Top Gear Rally Review (no fat)

Game Description

Top Gear Rally has come to the GBA with a gorgeous 3d engine that will wow the eyes of Nintendo consumers. Pleasing game play to both the newer generation and veterans promises to set a new standard for Rally racing on a handheld.

Compete in over 10 tracks with varying terrain and weather conditions, and show that you are the best of the best.

Top Gear Rally – Getting Dirty

Rally racing has always been an interesting concept, and has led to some of the top games in the racing genre on all platforms. Top Gear Rally handles as a rally racer with not only top notch graphics, but a simplified experience that has attracted the attention of even non-gaming magazines.

There are 10+ cars to choose from, none with a license but if you are a car fanatic then it is pretty clear which models were inspired by which maker. Varying settings allow you to adjust your car according to a tracks needs, but doesn’t overwhelm the player with unnecessary options. Gamers can tweak the settings of the braking, tires, transmission, exhaust type and steering. While not much, its just enough to get you through the course, and ultimately it serves its purpose.

There are 10 courses, spread out into 3 levels. And with the changing of terrain as well as other difficulty settings for that stage, there easily is a large track selection. In fact, the track selection is probably one of the best selections for a handheld that cleverly remakes current tracks to the point where they are fresh.

Top Gear Rally Modes

The modes are nothing more than a quick race mode, time trial, and the regular championship mode. There is also a multiplayer mode which surprisingly handles very well, with no slowdown. Time trial offers a password for keeping track of your records, which you can input online to see how you stack up with other players. Although not a true online feature, the time trial seems a very well thought out feature, which really gives you a reason to master the game.

Top Gear Rally Terrain

Rally games lay a huge amount of emphasis on their tracks, even more so than regular racing games. The smooth graphics engine supports a wide variety, and with the lovely controls players will be hitting corners with ease.

The drifting in is really nice and it is easy to get a feel for driving in Top Gear Rally. The AI opponents are more challenging than they are bursting with personality, but for a game on the go that is acceptable.

Top Gear Rally Graphics

Incredible graphics for the small GBA platform makes this one of the best looking racers on the system. A lot of canned effects are put to good use that only a true gamer would be able to spot. The two supported views are nice, but the in the car view really makes the game a true winner in the graphics department.

Ironically, the title runs into problems with its strongest point, which is also its weakest. Yup, the graphics engine doesn’t allow more than 4 cars on the screen at any given time.

Top Gear Rally Sound

The game gets huge points for not forcing bland music on players during the race, and instead using the extra memory for other worthwhile efforts. During racing the only sounds a gamer will hear is that of their engine and the other cars around them…which is probably just how it should be.

Top Gear Rally - Summing up

Not as stylish as other racers around today, but then again, Rally racing isn’t meant to be stylish. The aforementioned features are wonderful for a handheld, but the superior graphics engine has too many faults to make the game a high recommendation.

Only 4 cars at a time onscreen isn’t a huge problem, but it can be just that for a serious player who competes intensely. Knowing that the AI won’t pass you up when there are 3 other cars onscreen is a bit unsettling, and at best cheap.

This may not be a problem for many buyers, but ultimately it is enough to make you just wonder why even bother with Top Gear Rally.

Top Gear Rally Cost

At the time of writing, the game retails for $14.99.