Sprint RG Published by Clickgamer, Price: $7.95
Reviewed April 2004 by Tony Peak

Developed by Concrete Udder and published by Clickgamer, Sprint RG is billed as a recreation of the classic arcade game Super Sprint, so to understand Sprint RG perhaps it's best to first understand Super Sprint.

Super Sprint was an arcade title from around 1986. It featured three steering wheels with a pedal each and three player action. Even without knowing Super Sprint, making a sprite speed up, turn, and stop if it hits an obstacle is one of the basic game formulas that every programmer should know. Sprint RG tries to take this classic concept and run with it, but along the way I feel it gets tripped up.

Super Sprint is an 18-year-old arcade game, and the pocket version Sprint RG still found a way to scale down on some of the features. Gone are the pickup items from Super Sprint, the wrenches to improve your car, and the multiplayer action. The track layouts are basically the same, but some visual details and a few track features have been removed.

In any driving game, AI often will make or break a game. In Sprint RG, the AI did not help the gameplay. The three cars controlled by the AI follow the same path, never changing. The orange car is always first, the blue car always last. Collision mechanics didn't fair much better. Nothing you do can disrupt the AI's path, even hitting them will only affect you and not them. I've even seen the AI cars push right through me several times. Hitting the walls often means instantly slowing your car to a stop rather than simply ricocheting off the wall with a slight speed drop as you'd imagine. You will need to race 30 times on 8 tracks in one setting to get on the highscore board. There aren't any vehicle upgrade or other bonus for each victor.

If the AI isn't up to par, why the game is worth playing? The graphics. The developers did a good job with the size limitations compared to Super Sprint, which showed the entire track on one screen. Though the track layouts were directly port from the Super Sprint, they look good on a smaller screen. Sound and music are very good, above the standard Pocket PC fare with some music track looping.

In the end, Sprint RG might be a nice eye candy, but the AI needs some improvement. Feature such as time trials without computers, ghost car racing, recording best race times, and play that actually acknowledges when you finish the game would be icing on the cake. If you're looking for a quick racing fix that's easy on the eye, check out this title. If you want a more complete gameplay experience, titles like Gangsta Race might be better to fit the bill.

For more info on Super Sprint check out these sites:

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9952

http://www.appolo.com/collection/supersprint/super_sprint.htm

Playing Hints and Tips

•  Don't try to cheat by not following the course… it won't tell you you're going the wrong way, and it won't work. You'll just have to start the race over.

•  The AI is very predictable, simply watch the path and drive around them. It won't speed up, slow down, or try to stop you at all. I doubt they even know you're there.

•  Learn to take turns at full speed and you'll dominate the AI.