Like to race cars? Sega's Flag To Flag won't disappoint.


Features:

27 official drivers from 17 different teams with authentic stats.
Endorsed by C.A.R.T (Championship Auto Racing Teams)
A whopping 19 big tracks, including professional and outside tracks.
Variable weather sequences that affects gameplay.
Multiple gameplay modes.
Sponsored by big names, Coca-Cola, Honda and more.
2 player split-screen mode
Arcade and Championship mode(upgrade car and work your way up to champion)

If you bought a Dreamcast, you know the trial version of Flag To Flag is included on the cool demo disc. Although it gives you a taste of what the game is all about, you simply need the full version to appreciate the game fully.

Flag To Flag (Cart) is Sega's first racing title for the powerful 128bit Dreamcast. It goes head to head with UBI Soft's comparable title "Monaco GP" and takes the trophy with flying colors. The game itself boats a true to life racing experience. You'll race to 19 realistic tracks and run into some nasty weather sequences and rough road conditions. It is fully endorsed by C.A.R.T. (Championship Auto Racing Teams). CART is the pinnacle of racing in the states and is the icing on the cake for this terrific racing title. So if you like racing and crave speed, Flag To Flag is an excellent addition to you're library. Here is the nitty gritty:

Graphics: It doesn't take long to figure out Sega didn't skimp on the visuals in Flag to Flag. The highpoint of the game is the fantastic smooth gameplay and high resolution graphics. All though a screen shot like the one on the right doesn't do the game justice, you can tell the detail put on the background elements and colors is top notch. The backgrounds look like photographic copies of real locations and pasted onto the ultra-realistic sky schemes. I was even impressed with the trees that zoomed by during the races. The game offers different weather sequences including rain. The sense of speed is right on and is even more enduring when you change to the view within the drivers seat. But it's not just the sense of speed, it's the depth that only a 128bit system can offer. In technological terms the "draw in and pop up" is hardly noticeable. (Pop up refers to immediate graphics popping up on screen in the far background during gameplay) With 128bit graphics the pop up is so far back it's hardly noticeable and there is zero fog in the background. Simply put, you can have the visuals look this good on a 64 or 32bit system. The TV style presentation replays are also a big plus in the game and is eerily close to the real thing. The only gripe I have with Flag To Flag is that there is no visual car damage when smashing into a wall or getting hit by another opponent, but it's not a big deal for most.

Control: If you think you're going to get away with driving 190mph around a corner in Flag to Flag and not use the brakes, you might be in for a smashing defeat. The game is very realistic and the true-to-life carts behave like real ones. When the cart hits the dirt or the outside of the track, it slows down, (duh) and when you hit a wall head on, you're going to stop. Arcade mode is a little more forgiving for the novice gamer. The cars grip and handle better on the track and the game allows a bit more pushing and shoving. So if you want realism, switch to simulation, but if you're into just finishing without worrying too much, try the handy arcade mode. Championship mode is the full simulation of Flag To Flag. You must work your way up to the ranks of champion by participating in an entire racing season of 19 rounds. Before each race, you will be required to make a "qualification run" which will deterimine your rank in the beginning of the race. Between races, you'll be able to change your tires, upgrade your car, adjust suspension, and even adjust the gear ratio. During your season, you may need run into some wet weather so you may need a special "rain" tire installed to your car. The different camera views are handy and all of them are easily playable. Most people will probably be more comfortable with the "behind the car" view which allows you to see more of the track.

Sound: I like the varied music that is offered in Flag To Flag. The music is upbeat and meshes well with the fast driving action. And while there is no commentary, the sound FX make up for it. The revving engines and the sounds of skidding around the tracks were all realistically recorded. All good here, but most expect that on a Dreamcast CD anyway.

Final Call: Flag To Flag has everything a great racer should have, good graphics, great gameplay and terrific replay value. It's the best racer for the system so far. Highly recommended.

The Good And The Bad:
+ Great graphics
+ Good sense of speed
+ Real sponsors:, Coca Cola, Fed-Ex, Honda, K-mart etc...
+ Good control, realistic sim
+ Loads of tracks (19)
+ Tough computer A.I.(artificial intelligence)

- No 4 player action
- No commentary


Reviewed by: John