18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker

"Nowhere near as good as Crazy Taxi, but fun nonetheless"

When I found out that 18 Wheeler was being made by the same team as Crazy Taxi, I thought it was going to be just as much fun. While I am somewhat disappointed, I don't think 18 Wheeler is a total piece of garbage.

Graphics: 10/10

Simply put, 18 Wheeler's graphics are simply perfect. In the first person view mode, you can see everything, which includes a notepad sliding along the dashboard during turns and a sort of necklace swinging around near the window. You never see the character models in-game (only in the instruction manual, and, if I remember correctly, some menus) but what you do see is fantastic. You can also break through some objects, which are destroyed realistically. Plus almost every car is designed differently. Sega definitely put lots of detail into every nook and cranny.

Gameplay: 7/10

If you've ever played Crazy Taxi, you'll know how 18 Wheeler works. Brake with L, accelerate with R, you know the rest. It is unusual compared to other driving games, but 18 Wheeler's control scheme is perfect for the Gamecube controller.
In the main mode of the game, you race your rival (appropriately named ''Rival'') to deliver items across the U.S. However, your rival isn't like opponents in most racing games. He'll ram you, smash you, drive you into walls, anything to keep you from getting there first. However, you can give him a taste of his own medicine to help you get back in the lead. However, I expected some of the levels to be a bit longer. No, I don't mean I want to drive the realistic 7-hour drive from New York to Key West, but I would've at least made it a mere 5 minutes.

Sound: 1/10

Overall, the sound stinks. What more can be said than, press Mute and pop in a CD. The (annoying) music loops, and the character phrases get very old, very quickly.

Replay Value: 5/10

While this game is fun, something about the replay value tells me it should've stayed in arcades. Like Crazy Taxi, everything in 18 Wheeler is unlocked from the start, making the cross-country mode somewhat worthless. However, there is a fun 2-player mode. Still, there are only four levels, and the game gets tiring fast.

Buy, Rent, or Leave it Alone?

Buy: Only if you absolutely love Crazy Taxi.

Rent: If you like most racing games, then this is a good one to rent.

Leave it Alone: If you can only play racing games with an ''A-Go, B-Brake'' control scheme, or you don't like racing games at all.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 01/01/03, Updated 01/01/03