6th Gear is very similar in style to the great arcade Sega classic Outrun. The gameplay is from a behind the car view, as with the other aforementioned games. The difference with 6th Gear is that it does not have the true 3D elements of either game, there is no reverse gear or any need for one. The game is a fast paced game with plenty of good features, instead of the graphical elements Cronotech have concentrated on other, often missed ideas. One very nice feature is that the choice of cars and the available options for these cars. You can change anything from car weight to gear ratios.

Something else I am very happy to see is a damage option. In Microquad there was no need for such an option, it was too much of a cartoon fun game, however I did feel that GTS RC missed a damage option. It reminded me of a certain Playstation game, promising extreme realism but forgetting that the cars shouldn’t be able to bounce like rubber balls with not a scratch to show. The damage option in 6th Gear doesn’t actually seem to affect the performance of the car, however it does ensure that you attempt to look after it more in the race if you actually want to finish, a step in the right direction for this type of game.

Previously I mentioned that the game graphics do not follow the same 3D conventions of it’s closest rivals. This does not mean that the game looks bad, on the contrary, the game is fast moving and the graphics suit the style perfectly. The title screens and in-game graphics have a certain polish and style which separates it nicely. Something else is the in game sound – speech helps break up the engine drone nicely and a good soundtrack plays on the title screen.

The tracks in 6th Gear are based on roads as opposed to racetracks, there is no map for these or wrong turns, there are hills though and these add a great feeling of going somewhere – you actually find yourself concentrating more when you surge up a hill, not sure if the way will be clear at the top. The weather can also have interesting effects too, apart from looking good rain can mess with the steering.

On a final note I must mention the controls for 6th Gear. The options are all there, full use is made of the 5 way pad (if you have one) and there is also a Cruise mode. Cruise mode is like auto-accelerate on Microquad except on 6th Gear it can be turned on and off at the touch of a button mid race. The only things I would say that this game really lacks is the ability to control the screen without buttons and landscape support.

Overall I have really warmed to 6th Gear, I hope that Cronotech will release extra tracks in the future to extend it further. As a 1 player game I think it is a great addition to any racing collection.

Get 6th Gear here:  http://www.cronotech.co.za/6thgear/6thgear.htm