Video game reviews

By Robb Guido

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 7, 2000

Test Drive Le Mans

SYSTEM: Game Boy Color

PRICE: $29.99

MAKER: Infogrames

Players who experienced Rad Racer for the NES 15 years ago will feel comfortable with Le Mans for Game Boy, which features 2-D, night and day racing. On the other hand, comfort doesn't translate into fun in this case.

Grade: D

Xtreme Sports

SYSTEM: Game Boy Color

PRICE: $29.99

MAKER: Infogrames

This game may claim five extreme sports in one, but they are simplistic versions of the sports. Surf, skate, skyboard, skateboard and street luge in this game that's got nothing on Tony Hawk.

Grade: C

Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue

SYSTEM: Game Boy Color

PRICE: $29.99

MAKER: THQ

Not to be outdone by Pokemon, these Japanese imports are back with another pint-size adventure for Game Boy Color. The levels aren't pushovers, putting a number of weapons at the Rangers' disposal, and the result isn't bad.

Grade: B

Wacky Races

SYSTEM: Game Boy Color

PRICE: $29.99

MAKER: Infogrames

Why Game Boy Color didn't have a fun cartoon-based racer before is beyond me, but Wacky Races fits the bill nicely. There are numerous tracks and characters from the Hanna-Barbera show, and plenty of special weapons to keep races interesting.

Grade: B-

Gauntlet Legends

SYSTEM: Dreamcast

PRICE: $49.99

MAKER: Midway

Fans looking for a perfect port of the arcade free-for-all can rest assured. This version not only looks the best but plays well, too. Gauntlet Legends for Dreamcast also adds four characters and lets up to four players pillage and plunder at once.

Grade: B-

Colony Wars III: Red Sun

SYSTEM: PlayStation

PRICE: $39.99

MAKER: Midway

While Colony Wars offers 50 missions and nine upgradeable ships, it comes off as more of an action game than a strategy game. Shooting around in space might be fun for a while, but without much personality, the tasks get old.

Grade: C+

Koudelka

SYSTEM: PlayStation

PRICE: $39.99

MAKER: Infogrames

Koudelka feels like a role-playing version of Resident Evil with its dark persona and horror theme. The combat system is as basic as it can get, but the plot saves it.

Grade: B-

- Robb Guido is an avid gamer who lives in Tampa.

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