DESCRIPTION

Known for its fine German engineering, the popular Volkswagen Beetle drives its way onto the Nintendo 64 in this exclusive release from Electronic Arts. Beetle Adventure Racing consists solely of 1999-model Beetles, so don't expect to drive any expensive sports cars during play. As the title suggests, the game is a mixture of racing and adventure, where players can see how well they perform on the tracks or venture out to discover the many shortcuts and secrets found off the beaten path.

The adventure element has you searching for three different crates, each offering the following point values: brown crates are worth two points apiece; gray crates are worth five points; and the rare yellow crates are worth ten points apiece. If a player manages to earn a hundred points on a course, a new arena will be unlocked in the multiplayer Beetle Battle mode. If fifty points are earned, players receive an extra continue, meaning they won't start from scratch if they fail to qualify. Also found on the courses are Nitro crates, which provide a temporary boost of speed whenever your car runs over them.

Beetle Adventure Racing offers three modes of play: One Player, consisting of a Single Race, Championship Circuit, and Time Attack; Two Player, a head-to-head race against a friend; and Beetle Battle, where up to four players attempt to find six ladybug icons in one of nine arenas (more can be unlocked during the Championship Circuit). The first player to grab six ladybugs (all must be different colors) and reach the exit wins the game. Yet there are more than just ladybugs inside the arenas!

Players will also find the following power-ups: Mystery (fogs or flips your split-screen view); Health (restores damage); Rockets; Poison (drains health); Mines; Stealers (one ladybug is taken away from an opponent); and Invincibility. Six different courses have you racing along the countryside in Coventry Cove, up and down icy slopes on Mount Mayhem, past dense forests on Inferno Isle, through Egyptian pyramids on Sunset Sands, on urban streets in Metro Madness, and even through spooky caves in the Wicked Woods.

The Championship Circuit has you choosing one of three cars, each rated in top speed, acceleration, and handling. To unlock eight more vehicles, you'll have to win each circuit (Novice, Advanced, Professional, and Bonus), which involves earning more points than the seven drivers forming your competition. In order to save course records and completed circuits, players must have a Controller Pak with four pages free. The game also offers vibration feedback while driving with the Rumble Pak accessory. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide