GameCube

Burnout

Burnout is arcade racing like it was meant to be. Fast, furious and engrossing with a superb control system, great graphics and a constantly flat out frame rate. For four wheeled action on the GameCube you can't buy a better title than Burnout.

Burnout is not flawless, but its few drawbacks (the short time limits, strict boundaries and lack of length) matter little in the end. Its wicked gameplay dominates the experience making Burnout a must play, even if you’re not a fan of the genre. One of the best racing games on the GC, and in my opinion, one of the best arcade-inspired racers period.

Well then, it really goes without saying: You really need to play this game. Make the trek down to the local games place or major rental chain, plop down the $6 to take it home, and play it. Enjoy the experience that this game brings, because it's pretty damn cool to do the things that this game does. It's a rush, for sure. As a whole, Burnout is a great racing experience, although a bit lacking in the extras area, which leaves a question mark for potential buyers. But still, it's a must-play, and it's the type of game that can be perfected with a really good sequel.

Wer ein „richtiges“ Rennspiel sucht und mit der Jetski-Raserei von Nintendo nichts anfangen kann, wird mit Burnout seine helle Freude haben. Mich als erklärten Fußgänger und U-Bahn-Fahrgast hat die wahnwitzige Raserei jedenfalls sofort gepackt. Gerade die Tatsache, dass hier die Renn-Action mitten im normalen Straßenverkehr stattfindet, macht die Faszination dieses Titels aus. Wenn echtes Autofahren nur halb so spaßig wäre wie eine Runde Burnout, dann würde ich sofort meinen Führerschein machen!

Burnout is a fast paced thrill ride through a variety of different environments. It’s the fastest, most intense racing game I’ve ever played. With its beautiful graphics and smooth framerate, it’s a great game all around.

Originality isn't really Burnout's strong point. It's that the game combines so many elements of other racers, and uses them to its advantage to create a look and feel that stands out in its own right, and impressionably overall is a worthwhile experience. While Burnout might not be the best racing game on the GameCube, it's one you should certainly try out just to say that you've been there, and done that, and you had a good time with one of Acclaim's latest and greatest racing titles.

The game's most important aspect, control, is as sharp as your reflexes' you'll be darting in and out of traffic in no time, and the faster cars with looser handling will put you to the test. Only the music' a lackluster combination of generic dance beats and tire squeals seems lacking. Burnout is a low-profile, working-man's arcade racer low on flash, high on crash. It delivers the goods seek it out.

And finally, the Time Attack. No opponents, no traffic, just you and the road. Try and beat your time and hone your skills for the Championship mode. Ok, so we've covered the play modes, but are they any fun? Try driving down the wrong side of a busy motorway, getting as close as you can to other cars just so you can get another boost, as the one you are currently using is just about to run out. Moves like this are made easier but three different control modes. You have the A = accelerate, B = brake, R = boost set-up -- where you can also use the C-stick to give you analog acceleration and braking -- as well as the R = accelerate, L = brake setup that seems to have become the standard for driving games these days.

Burnout is a truly unique racing experience and should not be missed by racing genre aficionados. The excellent graphics and spectacular settings make Burnout a truly enjoyable gaming experience.

Acclaim continues to reign king of racing on GameCube with the release of Burnout, a visually improved and control-tweaked port of the PlayStation 2 version that released November 2001. It's an arcade racer through and through, and is a markedly different experience for Nintendo's still growing next-generation system. As opposed to the fantasy titles Extreme G III and Smashing Drive, the Criterion-developed racer pits you in vehicles and environments reminiscent of the real world. Burnout brings gamers on the edges of their seats, and sends them rocketing down four-lane highways into oncoming traffic at 60 frames per second. Featuring an unprecedented sense of speed, tight control, and addictive gameplay mechanics Burnout is more than worth a look for racing fans. Only its longevity, lack of extra polish, and arcade influence may turn would-be buyers away.

The main problem with the game lies with its use of timers and checkpoints. Like many arcade racers, the game is really a race against the clock, and not making it to the next checkpoint in time will end your game even if you're in first place! Another issue is how the transparent green arrows tend to have traffic coming out of them, which is hard to see. Finally, after a wreck, you often find yourself resuming the race in a far better position! This is especially unfair in the two-player mode, where you can pass a crashed player only to have him reappear ahead of you! Problems like this add an element of frustration to an otherwise outstanding racer. But then again, that's what sequels are for.

Difficile de résister aux attraits de ce titre hallucinant de dynamisme. Dommage que cette version GameCube ne soit qu'un simple portage de l'opus PS2 et que l'on ne trouve pas d'option 4 joueurs. L'intérêt du jeu reste relativement limité sur la durée, mais l'expérience est inoubliable.

Simply put, Burnout is something every arcade-racing aficionado will appreciate. Unfortunately, it is a bit on the short side, with only a few extras are available after the initial gorging on championships, but overall, it's well worth it. Short but sweet, and leaving you waiting for more, this game will easily take you for the best ride the GameCube has to offer.

Burnout is a run-of-the-mill arcade driving game that features spectacular crashes. But after a few hours of playtime, the crashes will begin to grate on the nerves and you're left with a game that can easily be completed in a day. With 14 tracks and just a few hidden cars to unlock, it offers very little in the way of replay value. If you're desperate for a new driving game for your GameCube, rent Burnout and get it out of your system. Because of superior controls and Dolby support, the GameCube version of Burnout is the best available, but it's hard to recommend as a purchase because it fails to do anything that prior games in the genre haven't done already.

In the end, the core gameplay of Burnout is great, but there are far too many areas that leave the player feeling empty and unsatisfied. The final credits will roll far quicker than they should, and then you will simply be left wanting more, even though there is no more. Back at the GameCube’s launch, though, this was by far the most impressive racer available. But now you would be well advised to steer clear and plump for Burnout 2: Point of Impact instead.

Burnout is your typical arcade racer. There are four main modes of gameplay: Championship, Single Race, Head-to-Head, and Time Attack. In Championship mode, players compete in a series of races with set ranking goals. Fail to finish the race in the aforementioned rank, or fail to meet all of your checkpoints in time, and your race is over. It's pretty straightforward. Single Race is just that, one race at a time. Head-to-Head mode pits two players against each other in a split-screen race, and in Time Attack you race against your best time. Nothing out of the norm here.

Few car-racing games get a lot of media attention. Games in the spotlight include the Gran Turismo series and the Ridge Racer franchise. Burnout, on the other hand, did get people's attention, but is seen by many as just an okay game. To put it short, Burnout is just an average racer with nice graphics. It would have received a higher score if it was deeper, had better music, and licensed cars. The game isn't terrible; it isn't great either

Si Burnout est une semi-déception dans son portage bien trop semblable à la version originale, il n'en demeure pas moins un excellent choix pour les fans de courses 100% arcade peu regardant sur la qualité purement graphique. Cartons monstrueux, ralentis somptueux, trafic dense et circuits variés font de ce titre un des tous meilleurs de sa catégorie toutes plates-formes confondues, même si on peut regretter que l'IA soit trop scriptée et que la durée de vie en solo soit limitée. Malgré cela, le jeu est enthousiasmant d'efficacité et de simplicité et les aficionados de l'arcade n'auront d'autres choix que d'aller se le procurer pied au plancher.