I’m happy to report to you all that the LittleBigPlanet Karting Beta will begin next Tuesday, July 10th. Those of you lucky enough to be selected will start receiving codes next week, and we will be sending out vouchers to more people as the test continues through Tuesday, July 31st, so if you haven’t registered yet, make your way over and sign up ASAP right here.

In related news, we recently had a really amazing group of LBP creators join us for an entire week here at SCEA’s San Diego Studio where they were able to get their hands dirty experimenting with LBP Karting’s Create tools. I think it’s safe to say that a good time was had by all, and the participants gave us invaluable feedback on some tweaks that will end up giving you all really great experience when LBP Karting hits store shelves later this year. The LBP franchise has always had a strong community element so it was great to have the people we’re making the game for in our studio face to face talking through their creative ideas and processes. At the end of the day, this level of interaction helps us make a better game.

Big shouts out go to Spider-Jew, JustinArt, LamboLover4898, ConfusedCartman, codibear8383, Crazy_s, and Taffey. We are truly grateful that you all could spend some time with us at our studio – thank you for your continued support. We had an awesome ti-… You know what? I should let THEM tell you about it. Check out this link to read about their impressions on creating in full 3D, some fascinating stories about mad cow disease, what it’s like to work with the team here at San Diego Studio, and something about a save fairy that sounds totally weird.

Thanks again, hope to see you all online next week!

Greetings Sackfolk! The LittleBigPlanet community is about to get another very special treat! In case the opportunity to participate in the LittleBigPlanet Beta on PS Vita wasn’t amazing enough, many of you will soon have the chance to participate in the LittleBigPlanet Karting Beta on PS3!

The goal of the Beta is to get feedback on the overall experience from Sackfolk who understand it like few others – you!

There will be a lot more information to follow, so keep an eye on the PlayStation.Blog for details on how to register. For now, though, dust off your driving gloves and prepare to experience the most competitive LittleBigPlanet yet!

My Peoples. Coker here on another fine ModNation Monday. The fresh creations keep coming from all of you unbelievable folks in the MNR community, and we couldn’t be more proud.

New Driver

As I mentioned in last week’s blog, we’ve got a new member on Team MNR, and I’m very pleased to introduce you all to Mark Wilson, who will be taking over as our National ModMaster and taking the reigns of the MNR blog. Mark’s a good guy, so take good care of him. Trust me – he gets enough abuse from us around the office. And with that, the baton is passed.

The New Guy

Thank Jason. I’m VERY excited to join the MNR team. What a great game and what a great community of players and creators! Can’t Wait! (attempt at timely Bart Scott reference)

o.k. gang, here is a little about me…

I’m a huge gamer (no, not so much in stature thank you! 6’1” 225). I’ve been hooked on games since the early Atari 2600 days and have been lucky to own pretty much every gaming console since. Only the NEO-GEO escaped my grasp. But hey, you can now get those great NEO-GEO games on the PSN for less than $10 each! Good things come to those that wait huh?

Favorite PS3 games include: ModNation Racers (of course), PAIN, LittleBigPlanet 1&2, Uncharted 1&2, MLB 10, Rock Band 3, Sports Champions, COD Black Ops, Pure, Mass Effect 2, Crazy Taxi, The Last Guy, Rachet & Clank: Tools of Destruction, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Ghostbusters, Just Cause 2, Lego Star Wars, Warhawk and Madden 11.

Enough about me, let’s talk about you, the MNR fans. I am truly excited to see what WE can accomplish to make this community even more fun and lively than it already is. Every conversation I have had with members of the San Diego Studios MNR team has shown me how much this game means to them personally. They love this game and the community. I will do my very best for them and for you!

How’s this for a start…

The Helghast Invasion Begins Tomorrow!

In case you didn’t know Killzone 3 hits store shelves next month so we wanted to kick the month off right with a Mod and Kart forged in the fires of Helghan itself!

Be on the look out tomorrow, February 1st when you can get your hands on this Helghast Mod and Kart for $1.99.

