Asphalt: Urban GT

In my opinion this is definitely one of the best N-Gage games available and it would be fair to say that Asphalt Urban GT would be the best apart from the small issue of the depth or lack of it. However having said this; once you begin to play this game you will quickly forget about any of the issues and niggles I’ve mentioned because this really is an amazingly fantastic game…Well done Nokia!

Und wieder veröffentlicht ein Hersteller ein weiteres Rennspiel für den N-Gage. Doch diesmal kann sich das Ergebnis des Titel Asphalt Urban GT durchaus sehen lassen. Flüssige 3D Grafik in Verbindung mit abwechslungsreichen Strecken sollen den Spieler viel Freude am N-Gage bringen. Dass wir uns bei Gamers.at auf solche Werbetexte nicht einlassen versteht sich ja von selbst. Deshalb folgt hier unsere Review zu Asphalt Urban GT.

Premier jeu de courses à atterrir sur N-Gage, Asphalt : Urban GT fait forte impression dans sa maniabilité arcade entièrement dédiée au fun. Doté d'un contenu riche en sensations, ce titre est à n'en point douter un jeu très réussi qui prouve que la console de Nokia peut être témoin de belles choses. Dommage cependant que la console en elle-même empêche une immersion encore plus grande et bride le plaisir via une ergonomie irritante, mais là on ne peut pas y faire grand chose.

Overall, Asphalt: Urban GT is a good start for racing games on the DS. Players who enjoy earning vehicles and the funds necessary to pimp them out should especially enjoy it. It will take you quite some time to complete everything, and it really does feel like a full-fledged console racer that you can take with you on the road.

This title is worth the £29.99 asking price alone due to the incredible package it delivers. It "rips-off"­ certain characteristics from the latest big console games, but because of this, it demands a place in your NGAGE. The learning curve is perfect, and allows you to practice in certain other championships or arcade modes with limited hassle. Obtaining all of the 23 cars in the Evolution part of the single player requires a lot of money and therefore a lot of time racing around championships. The multiplayer modes consist of Single Race, Cop Chase and Championship which are all very fun to play against a friend. Obviously, the multiplayer mode is only available via the Bluetooth connection between various NGAGE devices. However, there is not a single NGAGE Arena function which is disappointing to know as this game would be so much better with them. This is the best game on the NGAGE without a doubt, and shall remain to be for a very long time.

Don't let the unrecognized name fool you. Until something better comes along, this is the premiere racer for the console. "Ridge Racer's" frustrating controls and lackluster (comparatively) graphics are dominated by this original work. This is a solid purchase with a long-standing career mode and some multi-card play adds to the life afterwards.

Almost a must-buy launch title, Asphalt Urban GT tries to be the coolest racer on the block. It just might have been the coolest if the gameplay had a little more polish. I enjoyed playing this one a lot, but part of that enjoyment came from the fact that this is a portable game for a brand-new portable system. It wouldn’t have the same pizzazz on Nintendo GameCube unless the graphics and physics were improved tenfold.

The race for best racer on the DS has begun. So far, Asphalt GT is leading the pack, but the group only consists of two games: Asphalt and Namco's Ridge Racer. Perhaps when Need for Speed Underground is released for the DS, we'll have a game that takes full advantage of the hardware capabilities, but until then, if you're the least bit of a racer fan, and don't own the N-Gage version, I suggest giving Asphalt a spin.

Gameloft has come out of the gate smoking with their debut title, Asphalt Urban GT: a significantly juiced version of their impressive Tapwave racer. The graphics, which are stunning overall for a handheld, are hard to define at times—rectified by a few practice laps or switching into first person—but otherwise, this is a gorgeous game by any standards, not to mention a full-fledged, grown-up, evolution-style racer packed with great handling (drifting is easy and key), dream cars of every class and vast tuning options. Steering is done the old-fashioned way, with the bottom screen taking on overhead track report duties and menus (which is fine by me); the music is sweet, as is the event cam, and up to four players can have at it wirelessly.

