3-D Ultra RC Racers Deluxe - Traxxas Edition

You’ve taken the turn too wide and find your car in the mouth of the Doberman, being shaken madly for a few moments. By the time the dog releases you, you’ve slipped from first to fourth place in a field of four cars.

You’ve seen those radio-controlled cars, the ones that make the high-whining sound and zip along. Well, you won’t have to invest a lot of money to have one, or to race along wild and exotic tracks. Sierra Attractions has seen to that with the release of 3-D Ultra Radio Control Racers Deluxe Traxxas Edition.

RC Racers is a fast-paced product that neatly combines thumb-to-the-throttle action with arcade pleasure.

There are 14 tracks with names such as Thrill Ride, Frog Pond, Hillbilly Hill, Backyard, Traxxas Raceway, Desert, MiniGolf, Haunted, Aztec and Ultimate R/C – to name but a few. Along the way you will see a variety of objects that you can run over to give your little vehicle something special – like a missile (it’s a bottle rocket) that seeks out and blasts the leader of the race. You can also get an electric field, can drop a firecracker or turn invisible. If you are invisible, other cars present no challenge, nor are you targeted by bomb-throwing gnomes, or any of the other obstacles, which will try to ruin your run for the gold.

There are a variety of ways to play the game – against the computer, against another player using different controls on a split screen, or race the circuit. If you want something completely different, try the R/C Battle. There are two games here, both utilizing the Radio Controlled Cars. The first is soccer. You use your car to bump the ball into the opponent's net. The second is Battle Ball, which is a game played in a concrete pit.

If you decide to race the circuit, you may want to customize your vehicle a little. There is a complete shop, which allows you the options of doing a custom paint job, and upgrading your racer – once you have the money you’ve won from races.

Sierra is promoting the All Play No Work theme with this game, and if you think that means you won’t have your work cut out for you, think again. The vehicle turns on a dime, making it hypersensitive to controls. The joystick seems the easiest way to negotiate, with the keyboard running second. The game pad presented an endless stream of turning too far, stopping, and going backwards with a slight rub of the control pad.

The game is colorful, and features a wonderful assortment of tracks for every gamer’s racing pleasure. Some are much harder to navigate than others, but each track is rated so you will know exactly what you are getting into. The sound is a combination of arcade power-ups, announcers who can be redundant but who are initially amusing (‘Well slap me and call me Sally,’ one proclaims. Whack! ‘Hello Sally,’ sneers the other), and the ever-present whine of the little engines.

3-D Ultra Radio Control Racers Deluxe Traxxas Edition is a program that requires little though and elicits a lot of fun. Each race does not take too long, which means you’ll have time to sneak in a quick trip around the track between breakfast and heading out to work. After all, going to the job with a smile is a great way to start the day.

This program is rated for Everyone.

Install: Easy. The typical install is only 55 megs, while the large install is a mere 175. It may not set records for speediest install, but it still does not take long.

Gameplay: 8. The action is non-stop with just enough arcade adds to make each lap of every race fun.

Graphics: 8.5. The aerial perspective gives an excellent look at all the elements of this program. Not only are the graphical elements bright and colorful, but the tracks offer a variety of shapes and layouts.

Sound: 7.5. If I hear “where is he going?” one more time, I’m going to scream. Aside from some redundancy in the announcing department, the sounds of this game are consistent with the settings.

Difficulty: 8. This program does offer a track for every taste and ability.

Concept: 7. Sierra has had a similar program with similar tracks. The addition of other tracks makes this a lot of fun.