Reminder – UNLOCK EVERYTHING! NOW!

Don’t forget that you can pick up the Career Unlock All key from the PSN Store $2.99. Now there’s nothing between you and super creator status.

MNR Creations of the Week

Whether you have created one track or one hundred tracks we want to see them all. That’s what this game is all about Play Create Share. Give it your best shot. Who knows, you just might see your creation featured in this weekly blog or your track may make it to the Hot Lap section of the game. Remember these key few points to help you get your creations noticed. No I.P., branded, or inappropriate content. Submit your tracks, mods or karts here. With the release of all the new parts packs, we expect to see your tracks with those new props in them.

Mod and Kart of the Week

Mod Name: Celzeus Creator: WereJackal
Kart Name: Noir
Creator: WereJackal

WereJackal! Wow! This week I have found myself going back to look at your mod over and over again. So much artistic vision, detail, so bizarre, yet so beautiful at the same time. I was a little slow on the uptake on the mod’s name and then it hit me….duh. Great visualization! It’s obvious you didn’t just throw that one together on the fly. Great work! I’m stoked that my first review for mod of the week was this cool! I’m thinking you should build a track based around this character. With your unique eye I’d bet it would be a hit. Can you say “Hot Lap”? I’m not sure if the kart was part of the same dream (or late-night pizza-induced nightmare) but I know I’ll be seeing it in my sleep. Keep em’ coming! Keep em’ coming. You know where to find me!

Spotlight Track Of The Week

Track Name: Hong Kong Suey
Track Creator: atheistsw

Maybe its just me or maybe I’m experiencing a case of “beginners luck” here but my first week’s nominees are awesome! The Hong Kong Suey track is one of the better tracks I have ever played (too much too soon?). Honestly. I’m not sure what atheistsw does for a living but based on that track alone you should look into a career as a city planner or at least a high profile landscaper. The details such as palm frons hanging over balconies you are about to scale to the lush San Fran Lombard street-esq route on the way down to the finish brought a big smile to my face. Great use of elevation changes, no gimmicky traps or pitfalls and plenty of side routes that I drove just to take in more scenery. A+

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: Hong Kong Suey by atheistsw
Tuesday: Fault Lines by apricot-jam-IS
Wednesday: Sunset Temple Brawl by Lloyd2k4
Thursday: A Whales Tale by prob_alex
Friday: Oasis Assault by Pikminenco
Saturday: Bamboo 2: The Overgrowth by apricot-jam-IS (Sorry we missed your track last week, buddy. –Coker)
Sunday: Mystery Track

Greeting, ModNationals. Jason Coker here. Since this week’s special guest is late, let’s just jump right into it. Party Hardy is “fashionably late,” but he’s finally arrived!

Party Hardy includes the following creation parts:

• Lampshade Hat
• Messy Shirt
• Noise Maker (**does not actually make noise)

You can pick up Party Hardy on the PSN Store starting this week for $0.99. Again, he apologizes for being so late, but considering that his skin is green and the dude’s wearing a lampshade as a hat, don’t you think the last party was pretty awesome?

New Kid On The Block

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be introducing you to a new member of Team MNR who will be working with us and YOU to make the nation even better.

MNR Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PS Blog.

With the release of all the new parts packs, we want to see your tracks with those new props in them.

Mod and Kart of the Week

Mod Name: Ultramod
Kart Name: Ultramod
Creator: Elnath10

Comment: I guess I’m just a sucker for a Mod (and Kart) in a matte black suite. This “Crusader’s” kart is the definition of tight and more than alright. Every viewing angle holds your attention. I especially love the subtle use of the glass side panel windows that play perfectly off the Kart’s matte finish. If I was being chased by this screamer, I would have to pull over and take some pictures! Elnath10 has to let us in on this Mod’s back-story. He looks like a pretty nice guy inside that ominous black suit. Come on Elnath10 – what’s the backstory here? Great work!

