Video Game Vintage Title: Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends is a racing video game developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Atari. It is the eleventh game in the series. The game is a departure from the open world sandbox-gaming style seen on past Unlimited games from the series, and returns to arcade racing, just as left in Test Drive 6, and also resembling Le Mans 24 Hours, a Test Drive spin-off.

Development for the game began shortly after the release of Shift 2: Unleashed and uses the same engine to showcase "convincent physics models" and a "one of a kind experience for all driving enthusiasts." The main gameplay in the video game is driving simulation, although the developer claims it to be a balance between simulation and arcade racing. Ferrari Racing Legends does not feature car customization, as Ferrari didn't allow the developer to include the feature. It is the first Test Drive game to be developed by Slightly Mad Studios.

Ferrari Racing Legends focuses on Ferrari's history across almost all of the racing disciplines, including Formula One, rally racing, and GT. There are over 50 different Ferrari vehicles to drive, and each shows off full realistic interior and exterior models, as well as damage effects. The game is set to be released in celebration of the 65th anniversary of the first Ferrari ever built, the Ferrari 125 S of 1947.

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends Gameplay

The gameplay in Ferrari Racing Legends is planned to be alike past Test Drive games like Test Drive II through Test Drive 6, but with racing taking place in closed circuits and inspired by other Slightly Mad Studios' developed games like the Need for Speed: Shift series, on which the game bases its dynamic models and damage effects. Rather than concentrate solely on Ferrari�s road cars, the game covers several race series too, including Formula One, rally and GT racing. There are 36 circuits in total including Spa and Monza along with other Grand Prix tracks and test circuits.

Also, the single-player mode, also known as the campaign mode, guides the player through the history of Ferrari cars, just as Electronic Arts did with the Porsche brand in the fifth installment in the Need for Speed racing games, Porsche Unleashed. This career mode spans three eras in Ferrari�s history: Gold (from 1947 to 1973), Silver (from 1974 to 1990) and Modern (from 1990 to 2011). The player is not restricted to play straight through history. Instead, the career can be started in any era. On the multi-player side, the game will feature up to 8-player online interactions, as well as the mentioned single-player mode. Although, it is not mentioned if the single-player challenges will also be played in co-op mode or completely online.

Reception
Adam Dolge from PlayStation Universe commented that "on the surface it feels like a generic driving sim, but digging a little deeper it�s easy to see there is something here for every racing fan, especially Ferrari junkies." On his preview of the game, he praised the studio's work on "convincing physics models", agreeing that "cars handle as expected�lightening-fast(sic) acceleration coupled with tight corner control across the fleet." Website D-Xbox Games commented that Ferrari Racing Legends wasn't "visually stunning", stating that the environments felt "empty and soulless", the sense of speed was "not very impressive" and that "Unfortunately, there is no night race, or dynamic weather." The website also commented that cars doesn't receive much damage due to restrictions made by Ferrari, concluding that "Without any projection, these cars, as beautiful as they are, do lose a lot of their charm."

Jonas Allen from Daily Game, on his preview of the game, stated that "if you�re a Ferrari fan and have ever wanted to sit behind the wheel of one, Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends is the closest thing you�ll find to stepping foot in these legendary cars without spending your life savings." Andrew Hayward from Official Xbox Magazine commented that the game "isn't as flashy or fresh feeling as your average modern racer" and "beyond the vehicles themselves, the tracks look a little sparse and generic". He concluded that "for car enthusiasts, the latest Test Drive seems to hit the most essential notes, being an appreciative historical document with stellar mechanics and a wide array of vehicles."