I’ve Been Waiting 24 Years For A Sequel To This Cult Classic

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Twenty-five years ago, the Xbox launched with a truly unique game that, unfortunately, never became a major franchise. While the original Xbox didn’t sell as well as competitors like the PlayStation 2 and GameCube, its arrival in 2001 was important. It brought much-needed competition to the console market just as Sega was leaving the industry.

The Xbox found success with popular games like Halo. Titles such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dead or Alive 3, Ninja Gaiden, and Fable helped position it as a console geared towards older players, differentiating it from Nintendo’s more family-friendly GameCube. The Xbox even had its own take on Mario Kart – a combat racing game called Cel Damage – which still has a dedicated, though small, following. Although Cel Damage didn’t achieve huge sales and never got a sequel, it remains a fondly remembered game.

Cel Damage Should Have Been Xbox’s Mario Kart

It’s a shame that Cel Damage, a unique game blending the cartoon style of Looney Tunes with the vehicular combat of Twisted Metal, didn’t become more popular. Created by Pseudo Interactive and published by EA, Cel Damage was a fast-paced shooter where players battled each other in vehicles on large maps. It successfully combined elements of fighting, racing, and capture the flag, and its bright, memorable art style really made it stand out.

I remember when Cel Damage came out – it was right when reality TV was taking off, and this game was like a crazy, over-the-top demolition derby where everyone was fighting for fame! The characters were all so cartoonish, which was great because it meant the violence was more funny than anything else – totally slapstick. And the weapons! They were classic cartoon stuff, like boxing gloves that launched with springs and baseball bats rigged with nails. It all just fit the game’s wild, colorful style perfectly.

Like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, this game’s use of cel shading created a distinct, cartoonish look that has actually held up remarkably well over time – it still looks great compared to many games from the same era. The game’s style is heavily inspired by classic Tex Avery cartoons, featuring quirky characters like a duck reminiscent of Al Capone, anime-influenced goth girls, and silly little devils, all competing in the ring.

The game’s physics are designed to be over-the-top and funny, like classic screwball cartoons – things break in ridiculous ways rather than realistically. Released as one of the first games for the original Xbox, Cel Damage had the potential to become a major party game franchise for the console, complementing hits like Halo. Unfortunately, it never quite reached that level of success.

I’m Still Waiting On A Sequel Of Cel Damage

Cel Damage had the potential to become a popular game for the Xbox, but it never quite caught on with players or reviewers. While critics praised its graphics and realistic physics, noting the game’s fun, cartoon style, they weren’t impressed with how it actually played.

Critics found the game lacking due to its few stages and uneven weapon selection. The simple gameplay became predictable fast, as players quickly learned the levels and focused on finding the strongest weapons. The controls weren’t precise enough compared to other racing games, and the challenging computer opponents made learning the game frustrating. Ultimately, Cel Damage received mostly mixed reviews and didn’t sell very well.

Despite being released on the GameCube (and PlayStation 2 in Europe), Cel Damage didn’t gain much popularity with gamers. Because of this, the original publisher, EA, rejected Pseudo Interactive’s idea for a sequel. Other companies like Sega, Ubisoft, and Midway Games felt the same way, believing that weak sales and the difficulty of marketing a lighthearted, teen-rated racing game made a sequel too risky.

Man, Cel Damage has really stuck with me over the years. It’s become this awesome cult classic, and they’ve even remastered it for other consoles a few times. But it’s more than that – there’s a real community of us who loved this game. For me, it was just pure, chaotic fun – a totally goofy, cartoony brawler. Sometimes it felt a little unfair, like the computer was cheating or the weapons weren’t quite balanced, but the gameplay was so memorable and the art style was so unique that it didn’t even matter. It was just a killer game that never quite got the recognition it deserved. I’ve kinda given up hope on a sequel, but it’s cool to know I’m not the only one who played Cel Damage on the original Xbox and instantly fell in love with it.

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2025-11-15 02:10