Track of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: China Flow XE
Created by: xentrix74

Comment: Don’t get lulled into the beautiful scenery at the starting line or your miss the first of many XE-llently placed (bad pun intended) branching short-cuts that offer unique and rewarding passes. Track creator xentrix74 makes great use of the new Far East DLC (get yours now!) by building a city so diverse (Cherry Blossom Garden – Sea – Downtown) and beautiful that it made me want to just wander around in my Kart to take in the views (which I did… twice!). It’s not just about the looks, this track incorporates just about everything that makes a great race – Fair race-able lines, elevation changes, scenery changes and China Flow XE even seems to incorporate light/shadow into to the mix intentionally (not sure there but it deserves the benefit of the doubt!). I thank you xentrix74, now that I have experienced your city, I no longer feel the necessity to visit China. One more thing off my bucket list.

Hot Lap Roster for This Week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago, this week’s Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: China Flow XE by xentrix74
Tuesday: Oasis Storm by atheistsw
Wednesday: Bamboo 2: The Overgrowth by apricot-jam-IS
Thursday: Monkey Island Takeover by StealthReborn
Friday: White Waterfalls by Flamestalker-NL

Saturday: Mystery Track
Sunday: Mystery Track

We’ll catch you guys next week, but I hope we’ll see you in the ModSpot before then. We’re always around. Peace.

Howdy, Nation. It’s your man Coker once again with the latest and greatest happenings in the world of MNR. As you may recall from last week’s post, this week also brings the Career Unlock All key to the Nation and we welcome a loveable but completely crazed individual to the MNR family.

I give you – Super Fan!

Super Fan includes the following creation parts:

• Letter Jacket
• Caged Helmet
• Sports Pads

Super Fan’s sweet RV Kart includes the following creation parts:

• “Are We There Yet?” Body
• Lawn Chair Seat
• Giant Hand Antenna

You can pick up Super Fan or his RV Kart for $.99 or the bundle that includes both for $1.75 on the PlayStation Store right now. He’s battle-painted and ready to be customized to your liking. I spoke with Super Fan as I was writing this post, and he asked me to relay this message to all of you: They may take our lives, but they’ll never take….OUR FOOTBALL!!!!
UNLOCK EVERYTHING!

For those of you who are anxious to unlock all of the TONS of stickers, Kart Bodies, Props, clothes, Tracks, and EVERYthing in the game, this is what you’ve been waiting for. Unlock hundreds and hundreds of items instantly.

The Career Unlock All key will also work on future content, so that if you purchase any Track Themes such as Far East or the Track Themes still to come, the content in those add-ons will be unlocked for you as well. You can pick up the Career Unlock All key from the PlayStation Store this week for $2.99. Now there’s nothing between you and super creator status.

XP Series Race Recap

If you checked out the comments from last week’s blog or if you race online a lot, you may have noticed that XP races have been updated. Everyone can now get the full array of Tracks, including those from the Far East Track Theme. Now get a chance for the community to get a sample of the sick new Tracks in Far East!

Don’t forget if you want to get the full Far East Track Theme experience, and get new objectives, tokens, creation parts, and more, don’t forget to pick it up on PSN today.

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

With the release of all the new parts packs, we want to see your tracks with those new props in them.

Mod and Kart of the Week
Mod Name: Steampunk
Kart Name: Steampunk-mobile
Creator: Argetlam350

Coker’s Comment: Once again, we have a perfect pairing of a themed Mod and Mart. Steampunk is a perfect example of “neo-old school”, and the Steampunk-mobile looks like it would be right at home in an old school sci-fi movie. From the color scheme to Steampunk Mod’s arm and leg details to the perfectly appropriate decals on the Kart, this is all win. Kudos on the creativity. I really love how these are so amazing and eye catching without being flashy.

Track of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel by emailing ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Sideway Summit
Created by: Matt-ac0n

Matt-ac0n Says: “A gem of a mountain run, intended as a sort of introduction course for beginning racers. Sideway Summit contains many staple features that will certainly be found in many other courses in their careers: Super Jumps, Devastators, Flame Vents, Mod Bots, an assortment of trap switches, and of course many Item Pods. For the more seasoned racers, Sideway Summit will provide a relatively down-to-basics, yet action-packed racing experience at a level that few “conventional” tracks could match. High-banked turns will sure help keep the speed and the pace of the races fast and frantic.”

