Top Gear Rally 2

by Nintendo

Product Features

• Nintendo 64

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00003ETDO
• Item Weight: 5 ounces
• Media: Game Cartridge
• Release Date: December 6, 1999
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,616 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

Rally racing is starting to catch fire over here. The genre has been popular in Europe for some time, but the US market is just starting to realize how exciting the multiterrain-racing format can be. But while more and more games are being made to cater to the growing rally-racing audience, none of the racers to hit the N64 have been of landmark quality. And although Top Gear Rally 2 isn't the perfect rally racing game, it's a big step in the right direction. Unlike more-realistic games that take a grossly technical approach to rally racing, Top Gear Rally focuses more on the fun of the driving itself by setting the game in a fictional environment. All the cars, tracks, and upgrades are only loosely based on their real rally counterparts. Surprisingly, there's a large Gran Turismo influence in TGR2, from the license tests - which you must accomplish to move forward in different competitions - to the money and points system you'll use to purchase cars. Unlike the strict stock regulations of actual rally racing, Top Gear Rally features a fairly comprehensive upgrade system, also similar to Gran Turismo's. Each vehicle features a completely different list of upgradable parts, from turbochargers to radiators. But even though there are some extreme differences between the game and actual rally racing, the driving in Top Gear Rally is true to form. Racing takes place on conventional roads and paths throughout the country, and you race against a clock, instead of directly against a grid of opponents, although you do share the road with other racers. It's not uncommon for a track to start on a windy mountain road and end on a dusty trail paralleling a river. Top Gear Rally 2's graphics are quite different from other rally games on the N64. Accenting the unreal premise of the game, the graphics have a definite cartoon feel to them. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the vivid use of color keeps the backgrounds interesting, and the tracks themselves easily stand out against the hills and valleys they run through. Your car also features a cool HUD showing the current condition of all your mechanical systems. The simplistic graphical design proves that in some cases, less is more. Pop-up is present, but it isn't as much an issue as it is in other rally games. The only problem the graphics suffer from is that you never really get any feel for speed. Even when your speedometer claims you're doing upward of 100mph, you feel as though you're drudging along at 40. Consider yourself warned - the soundtrack of this game is awfully catchy. From the cool techno-pop of the main menu to the foot-tapping beats on the racing tracks, the songs are heavy in the funk department. Another surprise is the voice of your navigator. It's actually bearable, and what proved to be more of a surprise, you can get different voices as you move up in the game. The sound effects aren't too bad, and are easily forgotten as you pump up the jam. The control department suffers from what plagues most N64 racers - overly touchy control. Moving your analog stick more than a degree or two in either direction will cause your car to get almost horizontal on the road, and staying on the track seems to be a lifelong struggle. This does get better as you improve your tires or car, but the control never seems to reach the level of control offered by games like Beetle Adventure Racing. Top Gear Rally 2 makes some definite improvements over the original, and while it doesn't cater to all the realism that hard-core rally fans expect, it certainly proves to be a good little racer. Casual fans of multiterrain racing will be pleased with the simplistic layout and complete upgrade system, but those looking for a fully licensed and realistic rally racer might wish to look elsewhere.--Ben Stahl--Copyright © 1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun video game!, December 7, 2000

By 

"mister_music" (SAVANNAH, GEORGIA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Top Gear Rally 2 (Game Cartridge)

Top Gear Rally 2 is one of the most fun video games I have! I really like it. It is a little different than many racing games for many reasons. One, the courses are totally different. They have mud that can splatter all over your car, very sharp turns, and even obstacles like rocks so if you hit them, you damage your parts, and you are in charge of fixing them. Secondly, you get sponsor credits in order for you to be able to buy better parts for your car. Third, you race at different times of day, depending on which course you happen to be using. But those are not bad, instead they are actually why I like this game, because it is so different! I recommmend this game anyone who likes racing video games that are different from any other racing game.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Gear Rally 2, December 28, 1999

By A Customer

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

This review is from: Top Gear Rally 2 (Game Cartridge)

This is probably the most fun racing game I've ever played, but you have to be a rally fan or like that kind of racing to like it. It is great on all sides: simulation, arcade, multiplayer, training. It is dang fun.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good! esp. for the price, December 9, 2001

By 

"billybean" (United States, not Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Top Gear Rally 2 (Game Cartridge)

This game is a pretty good game and a good buy at [price]. First of all this game is definitely not for everybody. If you're looking for a Cruis'n USA type game, this is the wrong game. The handling on these cars is fairly realistic. At first you'll find yourself wrestling with the controls just to keep the car on the road, but after a while I got the hang of it and the game started to get really fun. My little brother doesn't like this game too much because he has trouble controlling a car with realistic handling. But he only hates this game cause he's no good at it.

If you decide to give this game some time to get the hang of the controls, you'll like this game.
One of the things in this game that I found fun, is the license tests that you have to pass in order to get into a certain class. At the higher level licences, these tests become very challenging. One test you have to back your car up without hitting any cones and then fit it in a garage. It may sound hard, but it's fun.
When you start the championship mode, you'll start out with a bad team with a bad car, but as you race and gain money and championship points, you can buy better parts for your car or join a better team. You'll also have to buy the right kind of tires for the environment you'll be racing in. (e.g. when you race in the jungle, you have to buy tires that can handle mud) The cars become really cool and fast as you work your way up.
The championship mode is great and there is even a team championship mode which lets you and a friend work as a team.

The multiplayer is not that great though, but besides that this game is pretty good and it's well worth just [price].