San Francisco Rush 2049

It's all gone driving crazy here at 64 MAGAZINE this month with the ace Stunt Racer and top sequel Rush 2049 coming to park in the office. If you haven't given much thought to the Rush arcade racing franchise in the past, it's time to sit up and pay attention because this game is looking hot! As with the other games before it, San Francisco Rush 2049 is based on a popular arcade game of – surprisingly – the same name. But if you have played the arcade version then you won't have seen all that this game has to offer, because the cart has been stuffed better than a Turkey on Christmas Eve!

As well as the four tracks from the arcade you also get another two new tracks to speed around. Now if six doesn't sound very many don't worry because the various backward and mirrored options effectively give you four different versions of each track! And this being a Rush game the circuits are also packed with copious amounts of shortcuts that are just waiting to be uncovered. A word of warning though... the usual flyovers, ramps and tunnels are there for only the very brave!

Aiming for a shortcut is one thing but actually making it is quite another because this game is just so damned fast! Your situation isn't helped any by the fact that quite a lot of the 'short cuts' have moving doors in front of them. The in-game animations don't stop there though because as you race through the futuristic cityscapes monorail cars and aeroplanes shoot by just above your head! It's the little touches like this which can make an already stunning game look quite breathtaking at times – that is if you have the time to take your eyes off of the track!

One of the biggest improvements from the previous Rush games is the multiplayer mode which has been taken to the max! You can still only play the main races in two-player mode but with four pads you can now pick up and play the immensely fun stunt and battle games. So if you do ever get bored of the high octane racing you can try out some aerial acrobatics or simply blow your mates to kingdom come Vigilante 8-style!

Whilst 2049's predecessor Rush 2: Extreme Racing did have a stunt track thrown in for good measure, it didn't give its cars wings! Yes, it's true, with a simple tap of the Z button in mid-air, any one of the chosen ten cars sprouts a set of wings which can be used to give you more control. This makes the stunt mode a hell of a lot better than the 'hit-and-hope-you-land-on-your-wheels' affair found in Rush 2. On each of the four new stunt tracks you can now spin to your heart's content, or at least until you hit the floor! Best of all though, the wings can be used in races to help you out with difficult to reach shortcuts. All new to Rush 2049 is the obstacle course game. This basically involves you trying to get from point A to point B while being assailed from all sides. Your life is made a misery on this level by swinging pendulums and moving platforms which try to throw you off the sides. Add to all this a paint and body shop for the car customisation freaks and it looks like San Francisco Rush 2049 is going to give a whole new meaning to N64 arcade racing fun.

When Midway brought the early code for San Francisco Rush 2049 down to us some time ago the game was looking fairly nice but it had a few problems which marred our enjoyment of it somewhat. The major sticking point was the frame rate, while other elements like some rather dull explosions were also a bit of a let-down. However, Midway's friendly PR guy assured us that these were minor irritations which were at that very moment being corrected by the developer and as Midway had brought us lots of nice presents all the way from the US, we decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. At least for the time being. This meant however, that when some far more up-to-date code rather unexpectedly dropped through the 64 Magazine letterbox we were extremely keen to get the N64 switched on and see whether our faith in the promises of the PR people had been justified. And thankfully... it had.

As you can tell from the screenshots, San Francisco Rush 2049 is now 85% complete and – to put it simply – it's looking very good indeed! There are a whole bunch of different vehicles now available and the tracks in the game all look absolutely gorgeous. Rush 2049 also offers a choice of both normal and high res graphics (expansion-pak required) and one of the most noticeable things about it is the amount of stuff which has been crammed into every track. Forget plain, boring featureless walls and dull, lifeless monotonous tracks – this game is positively rammed with futuristic cityscapes that absolutely buzz with activity. If having to race against incredibly fast, totally uncompromising opponents isn't enough of a challenge for you, then how about having to dodge past trams or avoid high-speed trains? Additionally, there's all manner of different vehicles in the game, each of them doing their own thing and distracting you from the games' colourful neon-lit landscape. If you've never played either of the previous Rush games then you probably won't be aware that while the racing is obviously a major element of the gameplay, an equally important one is the variety of different shortcuts. Long before Beetle Adventure Racing came along with its multiple routes and concealed ramps San Francisco Rush was doing the same, only better. It is possible to simply race around on the marked tracks and treat the whole thing as a straightforward race but if you really want to get the most out of this game then you need to explore. Every track has all manner of hidden routes which take you down tunnels, through buildings, over roofs and along all kinds of strange thoroughfares. It's tremendous fun just exploring these different roadways but it can actually come in handy during a race too because often the alternate pathways can cut precious seconds off your time and thus allow you to get the edge on your competitors.

