Among the various launch titles for Ps2, there are two off-road racing games: Wild Wild Racing and Smugglers' Run. They're two completely different games, built with different ideas. Smugglers' Run (developed by the Angel Studios), to which is dedicated a huge review on ps2fantasy.com, doesn't introduce any precise track, on the contrary it has three levels in which the player, as a smuggler, has to complete some missions tricking police officers and other criminals. Wild Wild Racing introduces a more traditional formula, at least apparently. In fact Rage created a game in which there are some very uneven but well defined tracks to follow and classical game modes. But is that enough to decree Smugglers' Run the most amusing title among the two? Maybe yes, maybe not.

In Wild Wild Racing there are five different levels set in various places: Iceland, Mexico, United States, India and Australia. So there are only five principal levels, but they evolve more and more during the game in complicated and exciting ways. There are lots of shortcuts that is necessary to use with intelligence to succeed in completing the game. The level of detail of these tracks is considerable and the player can compete with limpid weather or during a snowfall; or he can race in a terribly muddy track because of the rain or in an extremely dry one because of a murderous sun.

The first striking thing in this game is the great attention given to the interaction between cars and the ground: the reactions of the vehicles and the influence on the controls of the various asperities are extremely realistic and they make the rhythm of game less fluid in comparison to that of so many other off-road racing titles. Controls are surely more difficult to be handled in comparison to those of Smugglers' Run but this make the gameplay of Wild Wild racing more various and gratifying. Only in the most advanced competitions, anyway, it is necessary to be champions to overcome the adversaries and insidious grounds.

Championship, Time Attack and Challenge are the modes of the game, to which is added a classical multiplayer mode for challenging a friend. To complete the Championship mode, it is necessary to win in each of the three categories (beginners, amateurs, pro); in the pro category, obviously, the tracks have a greater complexity, there are three laps to run (while beginner have to run only a lap) and six adversaries to be faced (in beginners 4). The Time Attack and Challenge modes are necessary to obtain new vehicles and to strengthen them. In the Challenge Mode you will have to face three ability tests (among which one, absurd, will force the player to lead a ball through a track pushing it with your buggy) for obtaining a new car, while in the Time Attack Mode you can strengthen your vehicles beating some time records.

The cars in Wild Wild Racing are all splendid and graphically built with great care. The game begins with modified cars, then classical buggies, to arrive to incredibly powerful cars, as the beautiful Behemot, a real dragon on every ground.

Overall, Wild Wild Racing is a game that also if not introducing a lot of novelties, succeeds in entering in the crowded world of racing games for Ps2. The control system is realistic, and requires a certain ability to be beaten. There are various well designed tracks, amusing modes and the support for multiplayer complete the picture.