The Dreamcast version will also have some non-gameplay Internet features you'll be able to post and compare high scores , and LucasArts is planning on revolving some promotions and contests around them. Now this is podracing! It seems fitting that the most exciting sequence in Episode I has spawned the best game based on the movie. Racer on the Dreamcast is a direct port of the PC version, which results in a far better game than the N64 cartridge. Still, it does succumb to the same problem that plagues almost every PC-to-DC port: quick and dirty conversion.
While the game is a beautiful, fast and exciting experience, it's a shame that LucasArts didn't take the time to optimize it a little for the Dreamcast. The simple craft and level models make the DC version feel like it was made for low-end Pentium computers.
Even so, Episode I Racer won't disappoint any Star Wars fan who craves to relive the speed and excitement of the racing sequence from the movie. The frame-rate is fast and smooth, creating an awesome sensation of speed.
Playing through the championship mode allows you to unlock dozens of tracks, new podracers and drivers. Couple that with the fact that you can buy Pod upgrades with your winnings and you have a seriously customizable racing game on your hands.
The two-player mode suffers a little in the frame-rate department, but it's still fast and furious racing. Players can even upload their top scores to the Sega Web site. All in all, this is a game that Star Wars freaks will play no matter what the reviews say, but it's also a game casual racing fans should definitely check out. At first glance, Racer's incredible speed will make your jaw drop. In fact. I've never seen a faster racing game on the consoles.
The graphics are pretty good, too except for a couple of chunky textures. Once you play Racer for a while though, the excitement will lull. Basically, it's a bare-bones port of the PC version. So that means the courses are very interesting, there are a lot of pods and pod upgrades and the Al is ridiculously easy until later levels. That's more or less the story. The game does have a couple of DC-exclusive bells and whistles--specifically, the ability to post high scores and talk to other Racer chums online.
Not a huge deal, but kind of neat. Ah, finally a game that restores my belief that The Force can exist in a good video game. Racers are a dime a dozen these days, but I have to say that this is a unique racing game with its own merits outside of the Star Wars license.
Sure, it helps to have "Duel of the Fates" trumpeting melodramatically as you scream down tunnels, but it's only icing on the cake. Plenty of well-designed tracks keep the game interesting, and I think the learning curve is just about right--which is important since this is a very fast game. But really, it was slamming young Anakin's pod into a wall at mph that really sold me on Episode I Racer. LucasArts has a surprise for gamers and Star Wars fans alike. This means you'll be able to see the movie if you can brave the long lines , then prolong the experience with gameplay.
We got an early look at the titles, and both PlayStation and N64 owners should be happy--the games took strong on both systems! A long time ago on a PlayStation near you, LucasArts developers were hard at work on a game that not only uses the Phantom Menace story to advance the action, but also follows it faithfully for the entire game.
From here, things become even more exciting. According to Joel Driskin, product marketing manager at LucasArts, the game also features non-linear play and no hard-time constraints, which means you're not on the clock to finish a mission, so you can pretty much explore anywhere you want. In fact, you get to do it all in this game: solve puzzles, combat opponents, and find clues. Segments of the game have a definite RPG feel, such as the partwhere Obi-Wan bargains for engine parts in Mos Espa while trying to keep the peace in a hostile cantina.
There are also search missions that require you to bring a character safely to the end of the level, like when you rescue Queen Padme. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a definite--and the one playable character we saw in the demo--and we suspect that Qui-Gon, Anakin Skywalker, and possibly Darth Maul could be in the lineup. A variety of characters seems likely, given that you'll use the very un-Jedi-like blaster, along with lightsabers and Force Powers that let you use the Force to pull weapons and items toward you.
The action and exploration will occur through roughly 12 levels with the games ending matching the movie's. As well it should be. Never in video game history has a movie debuted simultaneously with two separate and distinct video games. A lot is riding on The Phantom Menace. If the movie is terrific and millions rush to theaters to see it, the game had better draw at least an equal amount of admiration--especially amongst hardcore Star Wars fans, who are as picky as Siamese cats.
As Tom Sarris, public relations manager at LucasArts, states, "You won't see us advertise the games at the movie premieres or at any theaters in general. We certainly don't want to cheapen the experience of The Phantom Menace as a moviegoing phenomenon.
