Millennials the world over no doubt have a fondness of the 90s – after all, who doesn’t like Nickelodeon and Space Jam? These Clinton years were home to arcade racers, with SEGA paving the way with their low-poly wonder Virtua Racing. Enter Oli Taylor’s World Racing ‘95, a racer that has set out to rekindle the feelings that come with a pocket full of quarters. Does this retro tribute have what it takes to stand out, or should the past stay buried?
World Racing ’95 Review
[line style=’solid’ top=’10’ bottom=’10’ width=’100%’ height=’1′ color=’blue’]
The license tests and fine tuning of racing sims made famous by the Gran Turismo and Project CARS series are nowhere to be found in World Racing ‘95. Even the open world-like elements of the Forza Horizon series are nowhere to be seen.
Rather, this arcade racer stays true to its roots by keeping things as streamlined as possible. Players choose from tracks with such names as “Frosty Freeway,” “Wonderful Woods,” and “Star Station” as they overtake their opponents and keep clocking in time extensions that can be yours by passing through a number of conveniently-placed checkpoints.
If you’ve seen this style of game before, it’s because you have – World Racing ‘95 is a dead ringer to SEGA’s Virtua Racing. From its graphics to its general structure, everything is part and parcel similar to this 1992 Model 1 hit, right down to the little jingle that plays at each checkpoint.
It’s just a shame that the driving isn’t quite up to snuff. Tracks have been spruced up with turns, boost pads, and jumps a-plenty, but it lacks the same intensity of its inspiration, even when cars are kicked into high gear. The same goes with its physics – collisions are even more of a recipe for disaster this go around, with spin outs and accidents putting one’s dreams of being a racing legend on ice. Put simply, players will see a number of swift boots back to the title screen as they get used to the erratic opposition.
It’s a shame too, because World Racing ‘95 is packing a fair amount of content. In addition to the Arcade Mode and its five tracks, there is also a Story Mode with cartoon heads, “95 mode” that serves as a racing battle royale of sorts, “X-Country” that has players taking paths in the road a la the Outrun series, and a Survival mode that puts players in a race against the clock.
There’s even a somewhat awkward multiplayer mode, where one player takes control of the keyboard and the other uses a controller. More content is planned post-launch too, so those looking for a reason to hit the track in the future can certainly justify their excursion.
Is World Racing ‘95 a retro throwback that will drum up nostalgia? Absolutely. However, despite looking and sounding the part, the awkward physics and slower action prevent it from hitting the same speed as AM2’s arcade classic.
[infobox style=’success’ static=’1′]This review of World Racing ’95 was done on the PC. The game was purchased digitally.[/infobox]
[blogger ids=” cat=’honest-game-reviews’ orderby=’date’ order=’desc’ count=’4′ descr=’200′ readmore=’1′ rating=’1′ style=’image_large’ border=’0′ dir=’vertical’]
The post World Racing ’95 Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.