The IGPX is the Immortal Grand Prix, a futuristic race that takes place in the year 2049 that pits teams of three mechs – known as IG machines - against each other in high speed races where anything goes and is similar to an ultramodern form of roller derby. Based on the now defunct Cartoon Network television show of the same name, the IGPX is fought on roller coaster style tracks that are 60 miles long and reach high above the ground, allowing the participants to reach speeds upwards of 350 mile per hour. The game follows Team Satomi and its three members; Amy, Liz and Takeshi, as they enter the IGXP and go for the gold. There are three leagues that you need to work your way through, defeating each team as they are brought forth to challenge you as well as earning cash to upgrade your teams mechs and finally take the title of the IG-1 champions.

Each race is broken down into three laps, where the first lap is nothing more than you setting how you want your team mates to behave, whether they focus on fighting or racing. Once that is set, the second lap begins which is the Battle Lap. Once you make another complete circuit of the track, the final lap starts which is the Race lap. Once you come within the final stretch of the race lap, you can fire up a speed boost which incredibly increases the speed of your mech but won’t allow you to fight at all and if you get hit in this mode, you will drop out of it. The names of the laps may be a bit misleading to most since you can focus on fighting and racing whenever you want, regardless of what lap you are on. The only difference is as mentioned; the race lap will allow you the extra speed in the final stretch. Each team has three mechs that are known as the Forward, The Midfielder and the Defender. As you would assume, the Defender hangs back to defend and take the brunt of the attacks from other team and protect the Forward, but it all depends how you choose to play. Although each mech can assume any role, the main objective is to keep the other team from destroying your IG machines and in turn trying to get rid of them if you can before the final lap.

During each race, you can assume the controls of each mech by switching from one to the other, although most of the time you really have no need to. Other team mates can be given orders on what you would like to see them do, for example you can set them to defend themselves so they won’t take as much damage and focus on winning the race by completing it. The Crossfire command tells each mech to attack the opposing machine that has the least health just as setting the team to Man on Man has each teammate take on their counter part on the other team. Calling for the mechs to Rally will have them gather behind you and protect your back, doing their best to not allow enemy mechs to pass them. Team mates can also do some true roller derby like moves and gang up on opposing mechs. There is a combo bar in the bottom left corner that when it starts to flash after it fills, will allow you to attack an enemy and have a team mate join in on the carnage. Although it can be a little tricky to pull off since the camera is constantly changing when you attack someone, it is worth seeing it when it does managed to get pulled off.

As you win each race, you will earn cash that can be used to upgrade and customize each IG Machine. You can only purchase 4 types of parts; left and right arms and set of legs and later on some extras that give large boosts to your mechs attributes. Each available part all has their own stats in certain area like agility, stability and offense, but some also have special attacks ingrained into them. Some include sword blades that lash out in a wide arc as you slash or legs that create a bright flash to blind opponents that are coming up on your tail. There are plenty of parts available as you go through each round and leave you with plenty of choices to choose from. For an extra customization, you can also give your IG Machines a new color scheme whenever you like in the paint shop to give it that extra zest. You’re not the only one with customized parts however. Other teams will have special attacks at their disposal, although some can get frustrating at times with their cheapness, like Team Edgeraid and their wire attacks or Team Velshtein who can decimate your entire team in no time at all. Some attacks will send you crashing and spinning along the ground as soon as it touches you, forcing you to button mash to get your mech back on its feet and some will cause you to freeze up. Since there is no way to jump and the short speed boost you have during the match doesn’t actually allow you to get more than stones throw away from your enemies, if you aren’t able to throw your deflection up in time, down you go once again.

There certainly is no lack of races in the three leagues with 16 teams to face of against as well as simulation matches, all-star matches and battle royales that place the top racers from 5 other teams in a free for all. As you make your way through the IG-3 and IG-2 leagues it does become a little monotonous as each race is almost identical even though the tracks vary from one to another. Some track have obstacles set up to cause you to crash and some that will make you take a dive right of the track. Other than those obstacles however, you really have no worries of ever leaving the track and being disqualified. You can drop the controller and go get a sandwich if you like and your mech will stay on track and follow the course around. Once you finally reach the IG-1 league, you have a new feature called Speed Mode which allows you to transform your mech during its speed boost at the end of the race. Other than looking really cool when it happens, it just seems pointless when you were able to use a speed boost in the previous league in the same way, except you didn’t transform during them.

When you get through the GP mode and are successful in each league, there is always the versus mode to take the fight to your friends. In versus mode, you can select which team you want to use, which track and how many laps you want to burn through. Unfortunately the versus mode is not split screen and both players will always be on screen at the same time. When one player is ahead and one is behind, the camera zooms way out and pretty much makes trying to attack any other mech that may be coming up to you impossible since you are so tiny you can’t see what you are doing. Racing games are fun and giant robots bashing on each other is fun, but oddly enough, IGPX just isn’t all that fun. For a game that is part racing and part fighting, the fact that the only real racing is the last ten seconds of each “race” really is a downer. Throw in the fact that there really is no story line what so ever other than a cut scene that shows teammates talking to each other before each race that repeats every once in a while no matter who you are racing and an announcer that will drive you up the wall faster than any of these mech can go, IGPX unfortunately misses its mark for those unfamiliar with the TV series. For those that are in the know of the series, the game is a faithful representation, although a very shallow one. Then again, since the Television show has been cancelled, that may not be such a great thing.