Either way reviewers would have docked it for not being hard enough. I think the problem isn't the game, but reviewers who don't think they need to spend much time with a game in order to cast an opinion on it.
I love the game personally. I'm always using the bikes and have stars in all cups... many three and two stars, but not all yet. That said, everything but the two/three stars by my name I've unlocked.