One of the things which isn't clear yet is whether there will actually be an exploration element to the gameplay in Rush 2049. In both the previous games there were items hidden throughout the landscapes which granted you various bonuses like access to hidden cars or even bonus tracks if you managed to find and collect them all. So far despite extensive exploration we've seen no sign of collectible items in San Francisco Rush 2049 – although there are a lot of strange green cones on several of the tracks – but since the search part of the gameplay was so popular with the last two titles we're fairly sure it'll be included in this game too – there's certainly enough places to hide things anyway!

After playing this game for an obscene amount of hours it's still impossible to put down and certainly retains all the original's addictiveness. The addition of wings to the cars gives much better control in the air than in the previous two games and thus gives you more freedom to try daft things... there's also definitely a chance for a Claire Rayner joke in there somewhere! While the code we've been playing isn't completely finished (there's no championship mode yet for one thing) it's nevertheless looking incredibly good and is a definite contender for one of the most fun racing games on the N64 so far.

SAN FRANCISCO RUSH IS... well, a race game (there's a bit of a clue in the title I guess). It's fast, it's colourful, it's... airborne!

For that's the first thing that you will notice about SF Rush (actually, I tell a lie, the first thing you'll notice is probably the graphics, but more on that in a moment). Anyone who's seen the old US cop show The Streets Of San Francisco will know that this particular city is what you might tactfully call 'a little bit hilly' and not the sort of place you'd want to do a Sunday paper round, and the streets of SF Rush are no exception! [cite: Anyone who's seen the old US cop show The Streets Of San Francisco will know that this particular city is what you might tactfully call 'a little bit hilly' and not the sort of place you'd want to do a Sunday paper round, and the streets of SF Rush are no exception!] You'll find that you can barely turn a corner without going up or down a hill, and that makes for some very, well... 'aerial' gameplay.

VISUALLY... STUNNING?

As for the graphics... Well, they're, um, 'colourful' and, er... okay, I've got to say it, they look like they've been ported directly onto the N64 from some middle of the road PlayStation game! I mean, when you take a look at something like, for instance, Automobili Lamborghini, you'd be hard pressed to match them both to the same console. That said though, the game is fast and furious, and although graphics are obviously important, far more important (no matter what anyone says) is the quality of the gameplay. It's all very well having a game that looks like it's been painted by Leonardo Da Vinci, but that's going to be no fun if it plays like last issue's Clayfighter $63 \frac{1}{3}$.

And gameplay is where San Francisco Rush really takes off – literally! This wasn't immediately apparent, as to begin with the cars handled like they were on rails – that's rails laid in a completely straight line, because the cars just would not turn! Finally, after about an hour of frustratingly yanking the analogue stick right and left only to have the car turn about a centimetre in the required direction and promptly become a fireball upon colliding with some huge building or other, it was back to the manual, where most normal people would have gone in the first place [cite: Finally, after about an hour of frustratingly yanking the analogue stick right and left only to have the car turn about a centimetre in the required direction and promptly become a fireball upon colliding with some huge building or other, it was back to the manual, where most normal people would have gone in the first place]. The manual turned out to be of no use whatsoever though, as the controls page didn't mention anything about making tighter turns.

We were left on the brink of despair. We knew the game should be good – the idea was there – but the cars just handled so sluggishly! Finally, someone (I forget who, I only know it wasn't me) discovered that by pressing the reverse button whilst turning, the cars performed a kind of handbrake turn, which meant successful negotiations of corners at high speed! Hurrah!

