Test Drive Off-Road 3

"A Test Drive is about all it's worth"

I was browsing my local electronics store one day when I noticed this game on sale for $10. Since I had only a little more then $10 on me I went ahead and bought it. I was reading the game description and it sounded really fun. I couldn't wait to get home and play this game, as it had tons of features that sounded really exciting.

There are ten official cars included in the game, including a hummer and two secret cars. There are 24 levels, and tons of shortcuts in each level. The game comes with a rumble pack to give you that ''off road'' feeling. There are several racing modes, including patrol mode, where you as a cop have to chase down the other cars. Or you can race in Tournament mode, and win money, powerups, and new tournaments. Okay, so the game sounds pretty fun right? Well, thats what I thought at first too.

The game is frustratingly simple, and beating the other racers is about as hard as holding down the A button. On some courses I found myself giving them half to whole lap headstarts, and still winning. To add challenge you can of course blindfold yourself, or race while driving a real car (not recommended). Sadly the game is still not as difficult as say the first level of pac-man this way. The only time I ever lost a race is when I was playing behind my back while underwater. The only reason I lost is because I fell asleep halfway through.

The only real objective that can be fun is getting the secret cars. It's all downhill from there. The secret cars have unfair advantages. While one has maxed out stats, the other has unlimited turbos. At this rate a drunk monkey on speed could mop up the competition. I'm about 95% sure that one of the secret cars is a go-cart. Well it figures right?

The courses are your typical racing courses. Avoid the water and mud, while going through the shortcuts. The only positive thing about this game is that you get to jump off a pyramid in one of the levels.

Now I'm not a big racing fan, but this game just bites. If this is not the worst racing game ever made in the 90's I don't know what the world is coming too. Maybe some of you reading this will find this game fun, but then again some of you reading this could be a drunk monkey on speed. Why this game was ever made I don't know. I'm assuming the other games in this series did well, or this wouldn't be the third game, but I really don't think there will be a four.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 08/06/01, Updated 08/06/01