Coker says: I agree with Matt-ac0n’s comments on this Track. It’s challenging if you know how to race well, but I think it’s fun and forgiving enough for newcomers. This is a very well-rounded Track (figuratively speaking), as it has ample drift opportunities, enough – but not too many – Item Pods, and features that force you to make tough choices such as whether or not to go under a Devastator in order to pick up a pod. I like this one a LOT for both Action Race and Time Trial.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: Sunfire Sinkhole by Lloyd2K4
Tuesday: Omnivale Heart of Epica by IndustrialSavior
Wednesday: Amusement Park II by SergioChileno
Thursday: Twilight Jungle Run by i89oiu
Friday: CanyonTwirl by NikiVv
Saturday: Mystery Track
Sunday: Mystery Track

We’ll catch you guys next week, but I hope we’ll see you in the ModSpot before then. We’re always around. Peace.
PS- Kelly from UFG says, “Hello.”

What up, folks. Coker here once again on MNR Monday. We’ve got some special guests coming to ModNation Racers this week. Also, the Far East Track Theme has been out for a few weeks now, and we want to celebrate some of the creations that have been published using it. As always, you guys are blowing us away for your creativity, and we want to show off some of the best this week.

Guess Who’s Coming to the Nation

Yep, you guessed it! Our good buddies Jak and Daxter are ready to rip the tracks to shreds in their fresh new Kart. These two are no strangers to racing (Remember Jak X anyone?) and now you can get their two Mods and their Kart for $2.49 starting this week. Download them from the PlayStation Store today, crush your opponents, and then tease them by repeatedly shouting, “You got spanked by an ottsel! You got spanked by an ottsel!”

A Glimpse Into The Future

Next week, pigskin fans must unite! Pack up the tailgater gear, paint your faces, and get ready to represent your favorite team in the Nation. The Super Fan cometh….

Also, for those of you who are looking to unlock all those stickers, accessories, Kart Bodies, and Tracks in the game, we may have something that will help.

OK, I have to stop now. I’ve said too much!

The Best In The East

We see what you all have been building with the Far East Track Theme, and it’s as good as we’d expected (and better in a lot of cases). Here are a few tracks that I particularly enjoyed:

• China Town Drift by C_Smith
• Katana Tower Stronghold by Hammerjacked
• MLK Racing Japan Tour by m_l_k_
• Amazing Japan by treliaritsos
• Cherry Brossam Lake by MVP-iitei

Thanks for continuing to show us how creative you can be. Personally, I think the parts from the Far East Track Theme are absolutely beautiful, and I expect to see a lot more works of art out there. Good work, folks.

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

With the release of all the new parts packs, we want to see your tracks with those new props in them.

Mod and Kart of the Week

Mod Name: Sun Dragon
Kart Name: Dragon Fire
Creator: Shelbot3000

Coker says: Aggressive and scary Mod. Aggressive and scary Kart. These two are a match made in….some place. The Sun Dragon Mod is almost “neato,” but there’s a little too much “menacing” in there for me not to consider it a threat. Plus, the guy is HUGE. I love the details on the Dragon Fire Kart, from the paint job to the appropriate accessories that fit the vibe of the Sun Dragon. Take to the track with this combo, and I don’t think anybody’s gonna be messing with you.

Track of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel by emailing ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Bamboo Forest
Created by: apricot-jam-IS

apricot-jam-IS Says: “Journey through a lush bamboo forest and overgrown vegetation. In each section there are multiple paths to take and each are tested to not give too distinct an advantage. Often those that cut time take skill to navigate.”

