18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker

GameCube owners deserve better than this unimproved port of an inferior Dreamcast game.

To its credit, 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker isn?t a bad way to knock off 15 minutes (about as long as it takes to finish the Arcade mode)?it?s a mildly fun racer with its own unique feel and good controls. As one of four truckers, you?ll race across America?s highways while contending with a rival trucker and avoiding obstacles that will damage your cargo, such as smaller cars and tornadoes. The game physics are pretty tight, and little details like the smog that billows from the exhaust pipes as you switch gears, are pretty cool.

But then there?s the painfully irritating banter of your rival trucker, low-res textures that have hardly been improved since the game?s Dreamcast incarnation, copious draw-in, and infuriating rubber-band A.I. that lets your rival shoot past you if you make even one dumb mistake. And let?s not forget the ?What th-?!? reaction you?ll have when you complete the fourth level and the game?s credits start rolling! Combine this with only one unlockable truck and mildly engaging Score Attack and Parking modes, and you have virtually no replay value whatsoever. Is 18 Wheeler worth renting or playing at a friend?s house? Sure. Does it warrant a $50 price tag? No way.

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