Re-Volt
Nintendo 64 * Acclaim

Review by Jonathan Ratcliffe
8.3
ESRB Rating:
Everyone
Number of Players:
1 to 4 simultaneous
Save / Continue Feature:
Controller Pak
Rumble Pack Compatible:
Yes
Release Date:
08/99

Finally, something new! Tired of all those realistic racing simulators out there? Re-Volt may be for you. You race radio-controlled cars around tracks, that are, well... fitting. You can race in a neighborhood, a grocery store, a toy store, a sailing ship, and more. Your cars are small and the tracks are highly detailed making it feel as if you're really racing radio-controlled cars. It's about time someone came up with something new!

You do have your standard racing game options. You can choose difficulty level of Junior, which is easy and a bit slow, Console a bit harder, Arcade, and then Simulation, in which you're more likely to spinout. You can choose from an assortment of cars from the start, and more later as you complete the circuits in the championship mode. Also, you can choose the bronze cup from the start, and you gain access to other more difficult cups as you progress, including silver, gold, and platinum cups. Each cup unlocks new tracks for you to race on, both in the championship mode and the time trials, etc. There is a two to four player battle mode, but the detail and frame rate take a huge nosedive, so it's not all that much of a thrill. During the race you can pick up weapons and power-ups to help you and hinder your opponent's chances of winning the race. They range from the regular (speed boosts) to interesting (a huge ball bearing). Although they aren't as effective as in some games, they do make it fun. Sometimes I found that it's better to ignore using weapons and just try to race. Often the distraction of getting and using the power-ups is enough to make you lose control of your car.

The graphics are crisp and clear. You feel as if you're actually racing R/C cars. It's really that convincing. The tracks are quite detailed, as they should be, being that you see many parts of them up close. The music and sound are decent, but nothing too memorable. The music is a mellow techno sort, and the sound effects fit the game well. Each car has it's own sound, some quiet, some louder, and many are somewhere in between. The play control is a bit frustrating at times, especially on any difficulty level other than Junior. Bumping a wall slightly will cause you to lose control of your car as it spins out of control. It is possible to take the corners better with practice, but let me warn you, it's hard. That's not that bad, however. My biggest beef is with the initial confusion of the direction in which you're supposed to go. There are many places that you can drive in each level, making it difficult to tell which direction you're supposed to go. You often have to practice the track a lot just to remember when the turns are coming up. At least arrows are provided telling you the general direction that you're supposed to go.

In the end, Re-Volt is a winner. It's unique, it's great fun, but it can sometimes make you want to destroy your controller in a fit of frustration. If you're into simulation games, you may want to look elsewhere. If you're looking for something new, however, you've found it.




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