Reviews / previews
If you're looking for a
serious racing sim, don't
get behind the wheel of
Jeff Gordon XS Racing.
But if you're looking for
some serious fun, slide
in the driver's seat and
drop the hammer. This
is one thrilling ride.
While
a
lot
of
racing
games
hope
to
make
their
claim to fame by doing
a realistic job of
simulating race
conditions, allowing you
to fiddle with gear differentials, tire types, and so on, Jeff Gordon XS Racing
blows right by them while they're in the pits. This game is a pure arcade
experience. They should only allow you to buy it with rolls of quarters.
First off, it does a superb job of simulating the feel of whipping around a track
at 300 miles per hour. It's just flat-out cool in this respect. You'll be turning,
twisting, and jumping on the tracks like a man with lit firecrackers down his
pants. (The jumping is especially fun. Your car will flick out wings so you can
glide better.) The cars are slightly futuristic looking and very sleek and pretty.
The light-sourcing as you drive at night is
dazzling.
It just looks and feels terrific.
The options are simple. You can race in a
10-race championship season against 39
opponents or take on a single track in
arcade or practice mode. In championship
mode, you can change cars after a race.
They differ in speed, braking, and cornering
ability. (The game does model some body
damage as you slip and slam into other cars and the rails, but the cars are
self-repairing.)
Eventually, you'll race Jeff Gordon himself.
The game is a bit touchy about the steering, which isn't necessarily bad. It
adds to the challenge. You have to be careful to neither over- nor understeer.
But, hey, if you're having problems, you can go to Jeff Gordon's Racing
School--consisting of short video clips with The Man Himself instructing you
on the finer points of driving.
In a few spots, Jeff Gordon misfires. It only
supports video resolution up to 640 x 480.
There's no multiplayer, and it has enough
advertising to become irritating. (In
championship mode you have to select a
sponsor, and some of the tracks carry
names like Pepsi 2000 and the 7-11
Spectacular.) The music is forgettable.
And, of course, there's no realism
whatsoever.
Overall, though, it's a bang-up experience.
No other arcade racing game puts the pedal to the metal as well as Jeff
Gordon Racing XS.-- Mark Asher / GamePro
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