Asphalt Racing (DS)

[notoriusvig]

Has anyone here ever tried Asphalt for the DS? I just bought Ridge Racer DS and am loving that to death. I'd love to find another quality racer for the DS and was wondering if Asphalt was anywhere close to quality. I love playing time attack where the pre-registered times are easy to beat so I can post my own. How does the TA in Asphalt compare to Ridge Racer? Any help is appreciated.

[THATinkjar]

I'd love to find another quality racer for the DS...

Now there is something I never thought I would hear anyone say, unless it followed the words "Mario Kart DS". Honestly, Ridge Racer. @_@

[Gamereviewgod]

Loved Asphalt. Great controls, and probably the best looking racer on the console too.

http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/asphalt_ds.htm

[notoriusvig]

I'd love to find another quality racer for the DS...

Now there is something I never thought I would hear anyone say, unless it followed the words "Mario Kart DS". Honestly, Ridge Racer. @_@

I don't get people's problems with Ridge Racer DS. To me, it seems just as good as any of the PSX games. Is it because of the lack of an analog stick?

[THATinkjar]

I'd love to find another quality racer for the DS...

Now there is something I never thought I would hear anyone say, unless it followed the words "Mario Kart DS". Honestly, Ridge Racer. @_@

I don't get people's problems with Ridge Racer DS. To me, it seems just as good as any of the PSX games. Is it because of the lack of an analog stick?

Well, for me, I don't want to play a PlayStation 1 racing game any more. I just find the collision detection and graphics just plain horrible. What I don't get is people playing - and enjoying - a racing game on the DS - but that is just me. Even Burnout - a series which can do no wrong - is damn awful on the DS.

[notoriusvig]

Good point on it just being a PSX game rehashed but what's the problem with racing games in general on the DS?

[segagamer4life]

Loved Asphalt. Great controls, and probably the best looking racer on the console too.

http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/asphalt_ds.htm


yeah, gotta agree I actually enjoyed it more than RRDS... but both are good in their own right.

[THATinkjar]

Good point on it just being a PSX game rehashed but what's the problem with racing games in general on the DS?

For me, the controls are poor, the three-dimensional perspective can't be pulled off on the hardware, and I find it in no way fun.

But that is just me - I otherwise love the DS, I just don't think it was made for racing games :) But if you enjoy them, then that is pretty cool!

[davidbrit2]

I don't get people's problems with Ridge Racer DS. To me, it seems just as good as any of the PSX games. Is it because of the lack of an analog stick?

Control is terrible, physics and collision handling are laughable at best, etc. It just ends up being too hard for all the wrong reasons.

Personally, I loved Asphalt. I'd say it's the best auto racer on the DS. The only problem is that time attack mode is pretty week. It's little more than free run mode with a lap timer. The collision physics aren't the best, but they're still worlds better than what Ridge Racer offers.

[DigitalSpace]

I'd love to find another quality racer for the DS...

Now there is something I never thought I would hear anyone say, unless it followed the words "Mario Kart DS".

Heh, I would have a few months ago - but I've read a lot of stuff since and know what I want to check out whenever I get a DS (which I plan to do when I have some more money to burn):

Mario Kart DS
Asphalt
Ridge Racer
Ford Racing 3

Then again, racing is one of my favorite genres, so I'd even get the Need For Speed stuff if I found it cheap enough. I'm definitely going to stay away from Burnout though. I'm really disappointed with how that turned out).

[davidbrit2]

Don't bother with NFSU2. It's crap. Buy the GBA version instead, unless you like racing on roads made of mattresses in cars that flip all over the place like see-saws. It's rather shocking how bad it turned out after how good the GBA version was.

Ford Racing 3 is decent. The physics model could have used a little more work (grass and dirt have pretty much no effect), but the control is so good you probably won't care. Heh. Use the stylus for best results.

[THATinkjar]

I'd love to find another quality racer for the DS...

Now there is something I never thought I would hear anyone say, unless it followed the words "Mario Kart DS".

