3D Ultra Radio Control Racers is a hard game to review. Comparisons to Re-Volt, another game in the same genre which came out at the same time, are inevitable. While its graphics and depth aren't nearly as great as Re-Volt's, it has some strong points which still make it a fun game.
In the first area, the graphics, one has to realize that this game is looking at the remote-controlled racers from a different viewpoint. While the idea behind Re-Volt is that you've shrunk down to miniature size and are driving the car, this game takes the approach that you're controlling the car from above. Actually, the first game which came to mind for comparison was the Arcade game Off-Road Challenge, especially when you drive the monster truck. Each track contains plenty of bumps and jumps to navigate (there's even one which goes in a figure eight), and boosters (similar to Off-Road's nitros) are among the power-ups you can grab. The feel is also similar in the way your car takes turns.
Sierra's developers also put a lot of detail into the tracks. When you're driving around the backyard track, for example, you have garden gnomes who randomly toss bombs on the cars, a rottweiler who comes out of his doghouse and grabs your car if you get too close, and a jump over an inflatable swimming pool, among other obstacles. Every track is like that, and it makes the game fun. (If you've ever played Sierra's 3D Ultra Pinball series, the haunted house track will feel similar.) At the same time, the tracks aren't as large as those in Re-Volt, which also allows you to explore the environments a bit.
Re-Volt also has more depth in many other ways. This game only has eight tracks whereas Re-Volt has over fifty, including the hidden ones. You can also design your own tracks, something you can't do in 3D Ultra Radio Control Racers. And you only have four cars to pick from while Re-Volt offers twenty-eight in two different classes. The latter also allows you to race in different modes depending on whether or not you want realism in your remote-controlled cars while Radio Control Racers simply has two difficulty levels.
While it sounds like I'm bashing on this game, I'm really not. To be honest, this game will forever live in Re-Volt's shadow unless a sequel boosts its graphics and depth in a major way. On the other hand, this title is fun and the little details in the tracks are great, so if you see it cheap, grab it.
Graphics: When another game in the same vein and released at the same time has superior graphics, it's tough to give this area a better rating, even if the developers obviously put a lot of work into what they had.
Sound: Not bad. The cars sound a bit chintzy, though.
Enjoyment: As I said above, this is a fun game.
Replay Value: The depth in this game is poor. Only two difficulty levels, eight tracks, and four cars.
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