Polaris SnoCross (Nintendo 64)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 1.5 stars Poor
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 3.8 (1.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Nelson Taruc
• Reviewed on: 02/05/2001
• Updated on: 05/17/2006
• Released on: 12/27/2000
• Originally published on GameSpot: Polaris SnoCross (Nintendo 64) Review

Cloning is a relatively new technology that's made headlines in recent years, but some things just shouldn't be cloned. Humans? A bad idea. Dinosaurs? Well, you saw the movie Jurassic Park, didn't you? Add video games to that list, especially if they're anything like Polaris SnoCross. Vatical Entertainment opted to clone the average-at-best PlayStation version of that 3D snowmobile racer for the Nintendo 64 in virtually every detail. According to its publisher, this makes Polaris SnoCross the first snowmobiling game for the Nintendo 64. It's also the worst, thanks to buggy gameplay, confounding collision detection, and a lack of noteworthy features.

You get 10 winding, shortcut-filled tracks to test your prowess on, and a total of 16 total snowmobiles can be unlocked by beating certain circuits. By winning races and performing airborne tricks while racing, you earn wrenches used to improve your vehicles' stats. The game follows this gameplay formula in the single race and tournament modes, as well as in an instant action mode that picks a random track and snowmobile. Finally, this game boasts simultaneous split-screen racing for up to four players (unfortunately, only three tracks can be raced with three or four players).

The word "clone" is no misnomer--this game looks like a high-resolution version of the PlayStation game (minus the video introduction). Despite the crisp background textures and special effects such as snow and nighttime racing, the game's graphics still fall short--it exhibits instances of pop-up and flicker that other Nintendo 64 titles manage to disguise better. Although the game moves at a crisp pace, slowdown occurs seemingly at random; a telltale sign of slowdown is when the music skips while playing, which is downright odd for a cartridge-based title. In terms of sound, the title barely passes muster with lackluster background music and sparse sound effects.

Like the PlayStation version, the game's track designs prove to be this title's bright spot. Not only do most tracks have a wealth of ramps to perform tricks off of, but they also have many hidden timesaving shortcuts and alternate paths--all of which prove vital to finishing first. Unfortunately, during the cloning process some of the shortcuts got glitchy. On one track, for instance, a shortcut through a house sometimes sends snowmobilers through the roof (via glitch "magic") and over the top of the house instead.

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