MICRO Machines has a soft spot in the hearts of generations of gamers, and while the series’ first release in more than 10 years yearns for nostalgia it ultimately stalls on the starting line.

Released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, Micro Machines World Series is a belated follow-up to 2006’s mediocre Micro Machines V4.

World Series can only dream of such dizzying heights, never mind matching the original title which charmed players upon its release in 1991 and then again when it was relaunched 10 years later.

Essentially a licensed sequel to developer Codemasters’ Toybox Turbos, it seems odd for a top-down racing game not to focus on racing.

Instead, Micro Machines World Series seems to want to focus on its battle modes, including capture the flag and death match duels.

But the environments you charge around in your mini toy cars are bright and good-looking, well balanced between realistic and cartoonish with courses including a messy kitchen, an oily workshop, a pool table and a Hungry Hippos board.

Unfortunately, there is very little to keep your focus in these creative worlds for longer than about half an hour.

For a start, there are no tournament or championship modes and if you don’t want to play online that means just playing a series of one-off races.

The online aspect of Micro Machines World Series isn’t much better though and teeters on the edge of being broken.

Races are filled with AI cars and you may even find yourself in the ridiculous position of being the only human player in an online game.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what this title’s raison d’etre is, as it is so loaded with Nerf product placements that you would think you were playing an advert.

Micro Machines World Series is hardly expensive at £25rrp, but the game is so void of anything to do that you would grumble if you’d paid half of that price.

Anyone yearning for a fun game driving toy cars around quirky and interesting tracks should look to Table Top Racing: World Tour, which is by comparison a cult classic.