Aaaargh!
Considering that FlatOut does feel like a graphically-revamped, functionally tweaked racer from the 16-bit heyday, it’s a shame that more hasn’t been made of the multiplayer mode. The village idiot level of accessible gameplay would make this ideal for post-pub 4-player malarkey: it’s the sort of game where you’re quickly tempted to ‘get in a fight’ and pin a friend’s vehicle to a tree, or smash them across/through/into a concrete barrier or some such. Alas the split-screen racing is limited to 2 players, although the Xbox version does apparently boast Live online options.
Yiiiiikes!
So instead of having a genuine Mario Kart style 4-player race option, Bugbear has included a ‘hotseat’ feature for when there are more than two players. This takes the cars off the standard selection of 36 tracks and introduces a new line of mini-games in various arenas. These are a mixed batch, but being rather unusual, we did find them rather compelling. Divided into the following sections: Long jump, high jump, demolition dash, circle of eight, super roundabout, super mud mayhem, bowling, darts, clown, bullseye, demolition sandpit and crashalley run; these competitive sub-games vary between more traditional ring-racing and demolition-derbys and the massively distasteful ‘fling-your-driver-in-that-direction-over-there’ type of games.
Nooooo!
Longjump, for example, is the first mini-game unlocked. It takes a few attempts to work out what’s going on, with the correct technique depending on the timing of a nitro, but once you’ve got the knack, the fun starts. It’s just like any title that contains a variety of strange mini-games, Bishi Bashi for example: you’ll be mystified when you first try one of these challenges, but soon enough you’ll be wondering how you could possibly have failed to see the logic. And then the nastiness can commence. In the case of longjump, you’ll be nitroing down a ramp, slamming on the brakes and watching your driver as he is hurled down the length of the sand-pit. It’s a bit like Track’n’Field, but with the added fun of MOT-failed bangers and serious spinal injuries.