It is hard to complain too much at all about Asphalt: Urban GT. The game has decent graphics that suffer from similar problems that PSone games had, like pop-ups, wobbly graphics, and blocky textures, but they don't look that bad. Actually, they are some of the best 3D graphics I have seen on the N-Gage. You probably won't even notice the graphical glitches anyway, because you will be too busy trying not to run into the walls, other racers, and oncoming traffic. The controls are good and have an arcade feel to them and the modes of play should keep you busy for a while. All-in-all, Asphalt: Urban GT is a solid racing game for N-Gage that will help Nokia establish the system as a viable handheld gaming system.

Man merkt Asphalt Urban GT leider zu deutlich an, dass es wohl in aller Eile entstanden sein muss, um noch als DS-Launchtitel durchzugehen – das Game wirkt oft hingeschludert. Das fängt beim lieblosen Mehrspielermodus an, geht über die problematische Kollisionsabfrage weiter und hört bei Abstürzen (!) auf – ein paar Monate mehr Entwicklungszeit hätten hier sicher nicht geschadet! Denn die guten Wurzeln sind da: abwechslungsreiche Spielvarianten, gute Drift-Steuerung, rasante Grafik. So bleibt ein gerade noch gutes, aber nicht sehr gutes Rennspiel, das in einer Halbwelt zwischen Arcade-Racer und Simulation schwebt, und wohl für immer mit der Gewissheit leben muss, dass aus ihm etwas richtig Tolles hätte werden können. Schade.

Grafisch kann Asphalt Urban GT schon überzeugen, in spielerischer Hinsicht gibt es noch ein paar Mängel. So ist das Drift-Verhalten sehr arcadelastig und etwas schwammig. Auch dass man mehrere Cartridges für den Mehrspieler-Modus braucht, empfinde ich als unnötig.

Asphalt's production is a little uneven in spots, but it gets enough of it right that, in the end, the experience is pretty enjoyable. The fundamental gameplay is fast and accessible, and there's enough variety in both the single- and multiplayer modes that you could spend a lot of time with the game.

It doesn't really take great advantage of many of the features that make the DS unique, but Asphalt is still fundamentally an enjoyable arcade-style racer, regardless of the platform.

As I finish this review I have Namco’s Ridge Racer looking at me, so Asphalt: Urban GT is about to see its first major competition in the DS racing genre. On its own merits, Urban GT is a great racing title that has offered me more than 40 hours of fun and the promise of many more. Everything from the car selection to the parts upgrade and unique track environments mirrors that of what you’d expect from a console title. The gameplay is a bit primitive but still fun and challenging. My only regret is that the dual screen wasn’t used more prominently in the game. As it is, graphics not withstanding, this game could have been released for the GBA. Even so, if you own a DS and want to play a fast and fun racer, Asphalt: Urban GT is worth the price of admission.

Most people don’t think too much of ports, even when those ports come from decent platforms. But, when a game also exists on a system like Nokia’s N-Gage, well, it has to work hard if it’s going to earn any respect. Urban Asphalt GT makes a decent attempt, providing some fun racing action, a good selection of cars, and a modicum of tuning options, but in the end it’s the lackluster gameplay that keeps this port from being a winner.

Asphalt Urban GT is an action-packed racer that looks great at first, but after scratching the surface, it becomes obvious that some extra development time would have greatly improved things. It?s definitely better than the N-Gage version, but that doesn?t say much really. If you?re starved for some DS racing but don?t feel like waiting for something better to come along, this game will suffice.

One of the main reasons for the introduction of the Nintendo DS was to foster innovation. While it's hard to see that spirit being implemented in Asphalt: Urban GT it still does provide a level of enjoyment for gamers, and it will be interesting to see how this fares against other racing games once they are released for the system. Until then Asphalt: Urban GT can enjoy its place as the sole driving game available - one that covers the basics well enough, provides a good arcade experience, and a reasonably good introduction by Gameloft to the DS.