Heh, I would have a few months ago - but I've read a lot of stuff since and know what I want to check out whenever I get a DS (which I plan to do when I have some more money to burn):

Mario Kart DS
Asphalt
Ridge Racer
Ford Racing 3

Then again, racing is one of my favorite genres

If you want portable racing, you don't want a Nintendo DS. Where is the thrill? You can't make out what is in the distance, the controls are always so poor, etc. Honestly, if you're buying a DS because you're a racing fan, then I am completely confused.

[DigitalSpace]

Don't bother with NFSU2. It's crap. Buy the GBA version instead, unless you like racing on roads made of mattresses in cars that flip all over the place like see-saws. It's rather shocking how bad it turned out after how good the GBA version was.

Ford Racing 3 is decent. The physics model could have used a little more work (grass and dirt have pretty much no effect), but the control is so good you probably won't care. Heh. Use the stylus for best results.

Thanks for the heads-up. Guess I'll avoid NFSU 2 DS then. I have the GBA version, and it is indeed an excellent game.

And there's a lot of stuff from other genres that I want to check out for the DS too (notably Castlevania, Feel The Magic, Nanostray, and Trauma Center)

[n8littlefield]

How is Ford Racing 3 DS? I've heard it's really the best of the recent racers (Mario Kart excluded obviously). Is it any good?

[davidbrit2]

How is Ford Racing 3 DS? I've heard it's really the best of the recent racers (Mario Kart excluded obviously). Is it any good?

It's definitely a decent game, though saying it's the best might be pushing it a bit. The challenge modes add some interesting variety to the game. It's got just about the best, most responsive control of any DS racer (the touch screen control, anyway), and the varied environments look pretty decent. As a budget title, I'd say it was definitely worth the money. You'd be crazy not to pick it up for the $10 or so Best Buy is asking. Heh.

[dbiersdorf]

Asphalt Urban GT is the definition of an incomplete title and rushed to make launch. Not worth the money IMO.

[davidbrit2]

Asphalt Urban GT is the definition of an incomplete title and rushed to make launch. Not worth the money IMO.

I wouldn't go that far. Yeah, the collision physics and time attack mode could use a little more polish, but they're definitely not so bad that they make the game unenjoyable.

I'm just crossing my fingers that Asphalt 2 also makes the leap from NGage to DS eventually.

[dbiersdorf]

The collision detection is exactly what kills the game though, you'll find yourself racing and the slightest graze against a wall can bring you to a dead hault, yet you can collide head on with an oncoming car and fall into that spin motion and lose no speed what-so-ever. Not to mention what can happen when you hit a jump (guided by invisible walls anyone?), you can even find yourself going through ceilings.

It's a buggy game that was rushed, plain and simple.

[davidbrit2]

Solution: play better and don't hit so much shit. ;-) Besides, it's nothing a quick nitro can't mostly fix.

[notoriusvig]

How is the time trial on Asphalt? Is it "beat the clock style" where you have to beat a pre-determined time or is it similar to Ridge Racer where you can place your own times on a ranking board?

[davidbrit2]

How is the time trial on Asphalt? Is it "beat the clock style" where you have to beat a pre-determined time or is it similar to Ridge Racer where you can place your own times on a ranking board?

It's mostly just a free run mode that shows your section and lap times as you go around endlessly. It's a bit disappointing, to be honest. Other than that, I played the hell out of the game.

[dbiersdorf]

Solution: play better and don't hit so much shit. ;-) Besides, it's nothing a quick nitro can't mostly fix.

How is that a solution? A solution would be ship the game back to the developer and fix the broken gameplay.

[davidbrit2]

That hardly qualifies as "broken gameplay". It's a very minor detail compared to all the stuff they got right. And it's still tons better than the crap in Ridge Racer. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to have CPU cars ram you from behind, and pass through you at huge speeds, while you suddenly grind to a near halt needs to be shot.

[notoriusvig]

How is the time trial on Asphalt? Is it "beat the clock style" where you have to beat a pre-determined time or is it similar to Ridge Racer where you can place your own times on a ranking board?