We prefer to enhance it for the crossover Star Wars fan and video garner" It looks like the Force is with LucasArts once again. LucasArts had a pretty good racing game on its drawing board for a while, but no franchise juggernaut to help propel the game, like Dark Forces and Masters of Teras Kasi did.
Just as the project was nearing completion, it was determined that there would be a racing sequence in The Phantom Menace. The glare from the light bulbs popping over peoples heads was blinding, and Star Wars Episode I: Racer was born. Led by Obi-Wan Kenobi, young Jedi pupil Anakin Skywalker prepares for a long and dangerous journey, during which Skywalker's talents as a skilled pilot take shape.
In one of the most exciting sequences in the long-awaited prequel, young Anakin pilots a pod-racer in a thrilling Ben-Hur-esque race against the galaxy's toughest pilots. This sequence, sure to thrill moviegoers this summer, has evolved into a full-fledged racing game, available this May on the Nintendo 64 and the PC. Gamers will experience the thrill and excitement of the pod-racing sequence in a Wipeout -style tournament and circuit racing game, complete with more than 21 pod-racers.
The action takes place on over seven worlds for a total of 21 tracks; there will also be hidden and mirror tracks as well as a few hidden pod-racers for extra depth. But first, the question must be asked: "What the hell is a pod-racer? This attachment between the engines is pretty fragile and could snap at any moment A thin beam of energy crackles between the engines, preventing them from bouncing around independendy of each other.
As the jet engines are propelled forward, the pilot-pod lags far behind, much like a chariot. At press time, the crew at Lucas-Arts had the racers traveling at over miles per hour--about the speed of the craft in Wipeout XL But the crew also stated that they were in the beta-test stage and hoped to increase that speed to over mph.
Although racers are unarmed, there will be plenty of action. The stages include lava pits, water traps, and other StorWors-specific hazards like Tusken Raider attacks.
You'll also be able to run people off the track, thereby damaging their engine attachments or stabilizers. Lucas Arts disclosed that you'll play as Anakin Skywalker, who faces off against a band of galactic misfits who range from the semi-human to the downright scummy. You'll even go up against Anakin's nemesis from the film's pod-race sequence, Sebulba, as you race for pink slips in an outer-space drag race. Racer will have a slew of options as well, like trading the money you win to upgrade your craft for better maneuverability and power, racing against characters to unlock tracks or hidden pods, and even competing with a friend.
In fact, the PC version will allow an eight-person multiplayer race, while the Nintendo 64 will allow two people to compete via a split-screen. In all, Star Wars Episode I: Racer has the makings of a great game, even if it didn't have the world-famous license.
Only fens of the genre will be able to decide if Racer has what it takes to dethrone the slew of N64 racing games like Wipeout. Rush 2, or Extreme-G 2. But if you're a fen of racing and Star Wors-style action, keep your eyes peeled and your pedal to the pod-floor in anticipation of this summer tide. There are some great resources available for newbies and hardcore Jedi-wannabes alike.
Star Mars, from character bios to planetary configurations. It's exhaustive and sometimes confusing especially if you've never seen any of the movies-but then you'd be a freak, so that Houldn t apply , but it s the definitive digital reference work.
It even has data on The Phantom, including stills, interviews, and artwork. Its encyclopedic scope makes for serious readmg. Sure, you'd expect the new Star Wars movie to pack all that stuff on the screen, but LucasArts is bringing it to your N64, too, with a re-creation of one of the new films' most exhilarating sequences.
Star Wars Episode I: Racer is a space racing game that looks ready to run the competition off the road. Players cake up the controls as Anakin Skywalker, young and gifted podracing pilot--not to mention, the only human on the circuit.
Podracing vehicles are like flying, rocket-powered chariots. Humans, it seems, aren't considered prime podracing material: They're too small, too slow, and don't hav the right number of limbs to operate the fast, floating tracers. Still, Anakin s got skills not to mention the Force and can hang with the hottest pilots in the galaxy--even if he does race in the smallest ship. The podracers are formidable hunks of technology. Two huge jet engines sit up front, held together by only a thin lightning bolt of purple electricity.