It's not so easy to feel excited about new racing games these days. Gran Turismo has the realistic driving sim niche locked up; Midnight Club and Need for Speed seem to have everything a street-racing aficionado could want; and nothing beats Burnout 3 for sheer stupid excess and fun. If a racer doesn't have something new to bring to the table, most people will find it a hard sell.

Asphalt: Urban GT is not without its problems. The controls can be fiddly at times, especially when reaching for the boost button, and the occasional infuriating moments occur which will leave you stuck behind cars that simply refuse to budge. Also at times it’s difficult to negotiate the corners as the detail levels get substantially poorer when the N-Gage is called to draw at a distance. Aside these small issues Asphalt: Urban GT is still a pretty decent racing game for the N-Gage. The plethora of game modes and available vehicles is impressive and Gamelofts proprietary engine rarely coughs up a splutter. It’s not quite the blockbuster that we hoped for but as an occasional racer Asphalt will calm the petrol head in us all.

Loin d'être désagréable, Asphalt Urban GT est un bon petit jeu de courses. Le contenu est riche, le jeu est plutôt beau et l'ambiance sonore est réussie. Mais, car il y a un mais, la gestion des collisions laisse vraiment à désirer ce qui bride un peu le plaisir de conduire. Autre point sur lequel on peut avoir quelques regrets : l'écran tactile n'est utilisé que pour afficher des informations telles que la carte du circuit et ne peut donc pas être mise à profit pour interagir avec le jeu. Dommage !

"Asphalt: Urban GT" is one of the first racing games for DS and Gameloft has done an excellent job in bringing some original ideas to the handheld racers. Especially the several game modes in this race game are excellent. Still, it could have been a bit better if they added different engine sounds, fixed the graphical glitches and a better soundtrack.

A la lecture de ce test, vous comprenez que ce n’est pas la DS qui est remise en cause, puisque techniquement le jeu assure. Non, ce sont les développeurs qui n’ont pas su exploiter des idées qui auraient pu rendre ce jeu sympathique, d’autant plus que c’est parfois un plaisir de conduire, mais les circuits sont trop peu nombreux, et certains sont vraiment soporifiques. Il aurait pourtant été facile de corriger les défauts de la version N-Gage (le truc énorme qui fait office de téléphone mais aussi, paraît-il, de console de jeux), mais le jeu reste pourtant identique et toujours aussi moyen. Par manque d'ambition, Asphalt GT rate le coche et ce qui aurait pu être un très bon jeu passe tout juste la vitesse supérieure. Ca me fait mal d'attribuer une telle note, mais pensez bien que je le fais pour le bien de votre portefeuille.

Asphalt 2: Urban GT seems to have a lot going for it – 40+ licensed vehicles, over a dozen real-life cities, and still pictures of the Pussycat Dolls. Yet, though the game is gussied up with smooth visuals (and again, the Pussycat Dolls), the incredible ease of each and every event ultimately renders the game worthless for most seasoned gamers. While Asphalt 2 features an impressive amount of content between the Arcade and Evolution modes, it ultimately becomes repetitive after just a few hours of play. Hold tight, DS race fans. Perhaps the upcoming port of Diddy Kong Racing will finally pry you away from Mario Kart DS.

Asphalt Urban GT is one of those racers that could have taken the pole, but instead, it falls behind with lackluster gameplay. Gameloft, whose parent company is Ubisoft, attempts to bring arcade racing to the DS. On the outside, the options look exceptional. Your vehicle selection is made up from a large list of real and fantasized vehicles that range from super sporty to clunky off-roaders. And the tracks are just as diverse. Urban raceways are surprisingly detailed with a fair amount of attractive colors, plus there's even moving traffic that keeps the streets interesting.

