What is it about Pixar's CG-powered filmmaking that continues to enchant audience? Is it how they know the basics for putting together a good story or perhaps it's the gee-whiz technology they pour into a film? Either way you look at it, the studio's work is undeniable. The latest proof of this is Cars, a fun summer flick featuring actor Owen Wilson as a cocky little speedster named Lightning McQueen. His impatientness to earn the Piston Cup championship winds him up in a small town, where he has to repave a road while dealing with many of the locals. This includes a bothersome but kind-hearted tow truck named Tow Mater and a classic car named Doc with a secret to hide. Now, with the film's arrival on DVD, THQ is pushing more enhanced versions of their summer game release Disney/Pixar's Cars, with the Xbox 360 version leading the way before ports on the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 eventually arrive.

Fortunately, the game's more pleasing than most licensed movie efforts. That's because Cars has got the horsepower of Rainbow Studios, who know their way around a good racing game. With Cars, it's put together a free-roaming adventure where the player, controlling McQueen, can go from event to event, eventually completing a side story that accompanies the film. These events can vary, ranging from street races through the dusty old town to collection tasks that involve finding certain objects. Completing these tasks and races not only please McQueen's new-found friends, but open up new events as well.

The game can be played in story mode, complete with fun cinematics that mimic the film, but there's also an arcade mode in which players can simply race around in a series of events. The game supports multiplayer, but it's only up to two players who can make their rounds at a time. It's a shame that Rainbow didn't allow for four-player split-screen racing, so that more players, such as kids and parents, could get involved in the racing action. However, the events here are fun, so that will have to do. For those younger players who aren't so good behind the wheel, there's an easier difficulty level available, making turns around the track more fun if they haven't gotten used to the controls yet.

The difficulty level of the game in general, however, leans on the easy side. THQ's probably made a wise decision here, as they probably don't want to see gamers struggle too much with a game of this type. But that's also its downfall for older gamers and parents, as the game can be beaten in a matter of hours with very little else to go back to. Cars may be a more advanced port of this summer's release, but the fact is it's still just a port. No online multiplayer via Xbox Live is included, there's no new missions made exclusively for the Xbox 360 edition, and the only real viable extra comes in the form of unlockable Achievements. Most of these can be gathered in the first couple of hours.

At least it still looks and sounds good. The graphics within the game have been touched upon to make the game look decidedly more next-gen, complete with details pouring onto the screen that are taken straight from the film. The animation is beautiful, complete with little vignettes where the cars talk to each other perfectly in sync. The city of Radiator Springs is rendered very well, complete with side roads and plenty of places to spin McQueen's wheels.

But Rainbow has pulled off a wonderful surprise or two with the sound. The in-game soundtrack features instrumental selections from the film, but also has a few classy tunes added to the mix, including Los Lobos' "Let's Go". As for the cars' voicework, it's all provided by every actor from the film. Wilson, Paul Newman, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub and others fill the roles of their characters just as well as they did in the movie. Kudos to THQ and Rainbow for keeping the talent intact- it really does make a difference.

The game may be somewhat simple for some, and those expecting anything excitingly new in this Xbox 360 version might find themselves frustrated. However, players who haven't yet experienced the racing fun of Disney/Pixar's Cars should give this version a spin, as it's the best one available at this point. The graphics and sound really deliver, and the gameplay is stronger than most licensed efforts being offered today, even if it's easier than some expect. It's perfect for fans of the film, in which there are probably quite a few. Hey, why not? It is Pixar we're talking about. Ka-chow!