Lego Racers on Nintendo 64 was notable for its really cool "build-a-car" mode. You could collect Lego bricks from races and use them to build your own unique car...then use that car to race.

Lego Racers 2 will unfortunately NOT include that feature, but its developers are doing their best to still infuse the Lego brand and universe into the game. You can design your own character just for kicks, and the world is full of other Lego characters who are eager to race against you...including the evil Rocket Racer!

The racing engine is done via Mode-7 technology just like most other racers on GBA. The "cars" are quite large on-screen and actually look like a cross between Jeeps and monster trucks. Like its Mario Kart base material, Lego Racers 2 includes weapons in its racing gameplay, with the standard set of rockets, homing rockets, mines, and shields. Green bricks scattered around the track will refill your health if the opponents manage to hit you with a weapon.

Control is pretty standard; A is gas, B is brake, L fires weapons, and R activates the power-slide. The music is light and snappy, and there's one racing song per region in the Lego Racers 2 world.

The adventure connecting all these races isn't anything fancy, but you'll be meeting lots of Lego characters and earning Golden Bricks, which open up new regions and therefore new racing challenges. Your ultimate goal is to earn enough respect (and Golden Bricks) to be named the best racer on the planet; then you'll be sent off to the Galaxian tournament to face off with Rocket Racer.

Lego Racers 2 also includes several mini-games, including a "pipe" race much like the half-pipe bonus stages in Sonic the Hedgehog 2; multiple players will also be able to hook up for races or even a battle mode, but everyone will need his own cartridge.

Lego Racers 2 is scheduled for release in the US in late September 2001.