¢ATARI JAGUAR REVIEW¢by Micheal Clatworthy¢¢¢Checkered Flag¢¢ This is the first driving game to appear on the Jaguar and is based on Sega's Virtual Racing.¢¢ The basic driving game rules are featured, being to get round the track in x amount of laps and finish first. There are various options available. You can vary the weather (choosing from sun, rain or fog), the number of computer drivers against you (between 1 and 5), and the number of laps (between 1 and 10). You can also change the configuration of your car, being either wet or dry tyres, high or low aerofoils and manual six speed or auto five speed gearbox.¢¢ There are ten courses to choose from, unless you've opted for a championship race, whereby you have to race all ten. You can either practice the course you choose or race against the computer.¢¢ After making your selections you then go to the race, which features the car/cars on the start grid. You can also choose the colour of your car from the options menu.¢¢ The race starts with a race announcer calling "Get Ready!!" and you watch the race lights for when they change from red to green. On the green lights, you're off!¢¢ You can choose the angle from which you view the race track, although all the angles are from behing the car. The angle of view is selected from the keypad numbers with 1 being directly behind the wheel of the car, to 6 which is positioned like a helicopter's view from above and behihd. I found the best view angles are 3 and 4, though if you want to make the race authentic you are best using viewing mode 1. The transition between the viewing modes is very smooth, and of course can be done at any time.¢¢ The tracks are varying in degree of complexity, some being simple round and round circuits to others with sharp bends when you least expect them! There is an on-screen map in the right hand corner which shows your current position and the position of any other drivers. Some tracks have tunnels, and it should be noted that some viewing angles are unavailable in the tunnels.¢¢ When you crash, your car just comes to a halt and you have to get yourself on the track as soon as possible. Believe me, it is easy to crash at first, because there is a steering curve incorporated into the controls of the car, i.e. when you press to turn, the car may seem slow in turning at first then suddenly turns quite quickly, making it easy to come off the track or skid.¢¢ Practice, though, does make perfect, and this allows the game to have a little more playability than it would have otherwise had.¢¢ In all, Checkered Flag is a well presented game, the polygon movement is fast, smooth and precise, with pleasant backdrops and other features.¢¢ The speed of movement is awesome! This game shows just what the Jaguar is capable of. Sound is adequate and serves it's purpose, i.e. engine noise, skidding and other cars passing.¢¢ Checkered Flag is a pleasing game, yet you wish that there could have been a few more features, for example a two player split-screen like Pitstop II, or a pitstop feature for refuelling, etc. (there is a pit lane on the race circuit but it only serves in slowing you down if you drive into it).¢¢ In fairness, this is the first racing game available and it will serve as an adequate platform for other software companies to develop upon.¢