They tow a small, single-person pod in which sits the daredevil pilot and T the ship's controls. The result is a mean racing-machine with its own unique steering dynamics: half-car, halfboat, but instantly comfortable and logical in the games universe. In the preview version we played, the podracers felt instantly comfortable--even more impressive considering the vehicles are completely fictional; only the turbo boosting felt awkward.
Also, as play progresses, pilots can use their winnings to upgrade their pod's engines, brakes, cooling systems, stabilizers, power cells--they can even spring for hew pit droids. Anakin squares off against 21 of the galaxy's finest, including creatures with colorful Star Wars names like Ebe Endocott, Gasgano, Ody Mandrell, Slide Parmita, and the circuits top racer, Sebulba who's not afraid to cheat to keep his tide.
As you win, other racers become unlocked, so you can try out different pods and personalities. Eighteen of the 21 podracers on display are actually from the film. Twenty-one tracks from the Star Wars universe, including Mon Gazza, Aquilaris, Ando Prime, and of course Tatooine, are yours to explore, ranging from deserts and jungles to Arctic wastelands and an asteroid penal colony.
The tracks offer quite a bit of freedom; you're not on a rail, and shortcuts can be found by those brave and crazy enough to seek them out.
The courses are also impressively varied even within their own circuits; many are pleasantly long, and you won't feel like you've seen the same texture over and over again, or that die second half of the track is just a mirror image of the first. Racer contains no combat per se, but pods can and will collide during die race, causing damage.
A little bumping won't take you out of the running, but too much will give you need for repairs, wfifch can,beperformed mid-race at the price of a loss of speed. You'll also have to use speed boosts. Racers most impressive aspect is its sensation of speed.
LucasArts' programmers claim that the craft are moving at scale speeds of mph--and you won't doubt it Gamers will grit their teeth as they swoop and slide around obstacles, sometimes twisting the pod up on its side to make it through narrow crevices or zooming off ramps for huge jumps. Of course, racing fans will find more conventional options as well: tournament mode, upgrades purchased with winnings, and two-player split-screen showdowns. If you haven't already picked up the RAM expansion pak for your N64, you'll want to before playing Racer; the graphics lacked punch in the un-enhanced version.
In the preview version, Star Wars Episode I: Racer showed great potential with impressive tracks, sharp controls, and killer speed. Will it wipe away Wipeout? Wait and see.
There are a few problems here and there, but overall, it's a furiously fast racing game fit for a Jedi. Star Wars Episode I: Racer explores the wild world of podracing--dangerous speed contests between jet-propelled chariot-like hot rods in that galaxy far, far away. You can play as various creepy creatures or as Anakin Skywalker, the league's sole human pilot The circuit spans multiple planets with tracks that include underwater tunnels, industrial highways, desert caverns, and icy tundra.
There's enough visual variety within each track to keep gamers alert, too. The bonus in Racer is that you can switch ships at any time during the various tournaments--you're not locked into one vehicle for the length of a tournament. No matter who you champion, the more races you win, the more new ships and pilots are unlocked. With 23 racers total, that's a lot of options. Each craft can be upgraded with new parts from Watto, the Tatooine junk dealer. You can buy new components or scour his junkyard for bargains among the "previously enjoyed" specials.
The most important element of any racing game--interstellar or otherwise--is the sensation of speed. Racer's extremely high frame rate makes your surroundings whiz by and the various obstacles around you approach with nerve-rattling velocity. The tracks have been laced with plenty of extra challenges such as rotating doors, slim passageways that need to be navigated by rolling your ship up on its side, and zero-gravity stretches where asteroid collisions loom around every turn.
If you bother to slow down, you'll notice plenty of detail on the tracks and ships, such as bright engine flames and colored lighting. Everything looks smooth with the Expansion Pak installed; without it, things take on a low-res, jagged quality.
Still, even the additional memory isn't enough to eradicate pop-up problems, which are annoying in single-player games and downright distracting in two-player games.
Despite their complete fantasy basis, the speedsters in Racer feel immediately comfortable. The joystick's response is crisp, and the sway of the ships on turns reflects believable physics. Each racer handles differently, but all of them can be upgraded and adjusted to your personal taste--a huge plus when you're searching for your ultimate ride. As in any racing game, different vehicles may yield different results on the same course. However, each ship's pleasant response is balanced by a questionable control layout.
