Lowrider
- May 13, 2003 09:37 AM PST
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Dancing cars, hydraulics, and lotsa love. File this one under "destined to be a cult classic."
Sometimes a game?s concept alone is enough to push a million copies. Lowrider looks like it could very well be one of those rare and mystical creatures: trick out a car with hydraulics, give it a crazy paint job, and set it dancing?literally?in the streets in an effort to earn love, money, and respect from the urban masses. Yes indeedy. A Japanese PS2 import recently picked up for North American distribution by Jaleco Entertainment, Lowrider brings the popular urban vehicular sport (yes, it?s wildly popular in Japan, believe it or not) of lowriding to the video game screen for the first time ever.Lowrider features several different game modes. In Hop, you do exactly what the title says?press the button in a rhythmic fashion in order to trigger your hydraulics and achieve the highest possible height with your front wheels. Dance is a little more complicated, as you listen to the announcer?s instructions and try to do a series of moves with all 8 buttons on the PS2 control pad. Bed Dance involves tricked-out trucks whose beds have been placed on rotating hydraulics?your goal is to unfurl your vehicle, Transformers-style, and spin your truck bed as quickly as possible using the two analog sticks. As you play through the game?s ?career mode,? you earn cash for car customizations?and every one of the 23 vehicles has its own completely different set of part and paint upgrades.
The only question mark for Lowrider is whether the gameplay modes will prove to be varied enough to stay interesting once the novelty factor wears off?but this could very well be a case where the sheer weird cult factor makes up for any potential shortcomings. It?s got dancing cars, dammit.
