In Best Rally, you complete a number of racing challenges with a specific timer goal. Three levels of timed goals for each level award you between one and three stars.
This star system is tied specifically to these times, meaning that, when you run into the side of the racing course and drift into failure, you’ll be desperate to redo the level to get the correct time.
Each level begins with a countdown system, a gently moving clock that leads you towards the ability to start your card. Straight away, the twists and turns of the individual level assail you, forcing you to turn left or right quickly to avoid eventual failure.
From the very start of the level, however, your thumbs gravitate towards the left and right sides of your screen, moving straight away, because it’s so incredibly obvious.
This is a point in Best Rally’s credit because it’s very clear from the very start what to do. After all, it’s a racing game![sc name=”quote” text=”After all, it’s a racing game.”]
The racing courses are devised more like puzzles than anything else, forcing you to pick the right direction to swing your car, picking the proper time to avoid swinging horribly into the side.
Best Rally would normally be considered a pretty dull racing game. All you really do is control the directional turning of your car and try to avoid obstacles, nothing really especially challenging or interesting.
However, the desire to beat your best time and actually succeed the level is overpowering; it becomes your new fascination in life.
Due to the fact that the small racing levels are very short, you can find yourself constantly repeating the same level over and over again, because it doesn’t feel like you’re especially wasting your time. After all, it’s only like 8 seconds at a time, right?
However, you might suddenly realize you’ve spent several minutes driving the same 8-second track, all to somehow reach the gold star. You now have an addiction.[sc name=”quote” text=”You now have an addiction.”]
What makes it all the more addicting is the fact that, upon repeat of a level, the ghostly remnants of your car will recreate your previous attempt’s path throughout the level. This means that, while driving through the level and trying to win, you will find yourself watching with fascination at your own stupidity – how could you have gone left there! It’s obvious you would’ve died!
This lovely touch means it’s easier to plan a possible path to victory, as you can see what doesn’t work. However, it still takes a long time to perfect it, as well as taking a long time due to sheer addiction to perfection.
Best Rally is a good game by virtue of being addicting – while this is normally a negative quality; it feels surprisingly good to be lusting after those three gold stars.
You’ll get there eventually.
[review pros=”Simple controls and simple objectives. The addiction feels, somehow, like a good thing.” cons=”Only controlling left and right can feel rather limiting.” score=8]
[appbox appstore id1062844836]