It's mostly just a free run mode that shows your section and lap times as you go around endlessly. It's a bit disappointing, to be honest. Other than that, I played the hell out of the game.

I bought Asphalt earlier today and I'm playing time attack and it doesn't appear to save any of the lap times once you quit the race. Please tell me there is a way to keep your scores, otherwise the time attack is completely pointless.

[davidbrit2]

Yeah, like I said, time attack seems completely pointless. ;_; I seem to recall it saves best lap times or something while racing, but I forget the details.

[notoriusvig]

Yeah, like I said, time attack seems completely pointless. ;_; I seem to recall it saves best lap times or something while racing, but I forget the details.

Yea, the time attack basically seems like a glorified practice session. I could've atleast given this game a chance if it had any sort of dedicated time trial mode. I'm also starting to see some of the problems people were complaining about with DS racers, like not being able to see turns in front of you until you're right there. Back to Ridge Racer for me.

I wish there were better racers on the DS. Both Ford Racing 3 and Asphalt have remnants of good racers but neither the entire package to be a truly good game. I'm not even going to bother with the Need For Speed games or Burnout.

[jdc]

Thanks for the heads up on the NFSU game. I was going to reluctantly buy the DS version (used) but now I'll head straight for the GBA one.

I played the amazing RR on PSP and was surprised that the DS would have problems with a simpler version of the N64 game. It's starting to show up super cheap around here in the used sections. Maybe I'll take my DS to our local shop and test run a copy.

I've been a longtime fan of the Ford Racing games and I'm glad (and not surprised) to hear that it's playable.

I bought a cheap used copy of Asphalt DS even before I bought a DS to play it on. I find that it takes a few laps to get zoned into the graphic "clutter" but it's a sufficient "Turismo" for the DS.

[davidbrit2]

I find that it takes a few laps to get zoned into the graphic "clutter" but it's a sufficient "Turismo" for the DS.

Yeah, some of those tracks are a little tough to see where they go, since there's so much stuff going on. Heh. Paris in particular is a little tricky to navigate at times. Try playing that course on an NGage screen if you're feeling brave.

[devilman]

On the subject of driving games, has anyone played Big Mutha Truckers DS? I can't find a review anywhere. I quite enjoyed the Cube version for some reason and wondered if the DS version was worth picking up - or is there a lack of reviews for a reason? ;)

Oh, and I picked up Asphalt Racing on the strength of this thread and I'm pretty impressed with it so far - although I feel the game would be better without nitros and jumps.

[notoriusvig]

Is Big Mutha Truckers even out? I've never seen it at any of the local stores.

[devilman]

There are a few copies on Ebay at the moment and I was going to pick one up but there's a serious lack of info about it. A few UK places (like Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009RF7QG/soundsvault-21/202-1721950-5844609)) have it in too.

[CreamSoda]

I'm glad to see some fans of Urban GT out there! I got the game last year right around when I got my DS(just after launch). And I always found it to be quite an underrated racer, I consider it to be "Gran Turismo: Ultra Lite" LOL

Pros: Very nice 3D graphics and a solid framerate, Plenty of different tracks, Nice selection of Lisenced cars!, Decent challenge and replay value, Music is easy on the ears.

Cons: Collision detection is just odd and a real pain, Time Trial mode sucks, Once you've beat the main mode there isn't much to go back to, Recovering from a crash has almost no penalty(you will catch up in a matter of seconds).

Overall I consider it to be a great little handheld racer, with some considerable flaws(but luckily they don't ruin the game).

Overall: 8.7/10

[phreak97]

i liked asphalt, but if youre looking for a realistic racer, it's not for you.. the collisions are unrealistic, but then, it's an arcade racer, not a racing simulator. they are two different genres, dont anyone forget that.
i could list alot of problems with asphalt, but in the end, who cares, it's good fun. imo it's a good game. dont bother using the stylus though, they programmed it horribly.

[PDorr3]

I thought this was a very solid racer, also had great bright and vivid graphics. Despite its flaws, I think it is a solid game as well, and rarely ever gets frustrating.