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REVIEW
TrackMania DS

The TrackMania series has been a longstanding hit among racing enthusiasts who also happen to be PC gamers. Now, those of us who prefer our racing titles in a more portable format can look forward to the release of TrackMania DS on March 17. Developer Firebrand Games has proven they’re up to the task of taking a high-quality PC title and shrinking it to DS-size – something most companies can’t even begin to claim.

Though smaller only in physical size, TrackMania DS includes many of the features that make the PC game so enjoyable. Immediately noticeable upon booting it up is its smoothness. Everything from the clutter-free user interface to the race screen is clean, crisp, and fluid. During a race, you might find it easy to forget you’re playing on a Nintendo DS. That’s no slight to the system, either – this is one of the most beautiful DS games I’ve played, and that beauty comes from its visual simplicity. The tracks and vehicles are somewhat rudimentary polygon models, but that works extremely well on this platform: simple objects can be processed faster. This results in a compelling and exhilarating racing experience as the track, ramps, and stunt obstacles go flying by without so much as a chug or dropped frames.

There are three environments to choose to race in. Stadium is a Formula 1 style set-up, emulating the breakneck speed of the sport its based on but throwing in a plethora is insane stunts for good measure. The Desert environment features a twangy, Western-inspired harmonica-heavy techno driving beat and (surprise!) takes place in a desert with cars that could make the Dukes of Hazzard proud. Lastly, we have the Rally environment, which appears to take place in a European countryside, complete with castle-like structures and death-defying turns that would freak out the most experienced of real-life rally car drivers.

TrackMania DS isn’t a typical racing title, however. It stands out from the crowd whether it wants to or not. While it’s arguable that all racing games are time trials, TrackMania DS is ostensibly nothing but time trials. At the outset, you are given one goal: make it to the end of the track as quickly as possible, with the intent to score the Gold Medal time. After selecting your track in the single player mode, you can choose who you want to race against. “Who” in this case refers to three computer-controlled racers representing the three ranking finishing places of the race: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. You can choose to race against one of them or take them on all. During the race however, these cars are simply ghosts, so you won’t have to worry about crashing into them. Instead, racing against a ghost is beneficial because by watching them, you’re better able to figure out the best course to plot through the track.

I should also take this opportunity to point out that the Gold Medal ghost racers are nearly impossible to beat the first time through any given track. It will often take several tries before you’re able to go onto the next track, happy with the Gold Medal you’ve just earned - but you can move on without getting a Gold, too. On the flipside, races tend to last well under a minute (depending on the track, of course), so retrying a course isn’t so much of a hassle. Come to think of it, the game gives you the ability to retry a course from the last checkpoint or from the start of a course with the touch of either the X or Y button, respectively. In this regard, actually, TrackMania DS proves to be an excellent pick-up-and-play title. You don’t necessarily need to commit a lot of time to it, but that also doesn’t mean you cannot. In fact, on several occasions already I’ve spent hours playing the same tracks over and over, trying desperately to earn more “coppers” (in-game currency) to unlock even more tracks, car designs, and track pieces.

Out of the box, TrackMania DS includes over 100 tracks to race and trick out on. Like any game worth its salt, though, it makes you work for access to the different challenges that lie ahead. The learning curve is decent. If you’ve played a racing game before, TrackMania DS should feel like familiar territory. Game-play starts off in a practice mode, and things escalate in difficulty from there. The different environments also feature different car types, and these have their own unique idiosyncrasies when it comes to traction, speed, and heft. Surprisingly, all these things can actually be felt (or is the feeling just expertly provoked?) through the tiny D-Pad on the DS. Earlier tracks are relatively a breeze, but as the game unfolds itself, more track pieces are added into the mix. Ramps, wall runs, and sections of track with gaping holes and pillars through them are all par for the course. And let’s not forget the loops! To make things even trickier, try speeding through a loop successfully after a 90-degree turn.

In addition to all the tracks that come with the game, TrackMania DS includes an extensive track creator/editor interface that is relatively simple to use. Again, the more of the game you play, the more track pieces will be made available to you (through the Shop menu). In this mode, the stylus is used to select, place, and rotate various pieces of track on a grid. Players can make the course however they want – even setting up a multi-lap track or building a ramp so ridiculously unfriendly that landing the jump is impossible. The custom track can be tested out at any time with the push of a button without having to exit the interface. While making crazy, unfriendly tracks is fun for a quick laugh (usually at a friend’s expense), it’s obviously more fun to make sure you can actually race along your creation.

If you prefer to race against friends, there are a few multiplayer options available as well. Using single-cart or multi-cart play, up to four players can participate in a race. Furthermore, there is a “Hotseat” multiplayer mode where players take turns with the same DS and then pass it to the next player in the game. In this mode, up to eight competitors can play.

Overall, TrackMania DS offers a great racing experience quite unlike what we’ve already seen on the DS. If you’re a fan of racing, particularly stunt racing titles, you’d best do yourself a favour and check it out. It’s the kind of game that one can enjoy on a purely superficial level at first, but then stick around to discover all it has to offer – and it’s a lot! Look forward to having cramped hands from gripping the DS too tightly as you attempt you beat the races.

Posted in Awesome, DS, Reviews |