Fox Sports Racing Review

Challenging your racing mind as well as your reflexes, Sorrent's Fox Sports Racing is a superior driving simulation.

Sorrent's Fox Sports Racing is, almost unquestionably, the best racer on mobile. In addition to the solid visual presentation that is the hallmark of the Fox Sports series, Racing brings to the table some deep, involving gameplay mechanics. In this thinking-man's racing game, simply staying on the track isn't going to lead to any victories. You must know how hard to take turns, when to pit-in, and how to draft behind a car without colliding with it.

Racing's gameplay is deceptively simple because, on closer examination, it proves quite complex. Probably the coolest feature is its drafting system. When you are directly behind an opponent's car, he cuts the air for you, thus giving you a speed boost. This is represented by a special "draft meter," which, when you are directly behind your rival, fills completely and turns red, temporarily making you lightning fast.

I know of no other mobile racer that allows for a variety of play styles the way FSR does. You can draft closely behind cars, barreling through them if necessary, or you can be more careful by making tight turns to gain an edge over the AI opponents. The game will ask you to pit-in twice per race. I always opt to do so the first time I'm asked. I then have the pit crew completely refill my tank, rather than just giving me a splash of gas. Sure, it takes a bit longer, but running out of juice when you're in first is a major buzz kill.

The game offers three rather challenging modes of difficulty: Rookie, Pro, and Veteran, respectively. On the latter mode, you'll have to race pretty flawlessly if you hope to take first, which is the only position considered a win.

It would be a crime to talk about Fox Sports Racing without, at least, giving its excellent graphics a mention. Each of the game's five tracks is easily distinguishable from the others, with its own background and roadside landmarks. The road itself is beautifully textured and highlighted. It looks like the asphalt it's supposed to be. The cars are equally well rendered, although they lack the variety of the game's tracks. The only differences between the cars of your three opponents are the colors. In addition, a slight bug sometimes causes the car behind you, if the driver's close enough, to flash onscreen for a split second. Overall, though, Fox Sports Racing is some nice eye candy.

One aspect of Racing that is less-than-stellar is its sound. You hear some cool engine noise when you start a race, but after that initial moment of exhilaration, the game becomes completely silent. The next time you hear a sound is at the end of the race, when you are regaled by a little midi as you look at your time and, possibly, enter your initials into the "Best Times" list for the particular track on which you just raced. It would have been cool to hear engine noise throughout the races--possibly even accompanied by a bit of music.

I also found the game's control a bit trying at times. To take turns, you must continually steer into the turn. Simply holding down a directional key won't suffice. You have to press and release and then lather, rinse, and repeat. Taking a curve feels like a constant struggle, because your car desperately vies to go off-road.

A few flaws aren't going to keep this title down, though. Challenging your racing mind as well as your reflexes, Sorrent's Fox Sports Racing is a superior driving simulation. With five challenging courses and three modes of difficulty, you're not going to tire of it anytime soon, either. Racing is a superior effort.

The Good

  • N/A

The Bad

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