Coker says: Wow. THIS is what I’m talking about when I say that the Far East Track Theme parts are beautiful. This Track is a work of art in a couple of ways. It’s extremely well designed, and the multiple paths make it a joy (and a challenge) to race again and again. On top of that, the Track is absolutely gorgeous. I’m a big fan of design that forces you to make split second decisions, and this has several such elements. There’s one shortcut that leads to what I’m calling a “skill shot” that will drive you nuts if you miss it, but it’s incredibly rewarding if you make it. I also love the spot in the track where you can choose between hitting the boost pad on the left or going for the item pods on the right. Stuff like that makes races a lot more interesting since you can make decisions based on where you are in the pack. I applaud you, apricot-jam-IS.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: China Town Drift by C_Smith
Tuesday: Katana Tower Stronghold by Hammerjacked
Wednesday: MLK Racing Japan Tour by m_l_k_
Thursday: Amazing Japan by treliaritsos
Friday: Cherry Brossam Lake by MVP-iitei
Saturday: Bamboo Forest by apricot-jam-IS
Sunday: Mystery Track

As you probably noticed, we weren’t able to get Party Hardy onto the PlayStation Store last week (WAAAYY too much partying for that guy), but he’ll be coming soon this month. Till next time, I’ll see you in the ModSpot. Peace.

Hey everybody. MNR Associate Producer Jason Coker here from the Nation. Welcome back to a new year full of new and exciting things for ModNation Racers. In the coming months, you’ll see more amazing Mods and Karts, more Packs, more Track Themes, and a magical key to Unlock All your wildest MNR Dreams…. I hope you had happy holidays. Now let’s jump into what’s happening this week

Ready to “Party Hardy” in 2011?

It’s a new year, and I imagine that some of you partied BIG this time, no? Well, if you did it anything like some people I know did (not me, of course….), you’re probably still recovering. So why not celebrate your condition with this week’s Mod, Party Hardy,the Mod who brings the party wherever he goes? Just back from an after hours soiree, Party Hardy comes with the following creation parts. :

• Lampshade Hat
• Messy Shirt
• Noise Maker (**does not actually make noise)

Download Party Hardy from the PSN Store starting Tuesday, January 4th ($.99) and relive all those hard partying days that you can’t quite remember. …and bring me some aspirin, please.

Go East, Young Mod

Looks like you’ve been enjoying the Far East Track Theme. Just as we’d hoped, there are some really impressive creations out there using Far East parts, and you continue to blow us away with what you’re doing. Rest assured – There’s more to come.

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PS Blog.

With the release of all the new parts packs, we want to see your tracks with those new props in them.

Mod and Kart of the Week
Mod Name: Resistence 3 Chimera
Kart Name: Resistance 3 ver 2
Creator: AMOCAT08

Coker’s Comment: Wow…. There’s a lot of attention to detail, a painstaking airbrushed look on the paint job, and clearly a lot of well thought out effort in this Mod and Kart. I can’t help but have an attitude when I drive this combo, and when the race is hot and heavy and I unleash that Hydra on the pack in from of me, propelling myself into the lead…..it’s magic. Bravo, AMOCAT08. Quality work here.

Track of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Arid Ciudad
Created by: TheQK

TheQK Says: “Start off in the sewers of a luxury desert city to end off in an arid wasteland. Fight your way back to the city through the desert using, shortcuts, weapons and boost.”

Coker says: Oh, HECK yes! To me, one of the more important aspects of game design is Risk VS Reward. And this Track exemplifies that in its design. For example, you can take your chances driving along the top of a narrow pipe with boost pads on it to reach the nutty jump at the end of it, or you can take the low road beneath it and pick up and item pod or two; you can take that downhill blind left turn tight and try to shave some time…. Well, I won’t spoil the discovery of racing this Track for you, but it is brilliantly designed, and in addition to being a great Track for competitive racing, it also provides a great opportunity to challenge yourself and improve your skills. I’m very impressed with this one.

Track Name: London Calling
Created by: athiestsw

Athiestsw says: “Take a tour of London’s West End, taking in Buckingham Palace, Green Park, The Ritz Hotel, St. James Sq, Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Sq, Marble Arch and of course the iconic Big Ben. Watch out for modbots that police the wide highways and beware the final moving bridge that could quite easily ruin your perfect run at the last moment!

