Asphalt: Urban GT–which, unusually, first appeared on the N-Gage–doesn’t really use any of the DS’s more overt gimmicks, just the fact that, unlike the GBA, it can display fast, detailed 3D graphics. It’s a fairly traditional racing game, most obviously taking inspiration from Need for Speed: Underground, but also Colin McRae Rally and Burnout. The graphics are fast and detailed though and the course design surprisingly varied and interesting.
The Burnout “influence” (to use the most diplomatic turn of phrase possible) comes from the fact that near misses with other traffic increases the amount of turbo boost you have to use. There are a number of different game modes, depending on how much time you have to play, with one of the more interesting being the cop chase where you have to get various felons to pull over by keeping their cars in your sights for a set number of seconds.
The touch screen is used merely to display an admittedly useful map of the course and the stylus doesn’t come into play at all expect on the menu screens. The game does have a number of wireless multiplayer modes, though, making this a surprisingly comprehensive and enjoyable driving package. –David Jenkins
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