Track Blocks: Surfaces & Shapes

Dive into Trackmania's 'Build to Race' for Wii! Learn about gameplay modes like Race, Puzzle, and Platform, and explore the environments available in this unique entry.

Hey there! So you're diving into Trackmania's Wii version, 'Build to Race,' and want to know what's what with the tracks and environments? Let's break it down.

This game is pretty much what you'd expect from a Trackmania title, but with its own unique twists. You've got a solid solo campaign with over 200 tracks to conquer, and of course, the ever-essential track editor to let your creativity run wild. It packs in the classic Race, Puzzle, and Platform modes, and you'll get to race through six of the usual environments: Stadium, Island, Desert, Snow, Rally, and Coast. The Bay environment didn't make the cut this time around, likely because its complex scenery just wouldn't translate well to the Wii.

A Bit of History:

The game first popped up on the radar back in June 2009. It was initially slated for a July 2010 release, but got a little nudge back to September 23, 2010. Dreamcatcher Interactive was the studio behind it, bringing the Trackmania experience to a new console.

DLC & What's Left:

Back in the day, you could grab extra tracks via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection – think Turbo 1 through 8. Sadly, that service is gone now, so those official DLC tracks are a no-go. But hey, the community is awesome! You can often find remakes of those tracks by following along with videos. There's even a handy Google Doc linked in the source if you want to dig deeper into those remakes.

Fun Facts:

• This is the only Trackmania game that landed on the Nintendo Wii, and it was the second console release after the DS version.
• You'll notice that the Island and Coast environments don't have a night mode here, which is a bit different from other games in the series.
• If you boot up the main menu, you'll see the trailer for Trackmania United Forever, but with all the Bay environment scenes removed since it's not in this game. Kind of a neat little nod!