Reviewed: November 4, 2002
Reviewed by: Loki
Publisher
Ubisoft
Developer
Spellbound
Released: September 17, 2002
Genre: Racing
Players: 4
ESRB: Everyone
8
7
8
8
8.1
Supported Features:
GBA Link Cable
I’ve played my fair share of racing games on a variety of formats, including street, track, and rally racing. The GBA has been getting a lot of racing titles lately and many of them have been of the off-road rally style of racers. Colin McRae Rally 2.0 is the latest rally racer to come from Spellbound (Desperados, Robin Hood) and while it might not be the prettiest game I’ve played on my GBA it certainly offers one of the most realistic off-road racing experiences of recent memory.
Realistic physics means these cars react as they would in the real world slightly losing control after landings and sliding because of momentum as you turn. Players must learn to master the balance between throttle and brakes while utilizing sliding techniques to cover ground as fast as possible.
Colin McRae Rally 2.0 for the GameBoy Advance also features:
- Highly detailed 3D cars
- Incredible scenery from around the world
- Four modes of play, rally, arcade, time trial and multiplayer
- Adrenaline pumping competition
- Multiplayer for 4 drivers with one cartridge via the Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable
- Expert assistance from the on screen corner icons
- Pace notes from Nicky Grist
- At every checkpoint you are reminded of how well you are performing against your opponents
- An array of different surfaces that must be mastered, often on the same course
- Real cars from the World Rally Championship
- An arcade section featuring multiple vehicles on the same track
- Varying terrain from the actual countries featured in the World Rally Championship
Much like every other racing game you get to choose from several cars; five in this case, including the Ford Focus and Puma, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza, and the Mitsubishi Lancer. You can modify several performance and handling aspects for each of these cars in the garage then take them out and race in six locations around the world.
The tracks are huge and divided into several sections noted by the eight checkpoints along the entire course. The terrain changes in each section so much of the strategy to winning is learning what lies ahead and making the appropriate adjustments to your car for optimum performance. The tracks are quite grueling and your car will actually accumulate some damage based on your driving skills. You will need to repair this after each race.
But the tracks aren’t the only challenges this game has to offer. There are 15 other racers you will be competing against and you might be surprised at just how good their AI is. The cars will space themselves out, so there isn’t a whole lot of bumper-to-bumper racing, but when it does come time to make your move you will need to plan your attack and try not to get bumped off the road.
Just like in real rally racing, you have a co-driver who will call out the upcoming terrain. This is a great way to not get caught off-guard by sudden dips in the road or blind hairpin turns. For an extra touch of authenticity, Nicky Grist, Colin’s real-life co-driver provides the verbal track commentary.
If you aren’t into linear rally racing or tinkering in the garage then Colin 2.0 also provides a nice little 4-car arcade racing mode. Skip the garage section and head directly to the closed-circuit track where it’s all about the speed. This is the same mode that lets you race against up to three of your friends with the GBA link cable.
Colin 2.0 uses the popular Mode 7 engine, which does a great job of combine 2D and 3D graphics onto one screen. The cars are fully modeled in 3D, which not only make them look amazing but also allow the game engine to display accurate physical responses to the suspension and handling as the car bounces over the uneven terrain.
The track designs are really nice with plenty of track objects and environmental graphics like signs, trees, fences, and special effects like dust and even skid marks. The downside to this ambitious graphics design is that everything is just a bit low-res and blocky. But given the choice of pretty sprites or realistic 3D I’m willing to take the hit in quality, especially when it contributes so much to the overall gameplay.
As willing as I am to overlook the lackluster game graphics, the menus in Colin 2.0 really need some work. They are bad to the point of being nearly useless. It’s quite easy to get lost in the convoluted interface and really detracts from the overall experience.
There are some surprisingly good sounds and music in Colin 2.0 with unique sounds for each of the cars and a soundtrack that ranges from forgetful to some really good high-energy rhythm tracks. The excellent voice-work from Nicky Grist is also a big plus and unlike many rally games, his instructions are actually timely and correct for the track ahead.
The Championship and Arcade modes will provide many hours or racing bliss. When you tire of the solo experience you can hook-up with up to three of your friends for some head-to-head racing action. To sweeten the deal, you only need one cartridge to serve up this game for anyone with a link cable.
The downside to this is that the entire game must fit into the GBA’s memory which means sacrifices had to be made. The music takes a definite hit in overall quality and everyone who is racing must drive the same car as the person with the cartridge. The game is still great fun, even with these small concessions.
If you are looking for pretty graphics then you might want to check out any of the other dozen or so other racers available for your GBA, but if you want a realistic racing game with an above average physics engine then this is the game you want to be driving. With plenty of licensed cars and excellent track designs, Colin McRae Rally 2.0 is a virtual tour-de-force of rally racing action that will keep you (and your friends) busy for months to come.
