4 Wheel Thunder for Dreamcast
- ESRB Rating: E - (Everyone)
- Publisher: Midway Home Entertainment
- Genre: Racing / Driving
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Honking is for sissies, ram that SUCKER!
Pros
graphics; game modes; tracks
Cons
simplistic game play
Recommended it?
Yes
Hydro Thunder was a nice port from the Arcade. I haven't reviewed it yet, but it was just that -- a port. Nothing kewl got added to the game, and I don't think the final result was good enough for a home system. Sure, it kept the coins coming in the arcades with simplistic fun, but it lacked the dept required for it to be a good console game. It seems Midway took that criticization and developed a new game, still following the 'thunder' legacy. Except, in this game the vehicles are of a complete different sort, and thus we have '4-wheel' prefix this time around.
Graphics 10/10
The cars look fantastic, with each one having its unique look and feel. The monster trucks look heavy and agressive, while the buggers look quite nimble. Special effects such as skid marks and dirt flying about during powerslides seem impressive. Added to that are some nice textures, and impressive area environments (like Greece and Canada backgrounds). Moreover, the game keeps a sweet 60-fps frame rate throughout all the areas. Nope, you don't see any major slowdowns like you did in many other Dreamcast games. Resident Evil could get away with such nuisances, but not so with a racer. You need to feel the speed, and you certainly do so with this game.
Game Play 9/10
This is a dirt racer, so there is heavy emphasis on powerslides which is pretty neat. Each level has a different look, but they do lack the insane jumps that you got used to in Hydro Thunder. However, with around 30 tracks this game definitely makes up for not having too many jumps. The vehicles don't only look different, but they also have varying performance and handling characteristics. The trucks have much power under their hoods, while the buggers are easier to slide by the curves. The main criticism that Hydro Thunder got is the fact that there weren't any game modes. There are more than a couple in 4-wheel thunder, some of which includes Arcade Indoor, Arcade Outdoor and Championship.
Innovation 10/10
In addition to the modes mentioned above, 4-wheel thunder also offers special modes such as Bomb1, Baloon, and Tag race. These are way too kewl, and I am expecially fond of Bomb1. There is a timed bomb in the race; a sticky bomb of some sort. You pass it onto to the next guy by ramming into them. And they pass it back to you by smashing you up. Whoever has the bomb when the timer reaches zero blows up into ragged scraps. Much, much fun.
Conclusion 9.5/10
If you didn't care about dirt racing before, this game is not going to change your mind. However, if you are looking for an innovative, and fun racing game, than you are definitely going to like 4-wheel Thunder. Its a dirt racing game of immense proportions, not unlike the vehicles it allows you to control.
Graphics 10/10
The cars look fantastic, with each one having its unique look and feel. The monster trucks look heavy and agressive, while the buggers look quite nimble. Special effects such as skid marks and dirt flying about during powerslides seem impressive. Added to that are some nice textures, and impressive area environments (like Greece and Canada backgrounds). Moreover, the game keeps a sweet 60-fps frame rate throughout all the areas. Nope, you don't see any major slowdowns like you did in many other Dreamcast games. Resident Evil could get away with such nuisances, but not so with a racer. You need to feel the speed, and you certainly do so with this game.
Game Play 9/10
This is a dirt racer, so there is heavy emphasis on powerslides which is pretty neat. Each level has a different look, but they do lack the insane jumps that you got used to in Hydro Thunder. However, with around 30 tracks this game definitely makes up for not having too many jumps. The vehicles don't only look different, but they also have varying performance and handling characteristics. The trucks have much power under their hoods, while the buggers are easier to slide by the curves. The main criticism that Hydro Thunder got is the fact that there weren't any game modes. There are more than a couple in 4-wheel thunder, some of which includes Arcade Indoor, Arcade Outdoor and Championship.
Innovation 10/10
In addition to the modes mentioned above, 4-wheel thunder also offers special modes such as Bomb1, Baloon, and Tag race. These are way too kewl, and I am expecially fond of Bomb1. There is a timed bomb in the race; a sticky bomb of some sort. You pass it onto to the next guy by ramming into them. And they pass it back to you by smashing you up. Whoever has the bomb when the timer reaches zero blows up into ragged scraps. Much, much fun.
Conclusion 9.5/10
If you didn't care about dirt racing before, this game is not going to change your mind. However, if you are looking for an innovative, and fun racing game, than you are definitely going to like 4-wheel Thunder. Its a dirt racing game of immense proportions, not unlike the vehicles it allows you to control.
