An expensive trip to Radiator Springs
Disney Infinityis out, giving you a taste of three worlds from various Disney and Pixar properties — some welcome, some not — but the starter pack isn’t the only bit of content in town. In addition to characters for the starter levels, there’s also two new sandboxes to play in:CarsandThe Lone Ranger.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Disney-like without a ton of add-ons to buy, and the first one up on the chopping block is theCarsPlay Set.
Disney Infinity: Cars Play Set(3DS, PC, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360 [tested])Developer: Avalanche SoftwarePublisher: Disney InteractiveReleased: June 06, 2025 (NA) June 25, 2025 (EU) [3DS, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360]MSRP: $34.99 (Play Set with two characters)
So what exactly is a Play Set? Well, as you know the core game comes with three worlds:Monsters,Pirates, andThe Incredibles. With the starter set, that’s all you get, but if you want you’re able to buy a Play Set package, which comes with two characters and a Play Set piece that unlocks a new world. At retail, this is a $35 package that comes with three bits of DLC — two toys which operate as in-game characters (which are normally $13 each), and an open-world sandbox (which can basically be priced at $9 in this context).
In the case of theCarsPlay Set, you’re getting the characters Lightning McQueen and Holly Shiftwell, in addition to the Radiator Springs sandbox. TheCarscharacters themselves are a bit of conundrum, as they offer up a decent variety of gameplay (considering, well, they’re not humanoid toys like 90% of the game), but they allplay roughly the same. Unlike most ofDisney Infinity‘s characters, their vehicular cohorts can powerslide, jump, turbo boost, and equip more formidable weapons (mostly themed to the secret agent-styledCars 2) — essentially, they operate like miniMario Kartracers.
Although these two characters can be used fully in the Toy Box mode, part of what you’re paying for here is Radiator Springs. It’s a bit more low-key than most of the action-packed sets, but thankfully it sports a pretty solid and open design, offering up a fun cityscape to drive through, as well as the large mountain in the middle, and even some caves. There’s atiny Dark Cloud-esque city-building mechanic, but it’s mostly just a wasted addition that distills down to “place a building on one of six specific lots.”
But even beautiful vistas won’t hide the blemishes of the franchise itself. To be blunt, if you don’t likeCars, this set is going to do nothing to change your mind. There’s no plot involved here other than your standard excuse to race, race, and race some more, and the characters are even more stereotypical than they are in the films (and without a lot of the same voice talents).
Truth be told, I was never a fan of theCarsfilms because the characters often don’t transcend the identity they were given at the very start — whether that’s a stereotypical Italian like Luigi, the “Blue Collar” Mater, or a “cocky tough guy” Chick, there’s no real depth or dimension to anyone. It’s not that they’re problematic so much as they aren’t very funny — this spills over to theInfinityPlay Set, unfortunately.
There are a few high points, though — like when theCars 2spy organization makes a small visit to Radiator Springs and equips you with missiles, mines, and machine guns. These small challenges are brief, but fun, and show off a more violent side toDisney Infinitythat should appeal to older players. But unfortunately that’s not enough. The other extras aren’t as compelling and mostly consist of multiple turbo boosts, towing contraptions, and stunt structures.
While I can’t wholly recommend theCarsPlay Set itself, getting aCarscharacter or two outside of the confines of a pricey pack wouldn’t be a bad idea for Toy Box purposes. You can set up a ton of different scenarios with multiple players that involve made up objectives centered around racing, and putting humanoid characters into vehicles pitted againstCarstoys makes for some fun gameplay sessions.
