V-Rally 3

"V-Rally 3 is beautiful, but lacks a real challenge."

Gameplay:

This is the important part, isn't it? In that case I must say that V-Rally isn't the greatest challenge available to a gamer. While it is fun, it gets pretty boring very quickly since it's almost impossible to not come in first. There's all sorts of extra elements included in gameplay, such as repairing your car and choosing your tires, but it has little noticeable effect on the gameplay. Difficulty aside, it controls wonderfully, and if you have any experience with rally racing games, it's exactly what you'd expect. The game is fun, but there is no way to change the difficulty. It's a well made game, and controls well, but its too hard to overlook the fact that you can't lose!

Gameplay Score: 4/10



Story:

Where? Oh wait, this is a racing game. It's exactly what you should expect, so there is no problem, and I don't consider a story line to be of the utmost importance in a racing game.

Story Score: null



Audio/Video:

The audio isn't anything grand, just your standard engine, crashing, and ''checkpoint!'' sounds. The sound is smooth and impressive for a
game boy nonetheless. Now for the visuals. Some will say that graphics don't make the game, and
that is entirely false about V-Rally 3. Though the gameplay may leave you wanting more, the graphics are beautiful. The 3D vehicles and environments are done perfectly, without the sacrifice in speed and gameplay that other 3D games suffer from on the Game Boy. The graphics are
definitely what make this game.

Audio/Video Score: 10/10



Replayability:

It is a great game for plugging into your GBA and playing with on a car trip or flight, but the option of signing with different car manufacturers only changes the color of your car, and the only option that has any real effect on your driving is the fact that you can choose your tires. One thing to keep in mind is that this will not be a game that you sit down and feel compelled to play more of, it is a racing title not an RPG. Although it is a good game for playing when you are bored with other games, it is repetitive, and you will get tired of it pretty quickly, but not the permanent tiredness that you get after playing an RPG 2 or 3 times, so it deserves some credit!

Replayability Score: 7/10



Rent or Buy:

If you can find a place to rent it, it is always better to rent before you buy, although this game does merit a purchase solely through the fact that you can always just plug it in and play, which is a very good trait in a portable game. The most difficult thing for me personally to get past is the difficulty level. It is far too easy, and though that is its only fault, it is a huge fault, and may turn off many gamers. You must try it before you buy it.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/18/02, Updated 06/18/02