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N64 | Driving | Beetle Adventure Racing | Review

There is no Boxart for - Beetle Adventure Racing
  • GRAPHICS: 4.5
  • SOUND: 3.5
  • CONTROL: 4.5
  • FUN FACTOR 5.0
  • AVG USER SCORE 3.0
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 4.7
Winner of the GamePro Editor's Choice Award

Review: Beetle Adventure Racing

Review by AIRHENDRIX | 11/24/2000 | 14:47:41 PM PST

As far as N64 racing goes, Beetle Adventure Racing fights its way to the had of the pack - the joy of exploring all its cool tracks will make you feel like a kid in a candy store. This one's well worth buying.

When the team behind the hit Need for Speed series decided to try their hand at N64 racing, they struck out into new territory?and, man, did they come up with gold. Combining exhilarating arcade racing with fun, faintly Mario-esque exploration, Beetle Adventure Racing delivers an awesome ride.

Little Cars, Big Air
Most of Beetle's high-octane excitement comes from its six phenomenal tracks, which are packed with seemingly inFInite shortcuts and alternate routes. You'll spend hours delving into every nook and cranny, looking for the best--and the coolest--path to the FInish. You can FInd your way to everything you can see... if you're smart enough. Incredibly detailed scenery, which ranges from a jungle where a T. Rex snaps at your car to an icy cavern hiding a UFO, will capture your attention while the insane jumps and speedy nitro power-ups just keep the thrills coming.

In the Championship mode, the tracks are also littered with crates that contain points; collect enough, and you'll earn continues, unlock secret tracks, and so on. The gameplay's wildly fun, offering rewards for both white-knuckle driving and crafty exploration. Factor in the decent two-player split-screen races and the interesting but odd four-player deathmatches (you collect weapons and compete to FInd beetle icons in nine arenas), and there are tons of different ways to play Beetle.

Cute Bugs
With the Volkswagen license in hand, Beetle offers a decent lineup of nine-plus New Beetles, each with different handling characteristics. More variety in the garage would've added a lot, though. Still, the arcade-all-the-way handling is very playable and easy to master. A hand brake adds a powersliding element, but the controls are very responsive and natural overall.

Graphically, Beetle scores big with fairly cool-looking cars, a fast but not breathtaking frame rate, minimal pop-up and fog, and, yes, those killer tracks. Beetle's sounds, though, are a mixed bag--you'll want to swat the lame announcer like, well, a bug, and the decent engines and tire sounds aren't as exciting as they should be. Fortunately, engaging background music saves the day.

Start This Engine
As far as N64 racing goes, Beetle Adventure Racing FIghts its way to the head of the pack--the joy of exploring all its cool tracks will make you feel like a kid in a candy store. This one's well worth buying.