Race Driver 2006

PSP owners with an affinity to racing games have plenty of options when looking to scratch their proverbial racing itch. However one racing sub genre that's relatively untapped is the true racing simulation. Codemasters has recognized this niche and decided to bring over the Race Driver series from the big boy consoles into a tidy hand-held package. For the most part, the results are quite positive.

For those not familiar with the Race Driver series, they follow an up and coming driver as he works his way through the ranks of various racing series. The game features an ongoing story fueled by your performance on the track. Pit crews, managers and sponsors all play a role in the story but the real star is you' .and the cars.

Unlike many racing simulations, Race Driver does not limit the racing to one type of car (i.e. Formula 1, Indy, NASCAR, Rally, etc.). Instead, you will be jumping behind the wheel of just about every type of car you can imagine. Thankfully, each of these vehicles handles quite differently and has very distinct characteristics. I found myself looking forward to the next race just to see what type of vehicle I would get to race next or what unorthodox challenge I would have to face.

When it comes to racing games, the overall success lives and dies by the handling of the vehicles. As mentioned above, each of the vehicle classes handles very differently. Aside from dealing with the touchy analog stick on the PSP, the cars all handle great. Braking before corners and accelerating out the backside feels perfect, as it should. Try and power around a corner full speed and you will find yourself sliding off the track. My only complaint is how the slightest bump will send you in an uncontrollable spin. Play this game like Gran Turismo and you will not get too far.

Graphically, the game shines in most cases. The cars look great, right down to the damage modeling displayed. Watching your tires fly off after a serious crash always brought a smile to my face from a graphical perspective. The modeling and in game characters were well done and quite believable.

At the end of the day, you will find a very competent racer filling a void in the PSP line up. The simulation style of the game may not be for everyone but if you enjoy this type of racing, you owe it to yourself to give this game a spin. The variety will give you motivated to keep playing. Overall, you could do a lot worse.

This month, a couple ot PSP racers will take you on a familiar ride...considering they're basically ports of old PS2 titles. Of the two, Race Driver does just about everything better, with silky-smooth controls, sharp graphics, and a huge number of events. Juiced, on the other hand, gets stuck in a rut early when it comes to event variety, and the supersensitive analog-nub control contrasts with the incredibly sluggish D-pad.

Bottom line:

Race Driver2006 is the better choice to sate your need for portable speed this month.