A track long in the making, this is a collaborative effort between myself and the legend that is puppethand666. If it wasn’t for his brilliantly OCD attention to detail and ability to plan from scratch this track would have never been. Plus he made an awesome avant-garde representation of Big Ben and the Houses Of Parliament”)

Coker says: I learned three things from racing on this track. 1) It’s awesome. 2) I really need to get to London (preferably in a racing Kart). 3) I hate Modbots. Brilliantly put together, this Track is a beautiful blend of nail-biting moments mixed with victory shout-inducing moments. There are huge jumps, nice drift opportunities, shortcuts that keep things fresh, and plenty more that make this a must-race Track. Check it out, and you will NOT be disappointed.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: London Calling, by athiestsw
Tuesday: Arid Ciudad, by TheQK
Wednesday: Elite Santa vs MOD, by RockToonz
Thursday: The Coastal Ridge by beatdough
Friday: Murky Caverns by grey_jeep
Saturday: Mystery Track
Sunday: Mystery Track

If you haven’t recovered from last week’s “DLC Extravaganza”, then brace yourselves. This week, we get another nomination from G4TV and UFG gives you a glimpse of all the cool things to come including new Mods, Karts, Part Packs and the long-awaited Full Track Themes and Career Extensions. Buckle up!

UFG’s Souped-up DLC

The good folks at United Front Games have been hard at work putting together more cool ModNation Racers DLC since launch. Here’s an insider’s look at what’s to come for ModNation and how they are loving what the community has done so far!

Coming Soon to PSN:

NEXT WEEK- The “Far East” is Coming to YOU!

Just in time for holidays, we’re going to be releasing the Far East Track Theme and Career Extension on December 21st. The theme comes with seven new UFG designed tracks,10 new objectives, 35 new unlockables, and over 50 track props!

More Details to come next ModNation Monday, so stay tuned.

January 2011

February 2011

G4TV Best Racing Game Nominee

On top of the Spike VGA and IGN Nominations the good Gamers over at G4TV have nominated ModNation Racers in its Best of 2010 in the category of Best Racing Game. Wish us luck for their announcement of the winner on December 14th!

It’s Winter, So Bundle Up!

Don’t forget that there’s a good deal on a nice 8 Pack Winter Bundle of Mods and Karts on the Store now through January 4th, 2011. You can get Mall Santa Mod with the Sleigh Kart, Nukular with the Mauler Kart, Lil’ Tinker with the Soapbox Kart, and Mouse Trap with the Cheesy Kart all for only $3.99. Do it quickly if you want to be one of the coolest drivers in the Nation.

Holiday Pack Reminder

Since we’re in the holiday spirit, don’t forget about the Holiday Props Pack to give your Track creations some festive spirit.

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

With the release of all the new parts packs, we want to see your tracks with those new props in them.

Mod of the Week

Mod Name: Kratos Sackboy
Creator: Toasterscribble

Jason Coker says: This is a sweet tribute to the man in chains. He’s got that Sackboy texture, but with the Kratos attitude. Still, at risk of insulting a guy with the power of the Gods, he sure is cute.

Kart of the Week

Kart Name: Wide Ride
Creator: FuzzyEdges

Jason Coker says: Flashy without being over the top. That’s a tough balance to maintain, but this Kart does it well. The detail is there, but it’s not all over the place, which adds a lot of class to the old school body. Hey FuzzyEdges, can you hook up some paint on my hybrid?

Track of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel by emailing ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Christmas Eve
Created by: C_Smith

Jason Coker says: Yes, yes, yes. I love to drift, and this Track is a drifter’s paradise. Loads of snaking curves give plenty of opportunities to get some boost, and various hazards and shortcuts keep the races competitive. Well done, C Smith.

Track Name: Amusement Park I
Created by: SergioChileno

Jason Coker says: Here’s how I imagine a conversation between me and SergioChileno about this Track –

Me: Dude, are you kidding me?