In a remarkably dim omission, you can't reconfigure the buttons, which leaves you stuck with the default setup. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem if the boost control weren't on the same stick used for steering.
While you veer left and right around obstacles, you're also expected to press up on the stick to charge your boosters. It's just as awkward as it sounds--the Z trigger, which is unused, would have been more comfortable.
With buttons to spare on the N64 controller, why not use them? All alien drivers mumble in their own languages throughout each race. The ships' engines sound cool, too, whining and roaring during turbo blasts. Unfortunately, the track announcers sound a little goofy, and gamers are only treated to John Williams' majestic score on the third and final lap.
Maybe that's to heighten the dramatic tension of a big finish, or maybe it's limited due to cartridge space. Either way, when you hear it, it's properly heroic; you'll wish it was there for the whole race. Star Wars Episode I: Racer packs enough high-octane thrills that most gamers will be able to look beyond the nitpicks about control configuration and pop-up.
For sheer N64 racing excitement, it's the game to beat. Despite some pop-up problems, Racer looks fantastic; the Expansion Pak enables smooth textures, great lighting effects, and a high frame rate.
Without the extra RAM? Racer would earn a higher sound score if there were more of it The engine whines and vehicle collisions don't disappoint but John Williams' score only kicks in on the final lap and the characters' alien chatter gets repetitive.
The boost system is needlessly complex, and the buttons cannot be reconfigured--a major slide into the Dark Side. However, the ships respond with remarkable smoothness, which helps salvage the score. The Force is strong with this one--fans of futuristic racers like Wipeout suddenly have a killer alternative.
Racer has the speedy frame rate, the creative courses, and the sense of tension that racing fans crave. Extreme-G 2 was fast, Wipeout 64 was faster, but Episode I Racer leaves 'em both choking on its dusty contrail. This is the fastest racing game I've ever played. Only F-Zero X comes close, although Racer's graphics are far more detailed. With the RAM Pak in place, the hi-res visuals are astounding, despite some minor frame-rate stutters. Racer packs a rich variety of textures. The pods themselves bristle with detailed animated parts.
You get 25 tracks in four circuits, and even though later courses build off earlier ones, they still offer a wide variety of scenery, everything from space worms to sandy beaches to the Tatooine track ripped from the flick. Courses are enormous, too. Some take up to three minutes to lap--and that's with you cruising at mach one!
Most tracks are rich in shortcuts and alternate routes, kinda like a supersonic Beetle Adventure Racing. The game requires plenty of control Finesse; you must master powersliding for later courses, which can get a little too fast and stomach-churning for easily frustrated gamers.
The need to buy pit droids and new and junked parts adds some welcome strategy, too. Don't expect to beat Championship Mode with Anakin alone a bit of a bummer if you want him to be the hero. You need to experiment with all 23 podracers to find tie best one for each track. It's as impressive as it is dizzying. At times it feels out of control, especially in two-player mode. There's a frustration factor, but for the most part it handles well enough to get away with it.
Creative tracks and upgradable pods serve the game well. With those two engines out front and the Pod in the back, it's not the same as driving something all in one piece, the way I prefer my racing games.
The game also handles sluggishly, even when you try to play with the bare minimum of visuals to keep system overload down. It's not nearly as smooth as it should be, which makes it frustrating when you're trying to react to an obstacle directly in your path.
It may run better on a higher-end system, but who's going to upgrade just to play a game? I would recommend playing this one on a Nintendo 64 if you can. My gripes aside, you can't argue with the visual and aural beauty of Racer. LucasArts has created a game that looks and sounds like the Podracing sequence from the movie, from John Williams' excellent score to the wealth of detail in the Pods, their drivers and the landscape.
The variety of planets closely resembles Rogue Squadron, which had everything from a gas giant to one covered with sheets of ice. This game also has that and, although the environment doesn't play a lot of havoc with the handling of the Pods since they don't touch the ground, it's fun to race in different places. The first race is on Tatooine, so you can visit a familiar locale from the film. You also get to take a trip to Malastare, and find out exactly what Qui-Gon Jinn was talking about when he referred to it as a dangerous place.
Unless your PC exceeds the power of your typical early issue, though, I would advise taking the trip on a home video system platform.
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