VU Games karts Bandicoot to N-Gage

When VU Games launched Crash Nitro Kart, it did fairly well critically and then settled into the same rhythm as most Crash Bandicoot titles - slowly building up sales so it can baffling eclipse its more accomplished rivals. We're guessing VU Games has no idea where that damned Bandicoot gets it, but he's certainly a dead cert on every platform.

So it'll be interesting to see whether he can affect a change for the much maligned and terminally unpopular N-Gage handheld, where he'll be making his karting debut in the second quarter of 2004. According to an announcement today, VU Games is in the process of porting the Mario Kart clone and introducing head-to-head Bluetooth wireless racing amongst other things.

Some of those 'other things' include new playable characters and tracks, and we're also promised the expected race and battle modes along with various unlockables - firmly in-keeping with the clone kart formula.

Although we may feign interest in some of the N-Gage's more obviously uninspired product announcements - like the promise of a FIFA 2004 port - Crash Nitro Kart could well be the right sort of move for Nokia. Karting is a proven success on the Game Boy, and we'll be keen to take a look at it when it arrives.