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When it comes to car racing, the genre has come a long way from games as far back as
Atari to the realistic racers of today that emulate the F1 and NASCAR experience. Developers
have toiled hard to make sure that everything looks and sounds good, but most of all, feels
like the real thing. When developers Stormfront Studios and EA Sports put themselves into
the driver's seat, they wanted to make sure they got advice straight from the source.
They summoned a certain Italian-American F1 champion to advise them, and thus, Mario Andretti
Racing was born. This game deserves respect not only for the racing giant it's named for,
but because of one particular innovation that would subsequently help create the NASCAR
Racing series that would later be released onto next gen systems. Mario Andretti Racing
allows you to take control of three types of race cars: indy, stock, and sprint. EA
didn't just allow you to choose three as a gimmick. Each car handles differently in terms
of speed, control, and physics, and might take some getting used to if you are impatient
like me. For example, driving on a dirt track with a sprint car will require you to have
an understanding of turning left, but when you have to keep your speed up with the other
cars, it’s not so easy as it sounds. Driving around in a circle is probably the sprint
mode's weakness, and if you choose to start a new career, you'll be stuck with driving
them first, and that is a tough hole to climb out of, especially because of the sometimes
erratic AI that can knock you out of a race. Indy car racing is probably the most exciting.
You will be able to race on tracks that are modeled after real ones, such as Watkins Glen
International, Darlington, and Daytona International Speedway. Sound in this game is unmistakably
16-bit, which means I love it. Voices from your headset will tell you when you are low
on fuel or when your tires need to be replaced. The sound of your car accelerating from zero
to 180 is thrilling from the green flag to your exit from a pit stop. Learn to drive smart and you'll be an ace on the track in
Mario Andretti Racing. It's definitely not the greatest racing game ever made, but it
certainly ranks up there in terms of Genesis racers and can provide a fun and challenging
racing experience, on dirt or on the tarmac.