You'd think that a port of a three-year-old arcade game wouldn't stand the test of time very well, especially in the crowded and constantly improving driving-game genre. Remarkably, however, Ferrari F355 Challenge holds up admirably, and even though it's no longer the revolutionary racing simulator that it was three years ago, it's still an enjoyable game. Originally simply called F355 Challenge, the game was first released in arcades in 1999 and then was subsequently ported to the Dreamcast one year later. It was notable because, aside from its great graphics and realistic physics, the game actually taught you the mechanics of racing through the use of tutorials, driving aids, and a breakdown of your car's performance data after every race. F355 Challenge was clearly meant for experienced players, though it was completely accommodating to novice gamers who sought to better their driving skills. That same essence lives on in Ferrari F355 Challenge for the PlayStation 2.

Unlike other driving games, this one features but a single car...

Developed by AM2, Ferrari F355 Challenge is designer Yu Suzuki's video game tribute to the Italian prancing horse. Unlike other driving games, this one features but a single car--the Challenge version of the Ferrari F355 F1. Ferrari's Challenge program has been around since the days of the 348, and it is designed to give Ferrari owners a chance to test their mettle against their peers on professional racecourses. Even though the newer 360 Modena is the racecar of choice in Challenge races today, the only car that you'll race with and against in this game is the F355.

At its core, Ferrari F355 Challenge for the PlayStation 2 is similar to its Dreamcast predecessor. The game has the same 11 internationally recognized racetracks--Motegi, Suzuka, Suzuka short, Atlanta, Sugo, Monza, Fiorano, Sepang, Long Beach, Laguna Seca, and Nurburgring--that were featured in the earlier iteration of F355 Challenge, and if you haven't played the Dreamcast version in a while, you probably wouldn't notice any differences between the two games. They're certainly there, though you'll have to look hard to spot them. The biggest change is a completely revised interface that looks much slicker than the older one. From here, you can scroll horizontally between the game's different modes, the two most important of which are the arcade and championship options. The former of these two modes is a mirror image of the Dreamcast game's single-player mode, wherein you can race on any racetrack of your choosing, though all 11 tracks are available to you right away in the PlayStation 2 version, while you had to earn that particular privilege in the Dreamcast game. The championship mode, too, has also been slightly revised. Here, you'll race on only six of the game's 11 tracks, though the six are randomly chosen and change depending on the difficulty. On the easiest setting, you'll race across the game's simple tracks, like the ovals of Motegi and Atlanta, whereas you'll have to commit to multiple seasons, race against more-experienced drivers, and contend with more-technical courses like Laguna Seca and Suzuka on the harder settings.

...the Challenge version of the Ferrari F355 F1.

One of the more noticeable differences between the two games is the addition of the "great driver challenge" mode, which is supposed to teach you how to "drive like a gentleman." Regardless of its silly name, this mode does a good job of using a points system as incentive to become a better racecar driver. Basically, it penalizes you for poor racing techniques like hitting another car or temporarily leaving the track, while rewarding you for doing things like overtaking opponents, drafting, drifting through corners, posting the fastest lap, and placing in the top three. As you earn points, you'll be able to move on to other tracks, and you'll also unlock pictures and movies of actual Challenge races, F355 cars, and other Ferrari events and memorabilia. There are a total of 39 pieces of unlockable media, and you can scroll through them in the gallery, which is yet another new addition to the PlayStation 2 version of Ferrari F355 Challenge. Other enhancements to the PlayStation 2 version include support for 16:9 TVs and the ability to play the game using Logitech's GT Force or Driving Force wheel and pedal combination.