TNN Motorsports Hardcore 4x4

by Playstation

Product Details

• ASIN: B00002STT5
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,652 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

Recent Playstation "racing" games haven't focused on racing, but rather on weapons (Impact Racing), futuristic spacecraft (WipeOut XL), and cartoon opponents (Street Racer). TNN Motor Sports Hardcore 4X4, however, is truly a racing game. For that reason, and that reason alone, Hardcore 4X4 is a refreshing addition to the Playstation racing game library. However, the same solid racing focus that makes Hardcore 4X4 stimulating is also the game's biggest downfall: There are no surprises, no changes in gameplay, and nothing to work towards.

Once past the cumbersome options screen interface, you can select one of six different trucks (each varying in speed, tension, and suspension), and race on one of six different courses (with terrain ranging from dirt, mud, sand, grass, and rock, to ice and snow). Weather conditions, including sunny, overcast (fog, sandstorm), and severe (rain, snow), greatly affect your visibility in both day and night racing. Race types include single race, championship (race on all six courses, vying for points and ranking), and time trial. The performance of your ride is not customizable, except for alterations to the steering response level.

The game handles well enough - the action is fast and the control responsive. Graphically, the tracks have a realistic look and feel, with endless bumps, hills, curves, and jumps. One of Hardcore 4X4's primary selling points is that it's the first racing game to have vehicles with independent suspension. And while it's unique to have all four wheels respond differently to the terrain, it really doesn't make the game any more exciting (more realistic, perhaps, but not more exciting). Still, the vehicle physics are impressive, with the trucks handling each surface differently, going slower up hills, faster down hills, and so on. Take a turn too quickly and your truck will flip and roll. If nothing else, the game feels right.

One of the game's primary problems, however, lies in track design. The courses, usually deep down in high-walled canyons (and their surrounding environments), often consist of the same slightly drab colors and textures. This makes it impossible to see the track ahead - an overhead map or directional indicator would have greatly reduced the time spent crashing into walls. The long, winding courses are also far too narrow, and much like the claustrophobic speedways in the original Destruction Derby, there's little room to maneuver. And there's nothing to run over or crush with your truck - just lots of dirt and rocky roads to navigate.

Simply, you drive a truck over dirt roads and race against a handful of faceless opponents. With only six courses and no new levels or hidden tracks, Hardcore 4X4 is worth a weekend rental, but has little long term replay value. --Jeff Kitts
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.

Manufacturer Description

You'll need tough studs and big bolts...Get bent over six radical terrains. White knuckle driving and extreme weather conditions. Rampage your rig with actual four wheel independent suspension and real vehicle motion. Gut wrenching multiple views with hard-rocking adrenaline-pumping music. Maxx out your truck crunch the tenders and kiss your competition but don't drive it into the ground.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pass On This One, February 21, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: TNN Motorsports Hardcore 4x4 (Video Game)

I agree witht he reviewer - it seems realistic, but the 6 courses are almost identical in their layout (different colors, basically), and are narrow, steep-walled and somewhat difficult to see ahead. Sorta fun for a while, but pretty boring after a very short time.

2.0 out of 5 stars Cool Game, January 19, 2008

By 

Everett G. Barnhill "Jesusfreak" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: TNN Motorsports Hardcore 4x4 (Video Game)

Game is pretty cool expecially for the price, only disappointment is that you can't race directly against one another.

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun for little guys, January 4, 2006

By 

Mazniko "mazniko" (Mendota Heights, MN United States) - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: TNN Motorsports Hardcore 4x4 (Video Game)

My six year old gets a kick out of this one. He loves to make the trucks go. It's not as easy as it seems so can be somewhat of a challenge for big people too, but may get monotonous after awhile.