Trackmania: United
Score: 90% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Focus Home Interactive Developer: Nadeo Media: Download/1 Players: 1; 2 - 32 (Online) Genre: Racing (Arcade)/ Editor/ Online
Graphics & Sound: My love for Nadeo's TrackMania games probably stems from my love of Hot Wheels when I was younger - especially those orange track sets. I would spend hours twisting and wrapping the tracks around as much of my room as possible, all for the satisfaction of placing that little car into the blue launcher and sending it around half the track before it would slow down and fall off. TrackMania United is the latest game in the series. The concepts at play in the game haven't changed much; instead, it is more of a refinement of the series that will keep you hooked race, after race, after race. The layout of tracks range from basic to complex, though all share the same high end visuals. TrackMania United doesn't go for an ultra realistic look, instead opting for arcade-styled visuals. Some cars resemble real cars while others look like they were driven out of a concept gallery. Tracks are built around lavish views of cityscapes, forests and islands and feature all sorts of glitz like neon lights and sunsets. Some will even show time of day changes. The only downside are the in-game ad that are posted in every track. I personally don't mind ads, though it is worth mentioning if you are the type that despises the trend. Music matches each tracks setting perfectly and helps to set the mood of each race. This is to be expected, except that you (hopefully) spend so little time in each track that it can be hard to grab you. It wouldn't hurt if the sound effects were a little more prominent, but overall they are good.
Gameplay: Gameplay is split among several modes. Race is a barebones mode where you run tracks trying to get the best time. The name suggests opponents, though you are only going up against ghost cars that are around to give you an idea of how you are doing and to give you a little motivation. As you finish races, you'll earn gold, silver and bronze medals. Hitting requisite medal counts will unlock new tracks. Depending on the type of race you are competing in, you can find yourself racing on anything from a dirt track to an open-aired stadium. Platform is perhaps the game's most addictive mode. Here you have to complete a track without restarting too much. Easy, except that tracks are laid out in such a way that it takes fancy driving to make it through unscathed. You have to remember the order to hit certain elements or get timings of floating platforms down... it requires a lot of trial-and-error gameplay, but in the end, it is rewarding if you're up to the challenge. Puzzle presents a twist on this mode by having you create the tracks yourself, though it isn't nearly as fun. You can also take races online which are really great thanks in huge part to the game's community. Every track has online leaderboards and getting to the top of one is a challenge. Trying to match some track times can sometimes feel like just as much of a puzzle as Platform Mode. You can also download player-created tracks.
Difficulty: Races are very fast and rarely last over three minutes, and even then, you're probably not going fast enough to snag a medal. Getting through the race as fast as possible is where all of TrackMania United's challenge comes from; just one slip up can cost that one or two seconds that divide first and second place. The pacing of tracks is handled really well. Short loop tracks and new elements, like jumps and drops, are slowly introduced as you unlock new tracks. Both normal races and Platform levels require a lot of trial-and-error, though the game moves so fast that you shouldn't feel bogged down unless you are on a particularly tricky track. Platform gets a tad more frustrating.
Game Mechanics: TrackMania United is an arcade racer with a slant towards the fast, slippery side. Physics are very loose and cars handle like they are made of a light plastic rather than metal. Although these are things other racing games are criticized for, they are what make TrackMania what it is. Cars handle really well, even when using the arrow keys on the keyboard. Tracks are built with the bouncy, slick feel in mind. Some tracks feature massive jumps, others take place on half-pipes and some even have big loops to climb through. Better yet, a track editor is available that will let you build and race through any track you can dream up. TrackMania United is a fun, fast-paced and addictive racing game. Long time fans will certainly like what the game offers, though it really doesn't change much of anything so it may not feel as new or exciting as it will for newcomers. If the chance to drive fast or just relive your childhood memories of playing with Hot Wheels appeals to you, be sure to download TrackMania United off of Steam.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
Minimum System Requirements: Windows XP/ Vista; Direct X 9; Pentium IV 1.6 GHz or equivalent; 256 MB RAM; 16 MB VRAM; Internet Connection   Test System: Windows Vista; 1.6 GHz Dual-Core processor; 2 Gig RAM; Direct X v.10; 120 GB HDD; GeForce Go7600
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