SergioChileno: No, not kidding.

Me: Hold on – Clown pop-ups AND the K-Wrecks? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?

SergioChileno: No, not kidding. Also, I just beat you.

This track is potentially frustrating, but well worth it when you dodge this or that obstacle just right. I raced this one until my fingers went numb. Good stuff.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: Snake City, by TheQk
Tuesday: Amusement Park I, by SergioChileno
Wednesday: Christmas Eve, by C_Smith
Thursday: Elite Game Show, by RockToonz
Friday: They Stole Our Presents!!, by StealthReborn–
Saturday: Mystery Track
Sunday: Mystery Track

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Hello everybody. Jason Coker here, proud citizen of ModNation. There’s a lot going on at the moment, so let’s get right to it:

Guess Who’s Coming to the Nation…

We’ve got a special guest coming to ModNation Racers next Tuesday courtesy of the good folks at Progressive Insurance. Every Racer in ModNation has at least a couple of Karts that they’ve grown to know and love, and who better to watch your back than Progressive Insurance’s lovely spokesMod, Flo?

In addition to handling all your Kart insurance needs, the Flo Mod comes with:

• Flo’s Blouse
• Flo’s Hair with Headband
• Flo’s Apron
• Flo’s Button and Nametag

Absolutely for free!

Oh, and that’s not all that Progressive Insurance has in store for ModNation — stay tuned for more goodies to come.

Next Week: Family Guy meets ModNation!

Giggity giggity goo! If Kazunori wasn’t enough for you, we got a special treat next week. The next MNR Artist Spotlight takes us behind the scenes of one of the funniest shows on television today, Family Guy!

We meet some of the creative minds that bring Family Guy to your sets including Joe Vaux (Assistant Director), Raul Guerra (Storyboard Artist), and Dominic Polcino (Director) and see how they get their Mod on.

Best of all, these guys will be online to answer any fan questions on how the show is made and how they got their sweet gigs.

Tune in next week for an EPIC ModNation Monday!

ModNation Creations of the Week
Please keep your creation submissions coming, folks. You can submit your Mods, Karts, and Tracks on the official ModNation community website and your work may be highlighted as one of our weekly picks. Let’s take a look at this week’s selections.

MOD OF THE WEEK
Creator : nofriendo1
Mod: “Baboon”

I apologize now for the terrible pun, but this Mod is bananas. It’s truly a special feeling to blast somebody in front of you with a straight shot and then breeze by them with a trash talking ape. Imagine how much better driving would be in the real world if you could have a baboon in your car… Well, this is probably about as close as you’re ever going to get, so enjoy!

KART OF THE WEEK
Creator: Icandy55
Kart: “Pink Frost”

OK, I admit it – I like bling. You can’t hate on the attention to detail here. This may not be everyone’s favorite color, but the airbrushed look and the shine can’t be ignored. This is impressive work.

TRACKS OF THE WEEK
Track Name: “Central Park Drive-Thru”
PSN ID: atheistsw

Yes, yes, YES!!! Giant track in a park that’s surrnounded by a city? Check! Ridiculous amount of forks, shortcuts, and even a hidden route? Check! A freaking HEDGE MAZE? Check! This track has all the elements of great design. It’s perfect for Action racing, Pure racing….whatever. This is extremely well done.

Track Name: “Biffonium Empire”
PSN ID: pikminenco

I hate the fact that I love this track so much. There are tons of ways to excel on this track, and there are tons of ways to screw up royally as well. It’s got that great mix of skill and luck factors that make it hard to perfect. Several races in, I still don’t have it down, and that’s what makes it so awesome.

Name of the Track: Jungle Survivor
PSN ID: NyghtHawk

No doubt, this is the hotness. And I mean that literally. Placing Flame Vents just before Boost Pads really makes me think more about strategy on this track. Depending on where I am in the pack, I may have to consider the trade off between shielding my way through them or taking a little more time and weaving through. There are also some killer drift opportunities in this one, and a word of warning – some Item Pods just are NOT worth getting! Love it!

