GT 64 Championship Edition
Reviewed by Shawn Bailey
GT 64 really looks like it would be a promising racer. Several Japanese
supercars, such as the Nissan 300ZX, and the Acura NSX are included,
along with such cars as the Porsche 911. The customizable aspects of
each car are also a plus, such as being able to set the steering and shock
controls. A quick play of this game quickly changed my opinion of what I
thought would be an excellent racer.
Graphics 3 out of 10
Ick! The car models are chunky in presentation (and look bad for even a
Playstation game!). My favorite, the Porsche 911, is hardly recognizable.
The track layout is not very exciting either.
Music and Sound 3 out of 10
Music is almost non-existent in this game. There is some so-so menu
music, but while you are racing, the only sound heard is from the car's
engine. Speaking of the engines, there is little to distinguish the sound of
the different cars, and these sounds get old rather quickly.
Game Challenge 5 out of 10
This is a hard category to define. The racing is so boring, it does not
inspire me to work towards a first place finish. The lousy control makes
the challenge harder than it should be. When the wheel (analog stick) is
turned, the car moves later. Some of the other cars will get right behind
you and bump you to move you along faster. This almost seems to be
implemented to lessen the challenge.
Game Play-Fun 2 out of 10
Did I mention this game is boring?! The control is helped slightly by the
driver's choice of either the analog stick, or the d-pad. But both are sloppy
and take the fun out of the game. There are really only three repetitive
tracks (with a "long" version available for each) and this lessens the
gameplay experience.
Rumble Pak 6 out of 10
Rumble Pak usage is done fairly well. When you hit a wall, the Pak shakes
strongly, and there is a cool vibration when a car hits you from behind
and you are not expecting it.
Frustration
This game defines frustration. Those expecting a Gran Turismo rival for
their N64 will be quite frustrated. The sloppy control, lack of race music,
and boring tracks build to the frustration as well.
Replayability 1 out of 10
After spending the better part of an afternoon with this game, enough is
enough. I hope to never play it again. The lousy graphics and poor control
do not invite return plays.
Game Value 2 out of 10
I bought this game on clearance for $19.99 fully thinking I had stumbled upon
a bargain. The best thing I can say is that I didn't spend the full price on it
when GT64 first came out(at $60-plus). After wasting an afternoon with it, I
traded it in the next day, and still felt cheated at the low price I paid. With
Nintendo stressing "Quality over Quantity", it seems that a crap game such
as this would not see the light of day. Well it did, and truth be told, it's not
worth a weekend rental.
Overall 3 out of 10
Basically, stay away from this game if you can. I haven't seen too many racers
that I like for the Nintendo 64, although I could recommend Rush 2. It is a
much different game with it's arcade-style feel, but its fun-factor is
through the roof. Hopefully this review will save someone a few bucks, and
those could be put towards a better game.