Face Racers: Photo Finish

Review

Common Sense Media says

Put your face in the race, and zip your way to a win.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Face Racers: Photo Finish is a racing kart game that involves cartoon figures and cartoon violence. There is nothing extreme, but using the power-ups (including missiles and mines) is necessary for winning the game. This game is playable online, but doesn't offer chat options. Nintendo warns parents not to allow kids under age 7 to use the 3D portion of the game, as the 3D effects could damage developing eyes. Parents can turn off the 3D effects under the device's parental controls.

  • Positive messages0
    Much like other racing games, this game encourages players to use power ups and weapons to win against other players.
  • Positive role models0
    The characters in the game don't have a set behavior, so it's entirely dependent on who is playing. The power ups are random, so you don't have much control over what you use against other players.
  • Ease of play4
    Controls are straight-forward and you also have the option of using the device's gyroscope. The motion-based controls work well for steering, but less so for accelerating and braking. The game has multiple difficulty levels making it accessible for players with varying ages and skills.
  • Violence & scariness2
    The game includes weapons to use against other players including missiles and mines. No one is injured -- the weapons simply cause the cars to spin around.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Minor safety concerns: The game allows for multi-player races using local WiFi with other 3DS users, as well as against strangers online. There is no chat involved. Online play can be disabled via the password-protected parental controls.
CloseExpand to see more details

What's it about?

FACE RACERS: PHOTO FINISH  is a 3D racing kart game with 20 tracks that span a variety of environments. Players can take their own pictures and map them to the driver's face. They can also customize their race cars. The game has four main race types: Championship Tour, which brings players through four tracks; Quick Race, where players choose just one track to race; Battle, where players knock each other out in an elimination game; and Time Trial, where you'll speed through a track on your own to get the fastest time possible. Each of the games has plenty of options, including the number of racers, the number of laps, the difficulty level, and whether you'll do a normal or elimination race. Power ups include several different missiles, a mine, a helper that speeds you ahead, a shield, and one that makes the other racers slow down temporarily. There is also the "In-Your-Face Taunt" that uses your face to temporarily "blind" other players. The game can be played with others through local WiFi or online.

Is it any good?

 

Face Racers: Photo Finish is a fairly standard racing game with the added fun of seeing your own face in the driver's seat. With responsive controls and plenty of difficulty levels, it's easy enough for newer players, but challenging enough for those with more experience. Kids will enjoy customizing their characters, not only with their own photos, but with hair styles and accessories. Players can use the gyroscope, Circle Pad, or +Control Pad to steer, allowing kids to choose the method that is most comfortable. There are 20 tracks to unlock, each with a different terrain. The power-ups could be a bit more interesting, but overall this is a fun and likeable game that can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages and skills.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about being a good sport in a game. Are the power-ups in racing games fair gaming? What about in real life?

  • What do you do to manage your family's media consumption?

This review was written by Christy Matte

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
This review was written by Christy Matte
Topics:cars and trucks
Platforms:Nintendo 3DS
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Racing
Developer:Majesco
Release date:December 6, 2011
Price:$29.99
ESRB rating:E
This review was written by Christy Matte
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.

Screenshots

  • 1 of 3
  • 2 of 3
  • 3 of 3

Register now to save reviews and advice articles to your personal lists!

About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

More racing games
For kids who love fast-paced games
Browse more games
 

vote now

Will you play Face Racers: Photo Finish?

Game on
Press pause
Game over

Already played it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it