GTS Racing Challenge is a fantastic racing game from Astraware.

• Fully textured track and skyline for unprecedented realism
• 3D trackside buildings
• Stunning 3D graphics engine
• 4 levels of difficulty, each with their own track layouts
• Race across 12 exciting venues in each difficulty mode!
• Travel at blistering speeds in the Sports car, Coupe and Formula (Coupe and Formula cars in Registered version only)
• Total of 48 different tracks available to race on!
• Razor sharp control using your choice of buttons or the Graffiti? area
• Four thrilling game modes, including Championship and arcade-style Challenge Cup (Registered only)
• Free camera and car movement - power slide round corners, spin around and drive the wrong way or even just 'doughnut' on the spot if you want!

After passing the splash screen you are greeted with a menu. There are 4 different game types that are available to you in GTS Racing Challenge. You can just do a Single Race, pick a map and start driving. You can also choose out of the three other game modes; Challenge Cup, Grand tour, and Championship to compete in multiple races across all of the maps in the game.

Options

The game allows you to change the settings to fit what you like. When in the options menu you can change your controls, sound volume, brightness, a automatic or manual transmission, game speed. You can also change the visual options such as the speedometer in MPH or KM/H. You cacn also change the size of the lap times and warning arrows text. You can also change the driver?s name.

After you pick which game type you want to play you then choose what difficulty you would like to play on; easy, normal, hard, or extreme.

Then after choosing your difficulty you are able to choose which car you would like to use. You have a choice of a sports car, coupe, and a formula car. The difference being, besides the appearance, is that they handle differently and have different speeds. The formula car, of course, being the fastest.

You will eventually get to the ?Select Track?. This will change the track layout and the backdrop of the environment on which you race. The environments also have recognizable features such as the Golden Gate Bridge on the San Francisco map, which I thought was pretty cool.

After settings up your game mode and other options it?s time to race.

Your HUD shows you information such as your lap number that you are on, your position, your speed, your gear. It also shows a little thumbnail of the map and where you are at on it.

Gameplay

I really enjoyed playing this game. The cars have good handing, and you can do things like power sliding around a turn, and doing donuts. Although, it is simple a game, not a simulation and you won?t find the physics of which you find in car games for PC?s or consoles. There aren?t any shortcuts that you can do. You are basically stuck to the regular rode. You can only go off of the rode about 10 feet before you hit an invisible wall. All of the maps are flat, no jumps or anything. I found this not to be that big of a deal, but it would be cool to have hills and such. The game is only 1mb, which is amazing for what the game comes with. The setup is very simple.

Graphics

The graphics are pretty good for a pocket pc game. The graphics are set perfect so that almost all pocket pc?s can run this game without no problems. The frame rate is very smooth and fast, even on a 300 MHz pocket pc. People out there with old pocket pc?s that are ARM based will still be able to enjoy the game.

Overall

I think this is a fantastic game for the pocket pc. It offers lots of racing fun, and it doesn?t get boring fast. You can play this for a while and still won?t be bored. For only $19.95 you get a whole lot of game, with a little money. You can always play the trial from Astraware to see if you like it.

Other Screenshots