Cars 2 - PS3

You know, the apogee of Disney-licensed games might have ocurred during the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, with gems like Duck Tales, both Chip 'n Dale games, Castle of Illusion, Quackshot and, my personal favorite, World of Illusion. However, some overlooked brand-related games DO tend to reach this overcrowded industry, because they're either childish or "aren't even worth it unless it gets perfect-10 reviews... probably". Also, there's this particular image that this kind of games are mostly developed in order to earn some extra cash with the promotion of a movie, but Toy Story 3 and 2011's Cars 2 (PS3/360 versions) show us how modern licensed-related games work: you don't have to do a game 100% about the movie, but rather about the brand itself.

So how does this work? Well, Cars 2 not only replicates the charm of Pixar's blockbuster, it also works pretty great with its slick and easy-to-learn but hard-to-master gameplay. Also, it might be one of the first racing games where it IS a good idea to feature a (BIG-)jump button, since the tracks are complexly built in order to take advantage of all maneuvers you can do with a car, from sliding to two-wheeled driving and - you guessed it - jumping. This layer of complexity doesn't scare beginners, but it's a great incentive towards mastering "every nook and cranny" in the game.
Also, isn't it great that Cars 2 features missions with specific objectives, all of them with the possibly of being played by up to 3 more buddies - yes, this racing game has local co-op, how about that?

However, there is one big sin this game did, and that it wouldn't really matter at all a few years ago - ...seven, maybe? -. The lack of online play will be a serious issue for many looking to play it with people around the world. Still, I must admit that Cars 2 is an excellent Mario Kart 'clone'... as a matter of fact, it's so unique, it would be an insult to call it a 'clone' to begin with!