Daytona USA

Review

by Jonathan Sutyak

Daytona USA, based on the popular Arcade game, is your basic racing game. This game features the usual problem in Arcade to home translations, too short. In the Arcade it's okay for a racing game to be short because you don't want to spend a lot of money and don't have as much time to play. At home, where you now own the game permanently, you need the game to last longer. Daytona USA only features three standard tracks with the ability to run them in reverse. The tracks aren't bad but they really don't offer enough variety. There is also a lack of cars to choose from.

The graphics and scrolling are great. Good controls allow the car to move smoothly around the turns. Sounds are also not bad, the rolling start announcer adds to the excitement. While racing, the game screen offers the usual information such as lap number, lap times, speedometer, and positon in the race. Everything on screen is represented in a clear and effective manner.

Crashes would make racing more enjoyable, your car simply bounces off the wall or spins out. More options are certainly needed for some replay value. A two-player mode couldn't hurt either. Some hidden features do exist, such as turning your car into a horse. Nothing that really adds to the game though.

A gamepad or joystick is not terrible to use, they hold their own. Though a steering wheel always offers better control and makes the game much more fun. Overall Daytona USA is a decent racing game lacking in options.