NICE LITTLE MOTORS

Anyway, down to basics. You start SF Rush with a selection of different vehicles, eight in all, ranging from a basic Ford through a variety of sporty models to some slightly less so, including a VW Beetle and a camper van. All these vehicles come in a variety of bright colours, so if you've always wanted to race a Barbie-pink VW Beetle through San Francisco (and if so, why?) then now's your chance. By collecting the track 'keys' (more on them in a moment) you can also gain access to two extra cars – an American taxi cab, and a hot rod. Apparently (that should probably be allegedly) there is also another car available in circuit mode, which you can access upon winning a circuit, but it never appeared when I won – what a rip!

There are six basic game tracks that lead you through various parts of San Francisco, taking in landmarks like Golden Gate Park, Pacific Heights, Chinatown and Twin Peaks (not the Twin Peaks, a la 'weird-bloke Lynch', surely?). The tracks can also be played in 'backwards' mode, where you race around them in the opposite direction, giving you an extra six tracks, and they can also be mirrored both normally and backwards, giving a total of twenty-four 'different' tracks [cite: The tracks can also be played in 'backwards' mode, where you race around them in the opposite direction, giving you an extra six tracks, and they can also be mirrored both normally and backwards, giving a total of twenty-four 'different' tracks].

LET'S KEY HAVIN' YOU

Earlier, I mentioned 'keys'. There are eight of these scattered around on each of the tracks. Some of them are easy to find, others are hidden in obscure locations, such as through fences in ravines, or stashed in concealed caves. Even though some of them can be found fairly easily, the difficult part will be getting to them. They might be hanging in mid-air thirty feet above the track, for example. As mentioned previously, collecting the keys will earn you bonus cars, four for a New York taxi (which looks great in yellow but of course can be any other colour you choose) and eight – which is no easy task, even on the easy tracks – will get you a hot rod [cite: As mentioned previously, collecting the keys will earn you bonus cars, four for a New York taxi (which looks great in yellow but of course can be any other colour you choose) and eight – which is no easy task, even on the easy tracks – will get you a hot rod]. The catch is that when you gain one of these cars, you'll only be able to race it on the track you got it from – which deserves a huge 'boo-sucks' but does mean that there is an incentive to explore all the tracks fully [cite: The catch is that when you gain one of these cars, you'll only be able to race it on the track you got it from – which deserves a huge 'boo-sucks' but does mean that there is an incentive to explore all the tracks fully]. You do however, only need to get the car on one version of each track – normal, mirrored, reversed or mirrored and reversed – to get the bonus cars for all four. This is useful, as it means you can play on all four versions of the track when looking for the keys for that track – some keys may be easier to see on certain versions of a track, for example.

So that's the technical aspects of the game. Gameplay wise, this game is mad! As mentioned already, you'll spend an awful lot of time in the air, and the courses are anything but boring. The cars hammer along the track at breakneck (and breakcar) speed, and the difficulty levels have been well-judged. If you like options (and who doesn't?), then the options screen is packed with 'em, from the aforementioned mirror and backward options, to allowing you to change the degree of fog on the track, which is always useful. Sadly, you can't get rid of the fog completely, because it's another one of those games that has the scenery fade away in the distance so it doesn't have to draw it, but at least it's not as obvious as Turok!

BULLITT IN THE HEAD?

The main disappointment with SF Rush is the multiplayer mode, primarily because it only allows two players. There is also a lesser problem in that the game doesn't seem to be able to handle the amount of traffic on screen as well as it should – by traffic I usually mean graphics, but in this case I actually do mean 'traffic'. If there are a lot of cars on screen, the game does seem to suffer from slowdown. However, although the speed difference is fairly noticeable if you go straight from a one-player game into a two-player game, on the whole it isn't too detrimental, and the two-player game is just as enjoyable as the one-player version.

One thing that can be annoying in two-player mode is what happens following a crash. In both play modes, when you crash, the computer almost immediately puts you back on the track. However, instead of putting you back where you crashed, you are whisked away down the track, often overtaking your opponents. Presumably this is designed to keep up the pace of the game. In one-player mode it's no problem, but in two-player it's very disconcerting to see the other player crash as you shoot past their burning hulk laughing in triumph, only to have them picked up and whisked off into the distance. It's just not fair! The only consolation is that it works both ways.

