Brakes are for pussies!

My god, this is horrible ... The news has just come, please everyone keep calm: Visco has struck again! Certainly, the japanese company showed pretty effective on the Neo Geo, since it shown one of the most prolific editor on the system, next to SNK, the parent company, and ADK, a corporation related to the first one. After the Shoot them Up (Andro Dunos),  the VS fighting (Breakers), the puzzle game (Neo Mr Do!), The soccer (Goal! Goal! Goal!), gentlemen, fasten your seat belts and start your engines, it's racing time! The editor is not at its first attempt in the genre, as it has previously released several arcade version of this game, including the first one in 1991, Drift Out, and a few years later Drift Out 94 '. This version promises to be the most successful of the series with a 106 Mb size, rewarded with the pompous "New Technology" subtitle. It looks pretty good with the dynamic introduction and its techno music, presenting the different cars: we know we'll be dealing with a speedy, intensive game.

Only three vehicles are selectable, but not least: you can choose between the Toyota Celica (the fastest one), the Subaru Impreza (the balanced one) and the Mitsubishi Lancer (the more maneuverable). We then get on the first track, which is only a Practice stage to help familiarizing with the controls, before starting the time trials on international renowned events. The commands are very simple: the car is oriented with the multi-directional stick, the A button is used to accelerate and B to brake. B button you'll have few opportunity to use, as the driving is pretty much based on drifting at full speed in the turns! It 's a resolutely arcade gameplay, no doubt on that side. In total there are six races to win, happening everywhere on the globe, bringing you struggling with varied surfaces such as clay, asphalt, snow or ice. The graphics present a nice variety of landscapes, as we move from Africa to Europe via some specials in Scandinavian countries, providing an enjoyable diversity in driving techniques.

Different environments and vehicles are drawn in a realistic style, certainly not lacking colors: it's visually very nice, with perfectly mastered perspectives. In addition, Visco had the good idea to have the players exploring varied landscapes, providing sometimes snowy roads lined with snowdrifts, sometimes dirt tracks  in the jungle and of course, several open roads through cities. The animation is the main strength of Neo Drift Out. Powerful zooms occur when you're turning or when lowering speed, while the camera moves away from the car when the pace is accelerating, to provide more visual field. All these mechanisms are well managed and provide a nice sensation of speed! The multi-directional scrolling is flawless and stress is quick to come, as reflexes are much solicited. The soundtrack is not lacking quality, with few themes that are a bit repetitive, but catchy enough to fit the action. The voice indicating directions or commenting on your exploits is in the 'racing' line, while the sound effects deserved a little more care, especially for the engines: it's just average.

Anyway, the best feature in Neo Drift Out still remains the driving pleasure it packs! Vehicles meet the finger and the eye, but reflexes above average will be required to pass tight turns, pins and other obstacles while keeping achieving a good chrono. The controls can be learned best by driving and making mistakes, but one can progress quickly and it's interesting to try improving your best times, once you grasp some of the subtleties. Besides improving the trajectories and passage speeds in turns, each race features a certain amount of shortcuts ... that are up to you to discover! The only criticism that can be made to Visco's soft soft is its life. The game offers only six events (excluding practice), and they can be cleared fast. Besides the challenge of improving your own records, you'll quickly make the turn with the three vehicles available. Three or four more races would not have hurt. But ket's not spoil our fun, since we're dealing here with an excellent arcade racing game, packing good controls and memorable fun.