Alright, if you ever saw this game in the arcade, you would look at it in amusement, and go play the air hockey game beside it. The arcade game is big and bulky, with a gigantic trucker steering wheel, which is hard to control, and takes the fun out the gameplay, despite their attempts on making it more realistic. In the PS2 version, it is basically a compact version of the arcade games, with a few little bonuses too! Gameplay: My main complaint is that this game is unbelievably short and it can be mastered in under an hour. Now, the main reason for this is the fact that it was a perfect transfer of an arcade game to console. Of course, when the arcade has four levels in the first place, and that is all that is added to the PS2 game, you play an extremely short game. The premise is simple. You must control a truck and get it to its destination on time. Watch out for the rival trucker you are racing, perform some road rage, and compete in bonus rounds to unlock bonus parts for your truck. Now, you are thinking, well why the heck would I want to drive a truck in the first place? Well, it is more fun than you might think. While you are playing, you experience beautifully crafted roads and cars that you race in and round, and sometimes, on top of. You can gain speed boosts by doing certain things, such as a "Slipstream". Once you figure out how to get past the first round, and if you finish first, you reach a bonus level. Back up your truck right or park it depending on the bonus level to unlock parts. Better engines and horns for example can be unlocked. Continue through the four rounds or so until the ending. All the while, choose which kind of tanker/trailer you want to have on your truck. Bigger, heavier tankers= More $$$, but a slower ride. The problem in this game is that once you beat this game, the first thing you will want to do is get all the bonus parts. You would figure you would unlock them for good right? Wrong. This game, when it gets down to it, has no point, except the your personal records, to save at all, as the stuff you unlock for your truck is thrown away by the next race. Choose from a list of characters, each with different stats and a different styled truck. They each comment out random sayings making the game humorous. By getting high scores, mastering the game or using cheats are two characters which were not available in the arcade version. Even though they are Japenese characters, which makes the stuff on the truck impossible to read unless you can read Japenese, they are still fun to race with. I can not stress enough how short this game is. For that, I rate the gameplay 6/10. If they would have used their good concept on some more levels, then it would have had more fun. Grahpics: The graphics are great. It is everything you could expect from an arcade game, transferred onto a PS2. They are not insanely realistic, but are detailed and colorful. The surroundings in which you race have a lot of variety, and change constantly. From Canyons to Tornados. Graphics: 7/10 Music: There really wasn't anything that great about the sound in this game. They comment out a little, and the horns and stuff make the proper sounds, but there really is no actual music in this game. Music/Sound: 4/10 Rent or Buy? RENT!!! Just do yourself a favor and have fun with this game by renting it. You will enjoy it, and feel like you saved 50 bucks of arcade quarters, until you feel like you have had enough and can return it. OVERALL: Just because the game was too short, I give it a 6.25/10. But not enough for a seven.
Other Helpful Reviews for 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker
Buying this game in the used section at a blockbuster for $7 was Not a good deal. If you find this game in the bargain bin, leave it there. I read the back and thought ok I’ll put my trucker hat on and give it a go. Big ... Read Full Review
In the Arcade mode you have to be faster than your rival. Use shortcuts to finish first. You're driving in a truck, so it's a bit more difficult to avoid traffic. You also have to be aware that you don't breake as fast a... Read Full Review
