San Francisco Rush 2049

More tracks! More stunts! More thrills! Yep, it's another Rush game, and none too soon, in our opinion.

The title tells all, as players hot rod through six tracks (which can also be run backward and mirrored) and four stunt arenas. There are also eight arenas in the four-player Battle mode.

As you'd expect, developer Atari has vastly improved the graphics on the original Rush, which came out in 1997 -- eons ago in video-game time. Fog and 2-D landscape artifacts have been virtually eliminated, although an option allows you to blow fog in. The cars themselves are much more detailed. With the Expansion Pak plugged in, the game maintains a lickety-split frame rate, although the graphics noticeably degrade when the CPU has to display multiple cars.

Rush 2049's 13 default cars all have a suspiciously 20th-century look. You can adjust suspension, engine torque and durability. The options for Normal, Advanced or Extreme models and nine different kinds of engines basically make your car more powerful. The option for off-road tires makes most sense in the stunt track set in the desert. You can also cherry out your chariot with fresh paint and tire rims.

Rush 2049 delivers great interactivity, including moving ramps and triggers opening up scads of shortcuts. But what makes this Pak really sing is the drum-tight play control, which allows you to turn on a dime-sized microchip. Mastering flying, though, will take practice, as cars easily pirouette out of control even when the wings are fully extended.

San Francisco lovers, including Yours Truly, will wonder if Atari has been infiltrated by Bay Area-hating Angelenos. With a few notable exceptions (love those lava lamps!) the tracks here here have a sterile, Gattica-like feel, all squeaky-clean glass and steel. Apparently, the only current landmarks slated to survive the ravages of time are those displayed in late 20th-century commercials. Drivers can gawk at the "Rush City Diner" (based on real-life yuppie eatery Fog City Diner), "Mell's Kitchen" (Mel's Diner), Pac Bell Park and of course the Golden Gate Bridge.

Despite the unoriginal visuals, Rush 2049 is a fun, no-holds-barred arcade racer in the grand Midway style.

Source:

www.nintendo.com – Nintendo 64

**THE ORIGINAL ARCADE RACING GAME WITH THREE ACTION-PACKED GAMES IN ONE!

Race Mode: Scream through futuristic San Francisco tracks.
Stunt Mode: Insane air and gravity-defying tricks.
Battle Mode:** Lock and load your way through eight killer battle arenas.

• 19 all-new tracks! 13 selectable cars: all new Customization. All-new "wing" feature: fly through the streets of San Francisco with more control in midair and perform cool stunts and tricks. One to four player modes! All-new online competition: compete against your friends on ghost matches by uploading and downloading the best times to the internet.* No load time!

Source:

Back of Case - Dreamcast (US)