San Francisco Rush is a highly enjoyable, fast-paced racing game that makes up for what it lacks in top quality graphics with colourful cars and scenery, and – most importantly – with top-notch gameplay [cite: San Francisco Rush is a highly enjoyable, fast-paced racing game that makes up for what it lacks in top quality graphics with colourful cars and scenery, and – most importantly – with top-notch gameplay]. It may not appeal to those who prefer their driving to be 'real' and 'accurate' (you know the sort, they've got to be driving something that's technically correct down to the last wheel nut and handles exactly like a real car – but in that case, why not just drive a real car?) [cite: It may not appeal to those who prefer their driving to be 'real' and 'accurate' (you know the sort, they've got to be driving something that's technically correct down to the last wheel nut and handles exactly like a real car – but in that case, why not just drive a real car?)]. But if you like your race games fast, furious, and aerobatic, then this is the game for you. Fans of games like Need For Speed 2 on the PlayStation will love it, assuming they've got an N64 that is!

ARRIVING JUST TOO LATE FOR REVIEW this issue, we still managed to cram San Francisco Rush into 64sight at the last possible moment. Based on Atari's successful coin-op, SF Rush lets you make like Bullitt or Dirty Harry by racing along six taxing courses (which have mirror and reverse options to bring the total up to 24) around the hilly city. If you've got a microsecond to spare as you power along the twisting streets you can look to the sides of the track and spot landmarks like Fisherman's Wharf, the Presidio (as featured in a dreadful Sean Connery film) and the TransAmerica building (where Roger Moore nearly lost his knackers in A View To A Kill). Chances are, though, if you start looking at the scenery you'll end up ploughing straight into a wall!

SF Rush has the option, unusual for racing games, of being able to write off your car. Sideswipes with other drivers and minor clippage of fences will crinkle your motor's bodywork like the foil on a baked potato, but take on a bridge abutment in a game of chicken and not only will you lose, but your car will explode! The game is positively riddled with secrets and little tricks to discover. The most interesting of these are the keys, a number of which are dotted around each course, tucked away between buildings and suspended high above the track. A bit of off-road exploration is needed to pick them up, as well as getting to grips with SF Rush's insanely OTT jumps, but if you manage to collect enough you're rewarded with new secret cars to choose from! In fact, the whole game is full of all kinds of cheats and secret codes – for just a few of them, see Cheat Central on page 56.

San Francisco Rush looks like it's going to be one of those games that takes a while to get into. At first, the cars were appallingly uncontrollable whichever one we chose – from the VW Beetle knockoff to the pseudo Dodge Viper, they all turned like barges. Mr Bumper, meet Mr Concrete Block. After a while, we found that judicious use of the C Down button acted as a handbrake, making turning that bit easier. Similarly, once you know that there are plenty of shortcuts to be found (try taking a detour through Chinatown or down the zigzagging Lombard Street) you don't have to worry so much about the computer-controlled drivers disappearing into a Pacific sunset every time!

We'll have a full review, and hopefully a complete players' guide, of San Francisco Rush next issue. One thing that we already know for sure – it's got some of the worst music ever heard in a videogame. Yes, it's even worse than Destruction Derby 2 on PlayStation. Typical LA industrial cock-rock plank-spanking – no! However the gameplay ultimately turns out, we'll be turning the volume down...

This will drive you crazy, only not in a good way! Does anyone honestly believe that 50 years from now everyone will have hover cars and live in colonies on the moon? If that does happen I'll gladly eat any article of clothing you care to mention but until then, anything that futuristic can bugger off until I'm ready! Like San Francisco Rush 2049 on the Game Boy Color, for example!

Like the N64 title of the same name this game puts you in the driving seat of a racing car of tomorrow! Right, that's the background out of the way, what about the game itself? In a word: offensive! The options are as limited as a month-old baby's vocabulary, the gameplay is awkward and nonsensical and some of the controls simply defy reason! It all adds up to an unflattering and frankly rather disappointing conversion.

So Very, Very Tired!

