Beetle Adventure Racing

"I crash and explode, and all you can say is "Oh, that's gotta hurt!"?!?"

Normally, I'm not a huge fan of just plain car racing games. Most racing games that I like, such as the Mario Kart series, have power-ups scattered all over some brightly-colored courses that I can use to blast my unrealistically freaky opponents with. But here, not counting a few speed boxes, there are no such power-ups, and everything seems real. So why do I like it?

Graphics: 9/10
Though a little dated, they still look very realistic. There are plenty of colors, and it all seems to fit right. The view of cars exploding after crashing is absolutely hilarious. Also, there are some neat little graphical things that were added to improve realism. For example, in one, course, as you go near a burning village, you can actually see smoke hinder your view, and the lava actually moves. It's just little things like that that add to the realism - and you won't find them in Mario Kart!

Music: 8/10
The music for this game is decent. It doesn't ever get on your nerves, or hurt your ears. It supports the feel of the game, without harming the realism or experience. At any rate, while it's not perfect, I like it, and it fits quite nicely.

Sound: 8/10
The announcer's voice fits the game quite nicely. He sounds rather like a real announcer, minus about 50 decibels so that you can listen without earplugs. His occasional comments, such as "Oh, that's gotta hurt!" when you crash, are funny, though they can get a bit annoying. Speaking of which, the sounds of the car crashing, breaking through crates, falling in the water, destroying telephone booths, and crashing through barriers all sound realistic. You won't hear a *doing!* when you hit a box; you'll hear a *crash*.

The sounds of the engine, brake, and horn all sound fine. I'm no mechanic, but they sound realistic enough to my ears. Also, when you try to make a sharp turn, you can hear your car skidding. The sound is quite good.

Gameplay: 10/10
Here's the good part of this game. There aren't many courses, but every course is huge, planned out to tiny details, and filled with boxes, breakables, and secret passages.

The computer racers have decent, if bland, AI. They go at a good speed, so that it presents a challenge without becoming impossible if you don't devote your life to the game.

Each Championship concludes by unlocking a new course, a new car set, and another Championship. There are several Championships, and they're fairly long and hard, so it will be a while before you complete the game.

The regular courses are packed with shortcuts and secret passages. They're everywhere. You can use them to get ahead of the competition, but beware - some of the secret passages are longer than the main road! So make sure you know the fastest route.

You can find small numbered boxes scattered around the main courses during the Championships. Each has a 2, 5, or 10 written on it, and when you drive through it you get that many points. There are 100 points in each course. Get a certain number to get a Continue, allowing you to retry a race if you lose. If you get all 100 points in just 1 race ,you get a "bonus". I won't spoil what the bonus is, but the game will tell you that getting all 100 earns you a "bonus".

Also, each course has three red boxes hidden carefully in them. These are planted very sneakily, so don't expect to come across them by accident. Breaking through them unlocks something else; again, I won't spoil what.

Finally, there's the multiplayer. The two-player races take place on the regular courses, though with most of the breakables removed. This is the main reason that I play this game: for competing with my friends for best times and victories. There's also a two-to-four-player "Beetle Battle" mode, in which you must collect colored ladybugs while stopping your rivals. It may not sound like much, but it is fun. also, this includes special boxes with weapons, speed boosts, and other Mario Kart-type items.

Replay Value: High
At the very least, the multiplayer never gets old, and the main game will have you trying to find all 100 points of boxes and hidden red boxes for a long time. Also, the final car is very cool, and is useful in replaying the courses.

Recommendation: Buy
This is a great party or single-player game, and hasn't gotten old for me after three whole years. Definitely buy.

OVERALL:
Graphics: 9
Music: 8
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 10
Replay Value: High
Recommendation: Buy
TOTAL: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/10/06