Max Power Racing - PlayStation

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Max Power Racing (PlayStation)
Viewed: 3D Third-person, floating camera Genre:
Racing: Car
Arcade origin:No
Developer: Eutechnyx Soft. Co.: Eutechnyx
Publishers: Infogrames (GB/US/JP)
Released: 1998 (GB/US)
Unknown (JP)
Ratings: 3+
Accessories: Analogue JoyPad, Memory Card, Steering Wheel
Features: Vibration Compatible

Summary

Pinhead-sized baseball cap? Check. Basic-engined, five year old Ford Escort? Check. Puffa jacket-clad girl in passenger seat? Check. Congratulations, you are a member of a rare breed. As if sensing a gap in the market, Infogrames and Eutechnyx bring us Max Power Racing, just for the wannabe boy racers who have wandered into the games shop rather than the newsagents.

Inspired, obviously, by Max Power magazine, this game gives an insight into what it's like to drive some of the hottest hatches and powerful performance sports cars around. In Championship Mode (the only way to unlock all the tracks and cars without resorting to cheats) you begin in the GTI Amateur Class. You may only select either a Renault Clio or a Nissan Micra to begin with, but don't be too disappointed because whichever you choose, you'll find yourself hurtling along at higher speeds than you may think. The racing seasons in the four racing classes include visits to the Brazilian jungle, Norway's snowy climes and the Great Wall of China to name but three. There are also some unexpected twists and turns in the shape of stretches of water and semi-concealed undulations in the roads which can sometimes mean a premature finish to your race.

Max Power Racing is not just for the young shaver dreaming of his first Fiesta. It's also a demanding little title that will take up a lot of your time if you let it. There are plenty of courses and cars to unlock, and it is worth the hard work to end up trying to navigate the narrow streets of nighttime Rome in a ridiculously potent Marcos Mantis.