat racing titles. It seems perfectly suited that this off-the-beaten-path game made it's debut on the "new kid on the block" Xbox. With a whole different look, feel, and appeal - everyone should give this game a spin at least once.