# Mickey's Speedway USA

Mickey's Speedway USA is a kart racing game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color. It is Rare and Nintendo's second collaboration with Disney Interactive following Mickey's Racing Adventure (1999), and features characters from the Mickey Mouse universe racing across the United States. The Nintendo 64 game released in November 2000 to mixed reception, while the Game Boy Color version followed in March 2001.

## Gameplay

Mickey's Speedway USA features various characters from the Mickey Mouse universe racing in karts to complete three laps around a track as quickly as possible. Scattered along each track are tokens that increase racers' maximum speed, boosters which will give racers a quick burst of acceleration, and items that can be used to interfere with opponents, such as baseballs and paint cans. The Nintendo 64 (N64) version features gameplay similar to Rare's previous N64 racing game Diddy Kong Racing (1997), while the Game Boy Color (GBC) version uses the same isometric perspective as its predecessor, Mickey's Racing Adventure (1999).
Both versions of the game include a Grand Prix mode, a time trial mode, and multiplayer racing modes. Each Grand Prix is playable at three difficulty levels; earning a gold trophy for each one will unlock new characters, cheats and other features. The N64 version includes a practice mode and a multiplayer battle mode with four arenas, while the GBC version includes "driving school" tutorial missions and a gallery of unlockable images, which can be printed out using the Game Boy Printer.
The game features 20 different race tracks spread across five Grands Prix, all themed after famous American cities and locations such as Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and the Grand Canyon. The selection of tracks differs between versions. The final Grand Prix can only be unlocked in the N64 version by finding four vehicle parts hidden in different race tracks. An additional bonus track can be unlocked in the N64 version via a cheat code and in the GBC version by connecting to a copy of Mickey's Racing Adventure via the system's infrared port.
Six playable characters are included in both versions of the game. These default characters are paired in statistics: Mickey and Donald have average statistics, Minnie and Daisy focus on handling and acceleration, and Goofy and Pete have a concentration in speed and weight. Three additional characters, consisting of Dewey, Louie, and Ludwig Von Drake, can be unlocked in the N64 version through completing objectives in Grand Prix mode; a fourth character, Huey, can only be unlocked by connecting to the GBC version through the Transfer Pak.

## Synopsis

Mickey discovers his dog, Pluto, has been kidnapped by the Weasels for his diamond collar. He calls Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy to help search for Pluto, while Pete intercepts the phone call and follows behind. Professor Ludwig von Drake builds race cars for the group to help them search faster, and they travel across America following a series of postcards left by the Weasels. After a final race, the Weasels are found, caught, and sent to jail. Mickey happily reunites with Pluto, revealing the supposed diamonds on his collar are simply glass beads from one of Minnie's old necklaces, and the group heads home.

## Development

The game had a marketing budget of $5 million.

## Reception

Aggregate scores :
| Aggregator | Score | Score |
| Aggregator | GBC | N64 |
| GameRankings | 81% | 68% |
| Metacritic | N/A | 71/100 |
Review scores :
| Publication | Score | Score |
| Publication | GBC | N64 |
| AllGame | N/A | 3/5 |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 6/10 | 5.67/10 |
| Game Informer | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| GameFan | N/A | 91% |
| GamePro | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| GameRevolution | N/A | C+ |
| GameSpot | 9/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Hyper | N/A | 77/100 |
| IGN | 9/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Nintendo Life | N/A | 6/10} |
| Nintendo Power | 3.5/5 | 7.4/10 |
| Official Nintendo Magazine | N/A | 92% |
| Video Games (DE) | N/A | 91% |
The Nintendo 64 version received "average" reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.
Matthew Byrd, writing for Den of Geek in 2017, said that Mickey's Speedway USA could not compete to other similar titles like Diddy Kong Racing, Mario Kart 64, or Crash Team Racing, due to its courses being not nearly as "inventive" (only a basic recreations of US locations), its power-ups as "little slim", its "problematic" artificial intelligence, and its roster of karts and tracks as "thin". Despite its flaws, he thought that Rare managed to produce an engagingly charming and functional kart racing title.