Destruction Derby 2

Demolition derbies are alright. If they weren t, Psygnosis wouldn t have had such a hit with their first Destruction Derby. The second installment in the series is pretty much the same game as the first, with a few more options.

Like the first, DD2 is divided into two sections, Stock Car racing and the actual derby. Unlike the first, though, the Stock Car section outshines the other. The 7 tracks, 3 of which are available after beating the others, are small but tough, with jumps, narrow passageways, and tight turns. There are two racing modes to choose from as well. The basic Stock Car race, and Wreckin Racing, where you gain points for smashing your opponents. Mind you, your 19 opponents smash into you in the Stock Car race mode too, you just get points for it in the Wreckin Racing mode.

While it is fun to get smashed up in the derby bowl, it gets to be a little much in the racing. In fact, the enemy AI is so aggressive, you often get knocked so hard at the beginning of the race, it s impossible to catch up later on. Perhaps they were overcompensating for the significantly easier first game.

While initially exciting, the actual Destruction Derby mode wears thin real quick. After you ve been bashed around a few times, with hardly any chance to gain some control, you ll want to go back to the Stock Car mode. Plus, they took out the link mode, one of the best things about the first.

Destruction Derby 2 isn t a bad game. The actual car physics are done really nicely, and the in-car cam gives you a terrific sense of speed. The graphics are great too, although the pop-up is a trifle heavy. It could be loads of fun, if it weren t so darn hard.