errari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli prides itself in not being just like any other racing title. In the few hours we had to sit down with the game – and the game’s biggest fan, Mark Cale, CEO of System 3 – it became obvious that Ferrari Challenge has a mission to avoid the tread marks of other racing titles. Ferrari Challenge hopes to lead the pack – not follow it – with its impressive graphics, realistic handing and intelligent AI.
As soon as the game loaded, one thing became apparent – Ferrari Challenge takes itself seriously. As it should. Everything from the interface and the music to the cinematic replays and true-to-life car modeling, is crafted to reflect a high standard of quality. Then again, when using the official Ferrari name and license, quality is of the highest importance. Ferrari Challenge sticks to its unadulterated racing simulation roots, forfeiting exaggerated car models, RPG elements and unrealistic crash sequences popular in many recent racing titles. Cale explained that no one involved with the project is ashamed to admit that Ferrari Challenge is a simulation title. They strive to be realistic, not tabloid in nature. He expects that purist racing fanatics will enjoy speeding from circuit to circuit, and won’t require any fluff between races to keep them engaged.
However, the London native does acknowledge a difference between American and European audiences that may effect its universal reception. He argued that while European audiences tend to prefer simulation and arcade titles, American audiences lean toward games with Hollywood flair and dramatic elements. Despite this, Cale believes in-game trophies, unlockable items and achievements will act as an extra incentive to keep racing fans worldwide hooked.
Ferrari Challenge features 15 tracks from the official European and North American Ferrari Challenge series – all of which were modeled from the ground up with the aid of thousands of reference photos. Featured tracks include Silverstone, Monza, California Speedway and the Ferrari test track at Fiorano. If the tracks are of special interest to you, you can check them all out at the official System 3 website, complete with videos detailing each race location.
Obviously, for both racing fans and car enthusiast alike, the big draw to the game is the large array of cars. Ferrari provides 50 unique cars to choose from, each modeled to perfection down to interior details. The roster includes a mix of Ferrari Challenge, production, prototype and classic cars which were digitally constructed with photographic scans and factory blueprints supplied exclusively by Ferrari for the title. In Ferrari Challenge, each model will take realistic damage – something that was surprisingly hard to get Ferrari to agree to. However, Ferrari drew the line when it came to degrading performance. Even with significant damage, the in-game Ferrari’s won’t stop ticking, allowing you to focus entirely on the race and not the condition of your vehicle.
Before entering a racetrack, you will have the option of customizing your car via the Ferrari showroom. To ensure your car is unique from the masses, you can personalize it with paint, decals and finishes. Hundreds upon hundreds of options are available from the get-go. Nothing is locked, because according to Cale, customization is half the fun. As one would expect, you will be able to share your designs with others online. The hope is to start an active community where racing enthusiast will show off their custom cars, post race replay videos and share memorable experiences. System 3 also plans on keeping the community active by releasing five new cars and one new track per month, available to download for a small fee.
As far as gameplay goes, the title is accessible to a wide range of gamers; from novices to lifelong racers. An in-game tutorial provides a fantastic starting point for anyone new to the game, and includes a helpful coach that will instruct you when to brake and accelerate. He will also offer you unsolicited criticism when you screw up – but you have to take the good with the bad. At the end of the tutorial, you can check your stats and your overall rating to see where you stand. Don’t worry, you can always return to the tutorial if you feel like your driving needs some fine-tuning. You don’t have to take the training wheels off completely when moving onto the big-league races. You can tune the game to match your skill set. An optional racing line is available, which will indicate how to take corners and when to start breaking and accelerating via color cues. You can also chose to adjust assists, which will move the game towards a more arcade like experience as you max them out. As you advance and turn off the assists, each car will perform closer to its real life counterpart, complete with unique handling quirks you will have to adapt to. Intelligent AI provides another layer of complexity, adjusting to match your increasing skill level. Cars will attempt to box you in, cut you off, and run you off the road. As true in real life, in each race you are automatically pitted against cars of the same make, so that no one car model has an advantage over another. When playing multiplayer online, the host will get to choose all the options – car model, race duration, driving conditions and so on – and all players will have to adhere to them.
Ferrari Challenge is in development for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii and DS – surprisingly skipping over the Xbox 360 entirely. When asked, Cale explained that he believes there simply is not a global market for the Xbox 360. While the Xbox 360 is popular in the States, it lags behind in other countries across the globe. However, the decision to bypass the Xbox 360 was not as strange as the decision to bring the game to the Wii. For a game that prides itself in realistic graphics, environmental effects and car handling, the Wii version seemed like a watered down translation. The switch from 1080p on the PS3 to 480p on the Wii was certainly noticeable. Cale explained that the endeavor was worth taking – despite the hit to graphic quality. Cale and his team believe there is little competition for hardcore driving experiences on the Wii. For the same reason, they chose to develop for the Nintendo DS.
If you are looking for a pure, untainted racing title, you are in luck with Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli. The game has no qualms with being a simulation title, and does have some of the most impressive graphics, intuitive gameplay and advanced AI of any racing title. Look for Ferrari Challenge on retail shelves this Labor Day.