Fans of the greatly under-appreciated 'Motor Toon Grand Prix' will be right at home with the sound and graphics of Rat Attack. The style and look of the levels and the characters really grows on you after a while, and at a time when most 'cute' graphics are associated with that 'other' system [no, not Sega...] it's refreshing to see bright, blocky graphics on the old gray box. Sometimes the sheer volume of objects onscreen [especially in multiplayer] makes it hard to distinguish what's what, but it's understandable when there's 20 rats and 4 cats running around, not to mention all the random obstacles moving on their own. The songs are catchy, and each level's theme-music matches the general setting, my favorite being the snake-charmer tune on the Egyptian Museum level.

Rat Attack is almost two games in one, because the multiplayer feels so different from single player. The biggest difference is in strategy. Single player is all about trapping rats and reaching a quota to finish each level. You see, mutant rats have hatched a diabolical plan to take over the world, and you [as an elite member of a feline hit-squad, the Scratch Cats] must stop Washington & Jefferson Rat and their rodent minions.

Gameplay in single player is directed toward grabbing rats with a special tool, the Eraticator, and disposing of them in the Destructor, while avoiding any moving obstacles [vacuum cleaners, toy cars, robots, lasers] or monster rats that might arise. Multiplayer uses most of the same tools, but allows you to work against your opponent and make it harder for him/her to catch rats. There are 8 stages in Single player, and Multiplayer adds several variations, along with a stage specifically designed for 4 [that's right, 4] players at once. Each stage has 4-5 levels and is completed by beating a boss; Boss levels are the coolest!

Each of the initial 6 Scratch Cats has different abilities, with some being stronger and faster, or having better Eraticators. There are two secret cats to unlock, and they really kick butt! Also, each cat has a Special Attack which can be earned by picking up coins in the game, but some require more coins than others. Objects can be picked up that help catch rats, and there are bad

This is a game that can challenge anyone, at any level. With the ability to handicap in Multiplayer, seasoned vets can match up against green amateurs. I never felt frustrated with anything about control or design, and the fact that each cat comes with 9 lives [cute...] makes for a nice learning curve on each level. One really nice addition is in the Boss levels. The first time you screw up and die, a message comes on the screen giving you a hint on how to beat the Boss. This can be turned off in Options, but I think more games should include something like this.

As described earlier, the only weapons you possess as a Scratch Cat are the Eraticator and a set of sharp claws. Professor Julius designed the Eraticator for you, and I loved the description of him as 'the world's leading authority in rat containment techniques.' You can pick up an item that increases the power of your Eraticator, and there are also special objects that freeze rats, make the cats grow, repair objects in the room and speed up your cat. Some of the rat's tricks are devious, the two worst being the Mutator pads and the Duplicator. The Mutator takes 'Genetic Blueprint' rats and turns them into various monsters that make things really tough, while the Duplicator turns every one rat into two.

Each level is set up to challenge you in some way, whether it's Mutator/Duplicator pads or obstacles. Teleport Pads make things interesting, and there are several levels with 'smart' lasers that track you when you get near them. The Boss levels require particular strategies because Bosses are way too nasty for Eraticator techniques. The Multiplayer variations are cool. 'Rat Chase' involves catching rats that score points for you and trying to avoid your opponent's rats. 'Beat The Clock' is a timed level with each cat hustling for high score. Finally, 'Score Chase' is not timed, and whoever gets the high score wins.

Rat Attack will stay fun for quite a while, and long after you beat Single player [which doesn't take much time] you'll be inviting friends over to clean their clocks in Multiplayer mode. It's a ton of fun, and I recommend it to anyone.