If I were to rate Asphalt based only on its technicalities, it would get a bellow average score. The graphics are so-so, the gameplay is repetitive and often dated, the difficultly level is uneven, the controls are unoriginal and the sound is pretty dull. Yet despite all this, I found myself playing Asphalt a lot. Unlocking new tracks and buying new cars is surprisingly rewarding, and the gameplay, while flawed, can also be intense and even addictive. While in no ways revolutionary, Asphalt offers a hearty dose of mostly solid driving action that racing fans will enjoy.

If I were to rate Asphalt based only on its technicalities, it would get a bellow average score. The graphics are so-so, the gameplay is repetitive and often dated, the difficultly level is uneven, the controls are unoriginal and the sound is pretty dull. Yet despite all this, I found myself playing Asphalt a lot. Unlocking new tracks and buying new cars is surprisingly rewarding, and the gameplay, while flawed, can also be intense and even addictive. While in no ways revolutionary, Asphalt offers a hearty dose of mostly solid driving action that racing fans will enjoy.

Time. It's one of the major factors working against the Nintendo DS, its launch titles and the game creators that worked on those titles. Between the time the system was announced in January, revealed in May, and launched in November, all in the same year, it's clearly not enough time to create a polished game experience. Most, if not all of the games released for the system have a varying sense of a rushed development cycle, but none show this more than Gameloft's Asphalt: Urban GT This title, a conversion of the recently-released racing game the team created for the N-Gage and cellphones, may be one of the few games to push the 3D capabilities of the Nintendo DS, but its entire production feels like it's built on a teetering foundation.

Asphalt Urban GT is een matige game die misschien wel lekker vloeiend loopt, maar niet echt gebruikt maakt van de kracht van de Nintendo DS. Het gebruik van het touchscreen is minimaal, om over het gebruik van de twee schermen maar te zwijgen. Ook de multiplayer-mode is vrij overbodig, want je komt vast niemand tegen met ook een kopie van deze game. Het is namelijk een multi-card multiplayer spel en ondersteunt dus ook geen download play, zoals je die misschien kent uit Super Mario 64 DS.

In light of newer releases, Asphalt Urban GT may seem obsolete, but despite its flaws, it really is a decent enough launch game - there's plenty of play time here and the multiplayer (one card per DS though) works well enough without offering anything we've not seen before.

If you've got a need for speed, Ubisoft and Gameloft's Asphalt Urban GT for the Nintendo DS allows you to burn rubber without leaving the house. Choose from 25 licensed cars that include models from Jaguar, Lamborghini, and Audi (among others) and then hit the streets in several real-world locations in a frantic race to the finish line. The game features detailed 3D visuals, the ability to tune and modify your ride, and wireless multiplayer for up to four other car fanatics, but some nagging flaws keep the game from shining, making it worth a look if you absolutely need a racing game for the DS, but trust me when I tell you that this is a ride that is definitely not worth taking.

We tend to obsess about realism in games, but as a human being stuck living in the real world, I’d definitely like to see my reality imitate video games a lot more. A great place to start would be with Ubisoft’s Asphalt Urban GT for the Nintendo DS. In this reality, cars never take damage and four-hundred miles per hour head-on collisions only result in a momentary loss of velocity. If the world were more like Asphalt Urban GT, I’d be able to drive to work with my eyes closed on the wrong side of the street without ever crashing. Then again, as this game proves, a world without consequences can go from zero to tedious in no time flat.

Sadly we're left with something that's equal parts awe-inspiring and awful. It's still better than the repetitive 2D titles that other mobile phones are limited to, but it just doesn't live up to its potential.

Asphalt: Urban GT's feature list reads like the mother of all handheld racing games: it's got 25 licensed vehicles, realistic graphics depicting real locations from New York to Cuba, options to tune and tweak your car's engine, multiple modes, turbo boost earned for doing drifts and stunts, and all the other good stuff you'd expect from a modern racer. And all those features are in there, yet somehow once you slip that cart into your Nintendo DS, it just doesn't all come together.

I didn't really enjoy playing this, and it actually made me feel nauseous during extended play. I can't seriously fault Asphalt Urban GT in any way, but there's nothing here to get excited about.