GamesRelay

Name: Race Driver: GRID

Race Driver: GRID on the Nintendo DS doesn't redefine the wheel, what it does it does well, and that's because Firebrand Games who have brought the game over to the handheld platform haven't copied the console version entirely, the Nintendo DS version of the game can in no way compete on the same level as the PC, 360 and PS3 versions, for this reason certain features are absent, but others have been put in their place.

The objective behind GRID is to race, to race and win, not only to win each race and event, but to win enough to increase your reputation by earning medals towards becoming the world's best driver. Each of the events you'll partake in come in a variety of forms such as; racing, steering challenges, drifting, braking tests, time trials, survival races and more. When you earn one of three medals in these events they unlock extra cars for you to use, more events to participate in, and upgrades and track pieces for the track editor, there's quite a lot to get through and trying to unlock everything will take some doing, offering plenty of replayability, the whole game offers 25 cars and 20 circuits in total.

There's a wide variety of cars to race with, from muscle cars to sports cars, each handles differently and each will need to be used for a particular event if you wish to win, you wouldn't want to use a muscle car for a steering challenge for instance. The driving mechanics are more arcade than simulation but since the game includes vehicle damage, there is a level of precision needed to pull off a fast time and win the race. The AI is fairly easy going on you from the get go but the more medals you earn and the later events and challenges start to get much harder as you progress, making those unlockables even harder to reach.

The vehicle damage is represented by a set of icons on the bottom of the screen which change from yellow to red depending on the severity of the damage inflicted on the various parts of your car. Even though the game doesn't have that simulation feel, you still have to worry about the damage being caused to your vehicle since breaking your engine will have you losing speed, or damaging your steering will see your car pulling to one side, making those corners much more difficult to handle. There is a limit, a car can only take so much, and as such, if your car gets damaged too much it'll eventually give up and it will end the race. You can of course repair your car should you choose to do so by heading in for a pit stop but the amount of time needed to repair your car and the time and position you'll lose far outweighs the benefits.

One of the major components to the Nintendo DS version of GRID is its track editor. The track editor comes in the form of blueprint challenges, in it you are given a spending budget and a list of features your track will need to have, successfully complete the checklist and you win the challenge. As you progress through the game you'll unlock more pieces to use for the track editor which allows you to add slopes to the track and change the time of day for instance. The blueprint challenges aren't difficult to do, they come across more of a breaking you in tutorial to the track editor, which is actually quite powerful all things considering, one can only imagine the potential if this feature were included on the other console versions. After you have created a track you have the option to share it with your friends online which makes it all the more appealing.

Multiplayer is also included through various forms, you can race online or off with a friend, the game supports single-card play as well so you both don't have to own the game to play. The multiplayer racing is for up to four players in a variety of events which are taken straight from the singleplayer, such as the racing and drifting, after each event you can add your players to an in-game friends list or if you prefer, a rivals list.

Graphically, the game is at the top end of what the DS is capable of, while the backdrops to the various circuits you'll be racing on like San Francisco don't offer much in the way of detail, the cars themselves offer plenty. Cars don't however show any cosmetic damage which is disappointing, all the damage is shown through the icons at the bottom of the screen, cars will start smoking as they take damage however. The sounds are also fairly good considering the DS's capabilities, the engine noises have a slight tinny effect to them but it isn't something that gets annoying, the music which plays in the background is more of a clubbers techno dream, something some will like, others may not.

The Nintendo DS version of GRID is a good portable racer on the handheld and a showcase for other games to take a leaf from in the future. Overall the singleplayer game will offer around eight hours to complete if you're a competent driver, of course then you have all the medals and unlocks to go after and the added multiplayer on top, offering plenty more to do if you so choose. If you own a Nintendo DS, like racing games, and want something to do on the move, GRID is a worthy purchase of your hard earned cash.