Hot Lap Roster for this week
As many of you probably know, there were some issues in getting the Hot Lap Tracks updated early last week, so we’re bringing back the ones that didn’t get put up on time. For you speed demons, here’s a look at this week’s killer tracks:

Monday: BOSS Gardens, by CIV_BOSS
Tuesday: The Megaplex, by OakBiscuits
Wednesday: da ghetto masta (v4), by daaa57150
Thursday: Central Park Drive-Thru, by athiestsw
Friday: Biffonium Empire, by pikminenco
Saturday: Jungle Survivor, by NyghtHawk
Sunday: Alpine Sprint Series, by TBomber

Believe it or not, we’ve still got TONS of stuff coming for ModNation Racers, so keep checking in here and on modnation.com/ for the latest info on the best race, create, share experience in the (Mod) Nation!

Jason Coker here, Producer of the new downloadable PSP title, Pinball Heroes, which is available beginning TODAY for download onto your PSP from the PlayStation Store for $3.99 each. So, what is Pinball Heroes? Well, the Pinball Heroes team loves pinball – go figure – and we also love the games that Sony Computer Entertainment publishes, so we figured, “Hey, what if we were to make pinball tables based on SCE titles?” We approached some of the internal teams here at Sony, made the magic happen, and we’ve put together a really fun mix of tables, both in the range of pinball game play types and in the titles we’re representing. Please take a look at the trailer below to give you an idea of what I’m talking about:

There are four different tables available to download, which are based on High Velocity Bowling, Hot Shots Golf, PAIN, and UNCHARTED. For me, the coolest thing about Pinball Heroes is that if you dig pinball, you’ll really like any of the tables because of the diverse set of challenges that each one features, including an in-game trophy shelf, in-game trophies, online leaderboards, and an assortment of modes that keep the game exciting and fun. On top of that, if you’re a fan of the titles that we represent on each table, you’ll really enjoy the way we’ve incorporated the flavor of each game into Pinball Heroes. If you happen to be a pinball lover who is also crazy about the games we’re basing our tables on… well, you’ll be in PSP nirvana.

For example, the High Velocity Bowling table actually has a section that has ten pins set up that you can knock down once you’ve released the sweeper. In addition to your pinball score, the game will be tracking your strikes and spares as you advance through “frames” on those ten pins. On the Hot Shots Golf table, there are several unique “holes” to play. You’ll be challenged to knock down targets marked with a certain distance until the total distance gets you to the “green”, at which point you must knock the ball through an opening to the green and tap it into the hole. There are also wind conditions that will affect the ball differently on each hole, so bring your A game.

PAIN fans will recognize things like Fun With Explosives, PAINdemonium modes and the Manhole that can be opened as a ball lock. The UNCHARTED table actually tells the story of Nathan Drake’s’s adventures in the first UNCHARTED game, “UNCHARTED: Drake’s Fortune,” through a variety of modes that will test your pinball skills.

We’ve put plenty of familiar sights and sounds on each table and all in all, we’ve put together a really cool mix of pinball and the things that make our first-party games so fun.

For your convenience, you can play zoomed in so that the camera tracks the balls around the table, zoomed out so that you can see the whole table, or in portrait mode, which lets you see the whole table with the PSP turned sideways, so it’s a lot larger than the default zoomed out play style. Whatever your play style, there’s something here that will suit you.

So there you have it – Pinball Heroes – Coming to a PSP near you. I’m really proud of how nicely the Pinball Heroes tables turned out. Teri, Josh, Joe, Larry, and I look forward to hearing your feedback once you get hands-on with the tables because there are more tables in the works, and we want to make them as good as we can. Till then, break out your Tommy albums and get your Pinball Wizard on. We’ll see you on the Leaderboards. I’m the cat with the ill high scores because that’s how I roll. Get it? See, it’s a pinball joke because the ball rolls, and…ah, forget it. Pinball Heroes for the win!!