As the racing game section of the average retailer gradually becomes more crammed and over-populated, it seems that some developers are beginning to focus on more specific elements of the genre. In this case, developer Synetic have concentrated on the manufacturer of the cars, Mercedes-Benz, delivering a racing sim based solely around the vehicles of the German auto giants. So if you've always fancied taking a spin in a Merc, but are lacking the required bank balance, then Mercedes-Benz World Racing on GameCube may just be the solution.
The game casts you into the role of an inexperienced works driver for Mercedes and bestows upon you the task of climbing the ranks to become number one. You must prepare yourself to take cars you have never driven before around circuits that you have never even seen before, under the most difficult racing conditions to achieve a good placing or to meet set targets. Your every move is monitored and subsequently saved to your profile.
There are 120 different tracks to race, each one up to 50 km in length, staged across seven huge 3D environments, including Nevada, Japan, Mexico, and Australia. Each of the tracks is hosted in fully accessible landscapes, so there are plenty of opportunities for short cuts or some off-road racing.
The main selling point of the game, however, is the plethora of authentic vehicles. Altogether, the game features 110 original cars, including A to S classes, racing, vintage, and prototype models. Each has its own unique characteristics, which have been defined by 150 original data parameters supplied by Mercedes-Benz themselves. There's also a nifty little option that allows you to adjust the handling of each car between arcade and simulation, so you can simplify things a little, should you just want a quick race.
With the now-obligatory inclusion of a 4-way, split-screen multiplayer mode, Mercedes-Benz presents a detailed simulation of the manufacturer's product range, whilst still allowing for plenty of arcade-style racing fun.
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