IT'S FREE BUT GOOD!!! (Toy Racer (DC))

Member Name: redhotbabe23

Product:	Toy Racer (DC)
Date:	03/06/01 (231 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It is a good short game to play

Disadvantages: Can't play against the dreamcast

TOY RACER
This is a little game where you race with toy cars but no drivers, there is a story to how this game came to be which is:
~~~STORY~~~
Having braved the thousand and one dangers of his perilous missions in Toy Commander, Guthy and his fertile imagination are back for a new set of domestic challengers.

Toy Racer is an arcade-style race game using miniature motorised vehicles. The game designed for multi-player games, either slit screen or on-line via Dreamarena.

The circuits are he same scale as the vehicles whereas the rooms have standard dimensions. The player will therefore find himself immersed in a world made for giants.

Each track has a theme that corresponds to the room in which it is found. The originality of Toy Racer comes from the layout of the tracks: they have gravity-changing ramps, which make it possible to race on the walls and ceilings.

~~~CONTROLS~~~
There are 9 commands, which are based on the standard controls found in arcade style racing games:
~~The ANALOG THUMB PAD steers the vehicle. (The DIRECTIONAL PAD(D-PAD) can also be used to perform this function.)
~~TRIGGER R causes the vehicle to accelerate.
~~TRIGGER L causes the vehicle to brake, or reverse if you hold it for long enough.
~~BUTTON A allows you to use weapon bonuses.
~~BUTTON B allows you to use the speed boosters.
~~BUTTON Y allows you to view behind you.
~~BUTTON X this allows you to choose which of the 3 view points you want: interior, close-up, distant.
~~START BUTTON allows you to access the menu option screen during the game. You can choose from Continue, Restart and Abort.

~~~GAME MODES~~~
TRAINING
Practice makes perfect so this practice is good; you can practice alone on any of the 4 tracks. The training mode allows players to familiarise themselves with the tracks and even race against a 'ghost car' which is literally the exact replay of the rac
e you just did.
LOCAL
1-4 players can race against one another on the same screen.
NETWORK
This is the on-line mode which allows you to race on-line against 3 players.
OPTIONS
~Steering~
You can select between powered or direct steering. It is useful when you are using a race controller.
~Display~
You can change the screen ratio from normal to wide screen. You can also adjust the screen size to your TV screen.
~Sound~
On the sound test screen, you can listen to music from the game. You can change the sound volume and balance as well.
~Language~
Select your chosen language from English, French, German, and Spanish.
~Change VM~
Should you have more than one VM inserted into your controller you can specify which one you want to save to.
~Homepage~
Connects you directly to the Dreamarena Toy Racer home page for more information. Warning: The Dreamcast will reboot to access the Internet.

~~~VEHICLES~~~
All the motorised vehicles from Toy Commander are available in Toy Racer, as well as a number of new vehicles exclusive to Toy Racer. All in all, 24 vehicles (and 4 hidden vehicles) are available. The vehicles are grouped into four categories, defined by their characteristics.
~Best Acceleration~
Pick-up
Jeep Willys
VBL
~Best Speed~
Scalextric cars
Formula 1 cars
Buggy
~Best Grip~
Bus
Combi
Military Transport Truck
~Best Shield~
Tiger Tank
Sherman Tank
Bulldozer
The parameters of the vehicles are fixed so that they have uniform efficiency. For example the Sherman Tank, which is at a disadvantage on the maximum speed, will take damage better than the Formula 1 car.

~~~TRACKS~~~
There are 4 tracks, each with a theme appropriate to the room in which it is found. The design of the track continues on to the walls or ceilings thanks to gravity changing ramps which make it possible for the players to use thes
e areas. Players driving on the ground will occasionally be surprised by an adversary driving on the ceiling in the other direction...
TRACK 1: Kitchen
TRACK 2: Bathroom
TRACK 3: Attic
TRACK 4: Kid's Bedroom

~~~WEAPONS~~~
The vehicles in Toy Racer are not armed with any weapons at the beginning of the game. A weapon can only be obtained if you collect the relevant bonus. For example, you have to pick up a missile bonus to be able to use a missile. In addition, as soon as a player picks up a new weapon bonus, it replaces the weapon in use at that moment. The number remaining is shown on the screen.
MACHINE GUN
Allows instantaneous shooting, as long as ammunition is available. Machine Gun is shown by a ring of red bullets.
MISSAL
Launches a missile whose trajectory is straight, but follows the ground elevation (and which explodes on impact). Missile is shown by a pencil.
MINE
Places a mine behind the player's vehicle, which will explode when another player drives over it. Mine shown by a drawing pin.
BOXING GLOVES
Punches the adversary, violently pushing him if he is close behind. Boxing Glove is shown by a boxing glove.
TORNADO
Creates an enormous area of turbulence which moves and shakes opponents who cross it (the effect lasts for a few seconds). Tornado is shown by a small tornado.

~~~BONUSES - THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF BONUSES~~~
~~STANDARD BONUSES~~
SPANNER
Enables the player to repair damage sustained to a vehicle.
BOOST
Increases the acceleration boost gauge.
JOKER
Cancels the effects of bonuses on the player's vehicle.
~~WEAPON BONUSES - FOR DESCRIPTION SEE WEAPONS~~
Machine Gun, Missile, Mine, Tornado, and Boxing Glove
~~MISCHIEF BONUSES~~
The mischief bonuses can work for or against the player, depending on what colour they are when collected. The player will only gain an advantage from collecting a mischief bonus when it is green
in colour, the other unfortunate player(s) will be temporarily handicapped. Players unfortunate enough to collect a mischief bonus when it is red in colour will be temporarily handicapped by the mischief bonus.
LONDON FOG
Fog that greatly decreases the player's ability to see ahead. London Fog is shown by Big Ben tower and fog around it.
SNAIL
Temporarily decreases the vehicles speed burst capacity (unless the player uses the boost). Snail is shown by a snail.
STEERING INVERSION
Temporarily reverses the steering commands on the Dreamcast controller. Steering Inversion is shown by a U-turn arrow.
ICE
Makes the track icy and hazardous to race on. Ice is shown by a thermometer covered in ice.

I like the game but I think that you should be able to play against the Dreamcast instead of on your own, and some more levels.

Summary: