Genre: Racing
Developer: Press Start Inc
Publisher: Electronic Arts

A little over a year after the technically nice but aesthetically challenged PlayStation original, this Saturn port arrives-- and while its draw-in distance isn't as good, the "chunky quad" look which characterizes games on Sega's 32-bit, chip-laden monster gives the game some added charm. Although it does visibly dip while in dense traffic, the framerate is generally very good-- making it even more of a shame that the artists' choices of object placement and use of colors lends a sort of no-frills sensation to the proceedings.

The music in Andretti Racing sounds like DSP music, with its obviously fake guitar samples and caustic drum samples-- but in fact, the tunes are merely Red Book tracks. Compositionally and stylistically, they are somewhat like the abstract, techo-rock beats from 3DO's "Star Fighter". Other than music, there is some limited cockpit voice acting, and some truly DSP engine and tire noises, neither of which are particularly remarkable. Andretti Racing's aural characteristics aren't bad-- just forgettable.

Andretti Racing involves taking on either exhibition races-- which can be played in two-player split screen!-- or a lengthy, multi-season career mode, which even tracks the player's win-loss stats and best times across each track. What's more, after each season the player can pick a new team, and even cross between the game's Indy and Stock car disciplines. The d-pad sensitivity is perhaps a smidgen too touchy, especially in those moments of framerate trouble. The track designs are incredibly nuanced and balanced, and there is even limited car tuning available between races!

If Andretti Racing sounds a lot like "Project CARS"-- that's because it is, just with the wonderful 32-bit "chunky pixel" look. Watching a series of cars collide in a corner, with real-time ripped-off aero forming a sea of track-polluting quads is a sight to behold! Heck, the game even has real drivers in it, like Christian Fittipaldi and Scott Pruett, not to mention Super Mario and his two sons of course. Apparently, the game was co-designed by legend Scott Orr, and it shows. It's just a shame then about the game's aesthetic, which feels very generic, right down to the "Windows 3.1 multimedia"-looking pre-rendered menu backgrounds.