Ferrari Formula One review - Sega Megadrive

This title follows hot on the heels of Super Monaco GP II and comparisons are inevitable. The pre-game options are great, but unfortunately once you're into the race itself it quickly becomes clear that that's the only thing this has got going for it. It's a very dull game and the playability is very poor. The graphics are boring and do nothing to invoke a feeling of speed or excitement. The control method is also pretty tedious and once you've got the hang of changing down a few gears before the bends, the whole process is routine. In the end I wasn't too interested in completing the 16 courses, let alone the four bonus tracks. Only in the head-to-head two-player mode does this game succeed in providing any amusement at all - and even that's not a heap of fun. If you're thinking of taking to the circuit, Super Monaco GP II is miles and miles better in the graphics, sound and playability departments.

To say Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge is a travesty of programming would be to tell the truth in no uncertain terms. Ferrari GP obviously attempts to mimic the recent spate of super-detailed racing sims, such as Exhaust Heat on the SNES and Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II by including a host of car design options and a load of tracks to race on. However, there are three things wrong with Ferrari GP Challenge - graphics, sound and gameplay. There's hardly any background to speak of and the other cars are incredibly badly drawn. he 3D update is jerky and completely unrealistic and the still screens between races are dull. The sonics follow this trend of horror, with a terrible droning engine noise and hardly anything else to keep your ear drums occupied. But worst of all is the gameplay. The car slides all over the road in a style more befitting a hovercraft than a high-performance car, stopping dead whenever it comes into contact with an object instead of just losing speed or even flipping right over. The challenge level is low because the opponents are complete baboons, and the final straw is that all the construction options have little or no effect on the car's performance bar the gearbox. If you're after racing thrills, make sure you avoid this at all costs.