Race Driver: Create & Race Hands-On

Analysts have said that the Nintendo DS will be the most popular console of all time, but the DS can't yet lay claim to having a proper racing sim in its current catalogue of games. Codemasters' Race Driver series, which competes with the Gran Turismo, Project Gotham, and Forza series on the home consoles, is now arriving on the DS, complete with a brand-new track designing element. Race Driver: Create & Race is heading exclusively to Nintendo's console this summer, but we were given a sneaky hands-on with the game during a recent visit to Codemasters.

Create & Race has been modeled on the console versions of Race Driver 3, so all the cars and championships from that game have been shrunk down to fit on a DS cartridge. This means that 32 real-world circuits from around the world have been included, such as Silverstone, the Nurburgring, and Bathurst. These circuits can be raced on with 25 official cars from the world of motorsports, which range from such traditional racing cars to the Chevrolet Silverado Truck.

Although Race Driver: Create & Race is still some months away from release, it's impressive to see the game running on the DS with both good-quality graphics and a very smooth frame rate. While it's true that the amount of trackside detail has been scaled back quite dramatically, the cars themselves boast recognisable livery details and feel like they're really sticking to the road. The bottom screen displays the races in full 3D, while the top screen shows your position on the map, as well as your competitors. You control the car with the face buttons and the D pad; no touch-screen controls have been implemented into the racing elements of the game.

The gameplay in Create & Race is very similar to that of the previous Race Driver games, although the level of realism has dropped slightly. For example, the preview build had a boost option that you could use simply by revving your engine at the start of each race, which should be a familiar concept if you've played such arcade games as Ridge Racer and Wipeout Fusion. In general, the handling is also a lot more forgiving than on other platforms, making it easier for novice players to finish a lap without continually crashing. The designer that we spoke to also said he was toying with the idea of removing penalty flags and encouraging players to veer off the track where it offers a strategic advantage. But fear not, simulation fans, because damage will still be implemented in the final version, and you'll be able to ramp up the difficulty level if you're after a challenge.

The main modes of play will be career, challenges, and time trials. The first two modes will offer the skill-based elements from the recent TOCA: Race Driver 3 Challenge on the PlayStation Portable. This means that in addition to the familiar standard races, you'll have to take part in challenges that test your ability to follow the racing line, brake effectively, and drive without damaging your car. If you beat these challenges, then you'll unlock the next race, and there are further rewards available for those who can master the tracks.

The track builder mode is Create & Race's unique selling point on the DS platform. Track-mastery achievements let you buy new items in the track builder mode. You can build an entire track in a matter of minutes using the touch screen to select elements and then drop them down in the centre of the screen. After the basic straights and curves are in place, such elements as windmills, trees, and lakes can be placed alongside the tracks. Then you can finish off by adding a starting grid and grandstands for the spectators. You can also alter the weather conditions to add rain, and seconds later, you can jump into your creation to try out a test lap.

Four bespoke tracks can be saved on the DS cartridge, and they will be playable with up to four people all over the world via the online infrastructure mode or locally via ad hoc multiplayer. While the game is given a variety of names across the globe because of licensing issues, such as DTM Race Driver: Create & Race in Germany and V8 Supercars 3: Create & Race in Australasia, the good news is that all versions will be compatible online. When we asked Codemasters about the possibility of uploading your tracks to a central server, they said it was being looked into but that no announcements could be made as of yet.

The DS interpretation of the Race Driver series looks like it has a lot going for it, from an impressive racing engine to a well-implemented track design mode. We'll always welcome a racing game with online multiplayer functionality, and while only four custom tracks can be saved to the cartridge, it's great to see that they can be played with friends. Race Driver: Create & Race is due for release in summer this year, and as long as it stays on track, you can expect more from us on the game soon.