| Introduction
GT Advance Championship Racing 2 has the unfortunate
honor of being released the same time as the highly
anticipated V-Rally 3. The original GT Advance was one
of the original launch titles for the GBA and was received
well by both press and gamers. There were some minor
quibbles but, as the main aim of a sequel is to improve
upon a winning formula, hopefully these have been addressed
in THQ's latest racer. Everything is always down to
gameplay and if this is half as much fun as the GT 1,
it's surely an essential purchase.
GamePlay
Anyone who's played the original will know exactly
what to expect but in addition to the standard racing
there are also a few other modes of play. The World
Rally mode takes place over 14 countries and the object
in all of these is to come first and so win the gold
trophy. Continued success in all events will unlock
extras so it's always worth striving for pole position.
While Time Trial, Practice and Single Race are self
explanatory GT 2 also includes the rather wonderful
License Mode.
The license section is one of this title's highlights
and is incredibly similar to that found in Grand Tourismo
on the PlayStation. This is set out as a series of progressively
more complicated tasks, which you must finish within
the time limit and without straying from the track.
Success will unlock more cars so as soon as you've completed
a stage move over to the options menu and save the game
with the handy battery back up so they'll be available
for other contests.
Multiplayer options are a must in any racing title
and GT2 allows you to race almost all the modes as a
two-player experience albeit with a copy of the game
for each player. A final mention should go to one of
the most original additions we've ever seen in a driving
game - the Co-Driver Mode. Here it's your job to shout
directions to the driver whilst looking at a map of
the track so timing couldn't be more important. Too
slow or even too soon will result in a wipe out and
a very irritated driver.
Controls
For an advanced rally game the control system is
surprisingly simple with the player only concerning
him or herself with 'gas' or 'brake'. This isn't a bad
thing and if there's one gameplay aspect this title
can boast about it's the way the cars handle so hitting
a corner whilst breaking will allow you to drift across
the track with ease. In addition there are the beautifully
conceived menu systems that are wonderful to look at
and simple to navigate.
Graphics
GT Advance starts up with a very polished FMV intro
and the following menu systems (and there are plenty
of them) maintain this clean visual appearance. Whilst
the actual tracks are fine you can't help noticing how
bland they all appear although this is mainly due to
the fact that I played the graphically superior V-Rally
3 just prior to this one. There are hills, bumps and
the odd tree or rock but it just doesn't seem enough
any more. The replays provide a slight visual reprieve
but it's a bit like watching a rally on TV and as it
is not a playable aspect is simply eye candy.
Sound & Music
The audio department is where this title really shines
and as a result headphones are essential. It all starts
with a rather wonderful intro tune and continues into
the actual game. Not only are the engine noises spot
on but you'll also be treated to your co-driver shouting
crystal clear directions out to you.
Final Comments
GT Advance Championship Racing 2 has a great deal
to shout about, as the gameplay is still intact whilst
the improvements are noticeable. The fact is though
it's still a 'mode 7' racer and the flat landscapes
pale in comparison to the 3D visuals offered by V-Rally
3. It does remain very playable and the various multiplayer
modes and outstanding license section offer gaming aspects
not available in other driving titles. You'll no doubt
hit your local gaming shop and find both V-Rally 3 and
GT Advance in the new release section and while they're
very similar they're also considerably different. Yes,
the Atari title offers something unique but you may
favour the gameplay in this one so do yourself a favour
and give them both a whirl.
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