Sega Rally Championship, despite numerous graphical flaws, is one of the greatest arcade racers of all time.
The game is centred on a "World Championship" mode, which consists of three superb stages: (Desert, Forest and Mountain). Each of these courses have their own unique challenges and features. The players aim here is to reach first place, but since it is impossible to do so by the end of the first stage the player must race across all three stages; overtaking opponents and beating record times to achieve his goal. If the player has reached the dizzying heights of pole position by the third stage, they play on to race against they're only opponent for the championship on a fourth secret circuit called "Lakeside". Once the player has won the championship, this circuit can also be raced in "Time Attack" mode.
Also in the game are three fully licensed rally cars. These are the sixth generation Toyota Celica, the Lancia Delta HF Intergrale and the legendary Lancia Stratos HF. The Stratos is only unlocked after beating the championship and like the "Lakeside" course, can be raced in "Time Attack" mode from there on.
On starting the game up, you will notice almost immediately that the graphics are far from perfect. Converting a video game from an ultra-powerful arcade machine onto an inferior home console hasn't done the game any favours. Fore instance, compared to its arcade equivalent the home console conversion suffers from a slightly choppy frame rate. And occasionally the on screen image will warp and bend in a way the Star Trek Enterprise could only dream about. Thankfully, such issues do not hamper game play to such a significant extent where it becomes unplayable, and the level of texture detail is actually very decent indeed.
Sega has done a brilliant job composing the soundtrack for this game. The music is perfectly suited to this gaming genre, being fast, fun and energetic.
However, the most impressive aspect of this game is undoubtedly the game play. Sega Rally is innovative in portraying the unique driving characteristics of each different type of surface. As unusual as this feature may be for an arcade racer, no other game comes to mind where the racing is as challenging, satisfying and most importantly, FUN!
In conclusion although Sega Rally may wilt slightly in the form of visual imperfections, the gameplay more than makes up for it. In no other game is drifting through sharp bends, landing fearsome jumps, and making mince meat out of your petty opponents more exhilarating. This arcade classic is a must own for rally fans and gamers alike. It me be rather short on content, but will entertain you for a long, long time!