Sony PlayStation £34.99
If inshore powerboat racing is your thing, Rapid Racer could be just what you have been waiting for. Not too dissimilar in style from the plethora of car-racing games available on the market at the moment, Rapid Racer attempts to make its own splash in the gaming world.
There are 18 challenging courses. If you manage to beat them all, you can face the awesome challenge of the Fractal mode, battling it out over 256,000 randomly selected courses. For multi-player action the game screen can be split horizontally or vertically. Other game modes include Sudden Death, Winner Stays On and Championship.
Initially you can select from only a few boats and courses, but as you progress and your skill level rises you will gain access to the others. Players can also upgrade their boats from the standard variety to something with a little more oomph!
To accompany the frantic action, leading dance band and re-mixers Apollo Four Forty were commissioned to write the exclusive soundtrack. This quick tempo adds tremendously to the game's overall atmosphere.
In short, if you are sick of car-racing games and you have wiped out Wipeout, then Rapid Racer may just be the tonic you were looking for. And if you have any aspirations to complete the whole game, Sony's analogue joystick is highly recommended.
Graphics: 85% Sound: 90% Gameplay: 89%
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