| Introduction
There are many car racing games on the GBA, and since
its release, we've seen the genre manifest in a variety
of styles and guises. 'Mode 7' is undoubtedly the most
popular but there have also been overhead views and
even glorious 3D as exemplified by the recently released
V-Rally. Cruis'n Velocity is different again as, unbelievably,
the developers have opted to use an adapted FPS (First
Person Shooter) engine to create a unique racing experience.
For this "unique" aspect alone the developers
should be applauded. However, as we all know, "unique"
is subjective and can be either good or bad.
GamePlay
As with all racers now you can choose to tackle Cruis'n
Velocity in more that one way but I'd advise any serious
drivers to head straight for the Cup Mode. This is basically
the championship mode, which is always by far the most
enjoyable part of any racer as it immerses the player
right in the middle of the competition. The Cup is split
into three sections with the latter two locked until
you gain success in the first. This isn't that easy
as the courses are filled with 90-degree turns so you'll
find that you'll have to memorize the track layout rather
than apply driving skill in order to succeed.
The other single player mode is Free Style, which,
as the name implies, allows you to take any car (from
those you've unlocked) and race around any track. Swinging
by any of the menu systems will show you the many options
that can't be opened because you haven't attained a
high enough grade. Unfortunately, that's it, which is
very poor compared with the amount of options the new
GT Advance 2 offers. The developers appear to have run
out of enthusiasm for this product very early on. There
is a multiplayer Mode (which you'll need another copy
of the game to play) and the ability to alter damage
incurred to your car but this just isn't enough for
a full price title so you can't help but feel something
is missing.
Controls
The control system is simplicity itself and you'll
be whizzing around the tracks in no time at all. The
problem is that the cars just don't seem to handle as
well as in more recent racers. This is most noticeable
when you're required to 'power slide' around corners
in order to maintain speed and where titles such as
Mario Kart or GT Advance 2 make this very easy, in Cruis'n
Velocity your car seems to react differently on every
corner. This can be very frustrating when you slam into
a wall because you've misjudged a turn but a little
practice should at least have you 'placed' in each race
even if it's not first.
Graphics
On first encountering screen shots for this game
some time ago the visuals looked both unique and impressive.
Unfortunately the interim period has seen releases of
many racing titles including the incredible V-Rally
3. Cruis'n Velocity all still works fine but because
of the nature of the engine used even organic environments
appear man made which can sometimes be a little confusing.
It does offer tunnels, which 'Mode 7' racers are incapable
of and the menu systems are clear and informative but
overall you get the feeling that Cruis'n Velocity was
a bold experiment that didn't quite work out as expected.
Sound & Music
Racing title soundtracks can always be divided into
two very separate parts - car sounds and some type of
rock/hi-energy music. You'll be pleased to know that
Cruis'n Velocity doesn't stray off this path except
for the inclusion of some rather wonderful speech samples,
which start each race. The music is probably what you'd
find one of those 80's band belting out on their latest
reunion tour whilst the car noises are probably the
most basic I've ever heard on a racing title. They all
do their job but only just.
Final Comments
My expectations of this title actually proving successful
were reasonably high and the idea of utilising an FPS
engine for a driving title seemed truly unique. Unfortunately
I've encountered this title after reviewing the incredible
V-Rally 3 from Atari and there's just no comparison.
The problem is that it's simply not as enjoyable as
it should be and, more importantly, the cars don't handle
as well as we've seen on some more recent racers. It
is an ambitious project and will remain an alternative
and unique use for an FPS engine but if you're looking
for playability, look elsewhere.
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