REVIEW: Star Wars: Episode I-Racer 1999 Color GB
	By: LucasArts Type: Racing Players: 1 Difficulty: Medium

    We've all seen Episode I by now, haven't we? All that hype for a mediocre movie. A pity. But if you were asked the question, "What's the most memorable scene from The Phantom Menace?", you'd probably answer the Podrace. So brilliantly computer animated with great sound effects, it can easily take one's breath away. Not to mention it would make a great video game.
And as everybody guessed, it did. Star Wars: Episode I-Racer exploded on to the screens of N64 players across the country. With great graphics (enhanced even better for people with an Expansion Pak), plenty of characters to choose from, great control, and plenty of small entertainment tidbits, it was a game for all Star Wars fans and racing fans alike.
But very few people ever heard of its sequel of the same name for Game Boy Color. Even if someone did come across it, how could a great 64-bit game be translated to a Game Boy? As a few Star Wars fans have noticed, the Game Boy Color knows no limits.

    Whoa, the first time you put the cartridge in, you know you're in for something great. First your treated to a two-second black-and-white clip of the movie (a Podrace scene, of course), then your hurled into the main menu where the fun begins. You log in your name (for the best time records), then you go to the starting grid!
     At first, you can only play as Anakin. You have four courses on each of the five planets to choose from (you have to earn the last three courses on each planet by winning races). When you win a race, you earn a new Pod! The concept may be simple, but it ends up to be very fascinating, indeed. Win all the races to take on Sebulba, master Podracer!
    But don't get me wrong, the first time you play, you'll HATE IT. The controls at first are very confusing (that's weird, there's only five buttons!), and that can throw you into a big frustration. Buttons get pressed at the wrong times, your Podracer won't do what you want it to do, and you'll crash into a lot of walls. But by the time it becomes second nature to you (about thirty minutes of playing), you'll be racing like a pro.
    Now, the hard data. Graphics can pull a lot more weight than people realize. What makes this game look cool is the fact that LucasArts spent plenty of time detailing the minuscule objects all the way to the huge obstacles. Great eye-candy! The sound, however, needs a rework or two. In fact, during the race there is no music, just sound effects... but that could be an improvement in some cases. Anyway, the only thing you'll here during the race is the engines and the warning signals. The controls are fairly simple for those who know them, and this game will last about a month for the average player, and two weeks for the power player.
All in all, this is a great game, and a HUGE improvement over the previous Star Wars game (also for Game Boy), Yoda Stories. This game is a good bet for anyone who likes racing, and of course, Star Wars. It was worth my thirty bucks. Hey, look! It even has a built-in rumble feature. Awesome! - The Jedi Guy 95%

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