For new players, the challenge starts off tough and just gets tougher. You can only access one racetrack at a time (and none of the ones which preceded it – why?) and then only by coming into the finish in a specific position. The tracks themselves are designed to offer short cuts, but essentially these only end up confusing the race. At points the car is a complete swine to control as it skids all over the place at a slight tap of a button, plus there is no feeling of speed and because of the layout you may think that you are speeding along in first place but your actual position in the race will still be fifth or sixth! There is also no real sense of where the other drivers are and a lot of the time you feel like you are driving all alone. The concept of adding tunnels to the track is a nice idea but it's very disconcerting trying to drive when you can't see your car! Eventually players are going to just turn off the game because they are tired of trying. Em... nice graphics though!

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads!" Here we go again, yet another racing game. You name it, it's in here: cars, tracks, various special options and flying vehicles! Hang on? Flying vehicles? Can that be right? Well, yes it can. If you are at all familiar with the other games in the San Francisco Rush series, then you'll already know what to expect from this latest version. The main difference between this and the others is that – and please, try not to look too surprised – this one is set in the future! So this means you can expect tall Utopian buildings, strangely designed cars and environments that look like they were originally planned for the Jetsons movie! On nearly all counts Rush 2049 is an improvement over the previous two incarnations of the game and... hang on, what if you haven't even seen the other two? Isn't it a bit rude of us to just presume you know what we're going on about? Let's just start again shall we...

The Start Line...

In Rush 2049 you must race on some of the most futuristic (there's that word again, we'll try not to use it too often) speed-crazy and gravity-defying courses ever designed by a bunch of people in a small room in the history of the world! Just like the original, this racing game is definitely not for those of you who prefer accurate and ultra-realistic racing games. This is a no-holds-barred, short-cut taking, high-speed chasing, risk-running, put-your-foot-down-and-don't-look-back racing extravaganza that will satisfy the road rage in all of us! And if you thought that sentence was big then you should see the size of the game itself! There are tons of tracks available but when you consider that these tracks can be raced in different/mirrored directions and at different times of day and also the fact that every track is absolutely riddled with more hidden paths than all three of the Indiana Jones movies put together, then already it can be safely assumed that you're not going to run out of things to do anytime soon. So there's a plus points already!

Obviously, because of the setting this isn't your normal kind of racer. In fact, this game is closer in spirit to F-Zero X than to its predecessors. This kind of brings us back round to that whole flying car thing! Now, as you zoom up and over hills and ramps, you can press a button and – pop – out come two rather handy wings. With some imagination, these little beauties can do wonders for you. One handy hint is that when you are jumping, opening your wings can keep you in the clouds for longer. The upside to this is that you travel faster through the air and can therefore overtake your opponents more easily. To manoeuvre yourself in these circumstances can be tricky at first but eventually, with practice, anything is possible. For example, the wings are extremely handy for preventing an accident from happening. If the need arises, then instead of failing to your doom after inadvertently jumping into oblivion, those wings can be spread and can (theoretically) carry you to safety!

They're Off!

So what's San Francisco like in the future, you may well ask? For now nobody knows for sure but in Rush 2049, it is an incredible place. For starters, it is unrecognisable as the city we are all familiar with. Some features still exist like the steep slopes and the streetcars (which, for some reason, look just like the old-fashioned ones still popular today. Maybe that twentieth-century 'retro' look is popular 50 years from now?)

Most of the environments in the game are totally original and owe a lot to the imagination of the designers. The new spin on the format works well and allows for faster and more adventurous tracks. As before, the Rush series' most endearing feature is the seemingly unlimited number of diversions and short cuts you can take. These, admittedly, can sometimes be quite difficult to discover but the hidden roads can knock valuable seconds from your time and may even push you a few places up in the race! All you have to do is find them and if you take time out to practice on the tracks before a race then you can roam around and discover the detours, using them to weasel your way to the front of the crowd!

With an astonishingly mammoth amount of options available, there is probably enough in this game to keep inquisitive minds exploring each and every track until the cows come home and then get up again in the morning for work the next day! Not only is exploring a nice idea but in most cases it is imperative, as it lets you access more cars, tracks and accessories. Due to the nature of the layout, certain objects, paths or bonuses can only be uncovered when travelling round the track in a specific direction. This means that finding some of them is only possible in the later stages of the game. Of course this just applies to the tournaments or single races. There are also Ghost Races that pit you against yourself and Stunt Courses that allow you to perform some stunt-like stunt acrobatic manoeuvres!

