Joy Ride Turbo

Microsoft, XBLA **

Some games just don’t live up to expectations. Such is Joy Ride Turbo. An earlier version with Kinect didn’t really do much for me, and Turbo, the XBLA download, seems to have had the same effect. It promises a lot but delivers very little.

Although the game is improved by dropping the Kinect support and opting for the standard controller, it also cut other features that mean Turbo, while fun, has limited appeal. There just seems to be something missing. While the ultimate goal is to beat your opponents, you have to avoid the various traps and tricks they can set for you. Missiles, speed boosts and other helpful things can be collected on the way, and there are shortcuts along the tracks that can give you an advantage. One nice inclusion is the stunt park, where you can show off your best moves. You can also upgrade your car, unlocking new ones by collecting parts dotted around the tracks.

Unfortunately, Joy Ride Turbo just doesn’t work as well as it should. The basics are there, but details, like the cars’ handling, let it down.