I Believe I Can Fly (By R Kelly)

Hello everybody, I am R Kelly and I am here to explain to you just how you can fly like me. In between touring and releasing hot new musical tracks I don't half love playing with my copy of Rush 2049. Wow, it's absolutely top dog and with the ability to fly included, this is my all-time bestest game! Anyway, here's how to fly: Find a ramp, jump off it, press Z and... flap, out come two big wings for you to sail back to the ground with. If you find a jump big enough, like from a building, then the flight is even more impressive. Well that's all from me, thank you very much and remember: "You've got that vibe".

Halfway Round!

Now that's enough about where you drive, what about what you drive in? In case you haven't noticed yet, the game is set a bit of long time from now and so the cars... well, let's just say that anything goes! Some look like the type of vehicle you'd expect to see in a film like Judge Dredd (if you are one of the seven people who saw it then you'll know what we mean) or even Back to the Future 2, whilst some give you the impression that some bloke has taken an old banger from the 1950's and given it a twenty-first-century make-over. At first it doesn't really matter what car you choose as initially they all perform the same basic functions but there is plenty of room for improvement. One of the truly great elements of this game is that anything can be investigated and improved upon. By this we mean that cars can be altered to suit your specifications, provided you have collected plenty of useful upgrades for your vehicle. In this game, you are only as good as your last race and this determines what position you come in at. The codes that are given to you at the end of each course offer you such treasures as new engines, wheels and other useful items. In a nutshell: although Rush 2049 lacks the realism of other titles, it more than compensates with its wealth of options and all manner of variations within the game.

Compared to the last two releases, Rush 2049 is a vast improvement. Many of the flaws and annoying graphical traits have been corrected for this latest edition. One good example is when there is more than one car, not including yours, on the track at any one time. In the past two versions, this caused the game to slow down. As far as we could tell, there was no evidence of this in the version we had and it all amounts to an overall smoother and more enjoyable game. The tracks themselves are, without sounding too over-the-top, quite glorious. The cities are interesting to look at and, because of the size and scope, suggest that there is plenty to investigate. Another addition, which Roy will be quite happy to hear about, is the inclusion of some serious eight-time racing. It is because of these kind of touches that Rush 2049 puts itself in a league of its own. Fog, for example, is non-existent and that must mainly be down to the construction of the courses. It is a clever play on Midway's part that they can reduce the problems of scale and perspective by making their own environments that don't need close examination. It's the future for Bob's sake! You can do whatever the hell you like and call it legitimate artistic licence. It certainly seems that Midway has taken the time to listen to all the past criticisms of previous Rush titles and at least tried to improve upon the mistakes. Most of the special flourishes that were reserved for the stunt sections in the last game have been integrated into the main courses for this recent excursion into the world of rubber-burning madness and this means that death-defying jumps and loop the loops are common practice as you race to glory.

Final Lap!

Although this game is a definite improvement on what has come before, it is still not without its problems. Firstly – unless you know each track inside and out like the back of your sweaty hand – then chances are you won't progress much. There seems to be a feeling that as you play, it just doesn't look like it's going to be possible to overtake the race leaders unless you know the best route to victory. Speed, although it is a big factor, doesn't make much difference when you cannot manage to get to the front of the pack and on the beginner stages this might well put some people off. Basically, despite its "free for all" attitude, Rush 2049 is a lot tougher than it first appears. Crashing can be a right pain in the rear bumper too (as you can easily imagine). No matter how tempting it may be, leaping into the void doesn't always turn out to be the best option. Deploying your wings may rescue you from even the most dire of circumstances but handling the car as it plummets towards the ground can be a bit of a bugger. Sometimes all it takes is a weak flip and before anything can be done to rectify this mistake, bang, the car has gone up in flames. If this takes place during one of the detours then the car is placed back on the map and it could be futile to try and retrace your steps. Once again, that old maxim, "Practice makes perfect" slightly spoils what should be a "just dive in and to hell with the rule book" racing game.

The Finish Line!

Right, it's make your mind up time! Judging by this review do you like what you see? The pros, as far as we can tell, far outweigh the cons. Admittedly, any franchise can slap a futuristic (there's that bloody word again) setting as a backdrop on a game so that it can continue the same basic premise for a few extra titles but in this case it actually helps the quality of the gameplay. So maybe, finally, all the ingredients are in place. Certainly, the cars handle better and the idea of making them fly is a superb, if not totally original one. Even the most sceptical of reviewers must admit that this game is certainly an undemanding pleasure to behold. If you haven't come across any of the other games in this series and you are keen to invest some cash then Rush 2049 is definitely the one to start off with and if you are already in the club, then you're going to love this next instalment too!

Kid's Say The Daftest Things!

In the tradition of Michael Barrymore (that's his new show we're talking about before anyone writes in to complain) we asked around local schools for the little kiddies to tell us what they thought the future would bring. We were very shocked by the answers...

• Tim, aged 8: I think the future will be full of misery and death and plague. My family will leave me on an island full of naughty kids and dinosaurs will attack. I will grow up unhappy and eventually go insane. I hope the future is like this.

• Anne, aged 7: Sometimes I think the future will be happy and full of peace but sometimes I think it will be horrible. My mum will have seven more babies in the future and I will become a bank manager. I want the toilet now!

• John, aged 10: The future is going to be cool. All cars will fly and those that don't will be crap. I will own a flying car and I will be rich and famous. My flying car will run you over, ugly!

After the San Francisco Rush saga passed through the Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation, San Francisco Rush 2049 made its way into the Dreamcast. Back in those days, it was something completely new to have great visuals in a racing game. But since the launch of the first F-Zero game, this became an instant thread.

Going into the Dreamcast was a huge jump, but going into a stronger console can be a bigger responsibility. With more power to use, you start to run out of excuses for hardware limitations. So, did the San Francisco Rush make it big when transitioning into the Dreamcast? Well… let's talk about that.

About the game

There isn't much to say about this game's plot, but we can talk about the gameplay itself. The game is structured to be like three games in one. With completely different game styles in each one of them, this helps in adding more variety and keeping the gameplay from becoming too repetitive.

Ther Race Mode is the usual racing style we all know and love. It's a simple race where, aside from winning in the first place, you can collect coins. These coins are incredibly well hidden sometimes, so it's a challenge that will have you replaying tracks over and over again.

Another of the game modes it includes is based only on doing special jumps and tricks to earn points. And the more points you make, the better. And the third game mode is the versus combat mode. Similar to the vs mode in Mario Kart games, there are special weapons and power-ups to use against the other players. This could be the most interesting addition in the game and it's probably the one you'll play the most.

Review

The game is nice and enjoyable. It features thirteen different cars to choose from, with different specs and great designs. However, the game doesn't seem to fit in any of the platforms available. It doesn't really add anything not present into any other racing game, nor is it as extreme as F-Zero and the tracks are less original.

The visuals are solid, but it isn't enough to stand out for itself, and it doesn't matter how well it looks if the gameplay keeps being repetitive. When you compare the average race here with a Mario Kart race, it's in a completely different league. It also falls on the limbo of being in the middle of arcade and non-arcade racing games. So it all adds up to be an ok game, not good but not painfully bad.

• Graphics and visuals: Without a doubt, it's the best looking game in the series. The levels look solid and detailed, and the enhanced visual distance in the level is much better than in the previous entries. But while there isn't a cloudy horizon where you can clearly see the polygons and details of the tracks suddenly appearing in front of you, the cars don't really look all that great. There are some serious drops in the framerate too, which should NEVER happen on a racing game.

• Gameplay: It's rough and solid, but can be repetitive in no time. The controls are nice and the replay value is alright. This game is only really enjoyable in multiplayer mode, as the single-player is tedious and repetitive.

• Sound: Sometimes racing games should play it safe when it comes to the audio. Here they did just that, but maybe they played it a little TOO safe. Sure, the engines and the breaks sounds serve their functions, but there isn't really much after that. Nothing too memorable, not in the sound effects nor in the soundtrack. Just like pretty much everything in this game, it's just there.