2D screenshots of 3D-capable game: Due to technical limitations, the screenshot shown in this review is a 2D image of a game that can display its graphics in 3D. The game is fully playable in either form, but only the 2D method can be shown here.
Arcade-style racers seem to be a natural fit for the 3DS; they let you jump right into the action with courses that can be completed in just a few minutes, and the circle pad makes a passable steering wheel if the game isn’t intended to be a hardcore racing simulation. Asphalt 3D offers a mostly competent take on this formula and adds the appeal of having several licensed cars, but a few significant design mistakes and graphical problems drag it down.
Asphalt 3D has players race through several courses, competing against the AI or other people via local wireless play. Modes can range from typical races and time trials, to more unusual ideas like ’elimination’ races where the person in last place at the end of a lap is immediately disqualified. While it features real cars, the controls are simple to learn and various power-ups dotting the course make it clear this isn’t a realistic game. Completing even a few races will begin to unlock new cars, sponsors, and parts for garage tuning (which is a very basic process, no mechanical expertise is necessary). All of this works fine, and the game has enough content to keep you busy.
Unfortunately, two directly related problems and one lesser issue dash Asphalt 3D’s chances at success. The least of these is the game’s general lack of ’life’; the graphics are decent, the sound effects passable, and the music isn’t horrible, but they’re all very sterile and flat; an odd thing for a supposedly wild and arcade-styled racing game to do in its presentation. More significant is the addition of several things to crash into on each course, most commonly taking the form of random traffic. They mostly stick to the correct lanes for civilian traffic, but this isn’t much consolation when one realizes that being in the wrong lanes is often important for correctly making some turns and that a serious draw-in distance issue often has them appear with no real time to react. In a way, this is the same mistake many Sonic the Hedgehog games make; the whole point is to go fast, yet doing so makes it very easy to slam into things you could barely see. This is a very bad thing to feature in a racing game like this, and one of Asphalt 3D’s major weaknesses.
Asphalt 3D isn’t some horrifying mess of a game, and nowhere near as bad as some might make it out to be. Most of its core mechanics are competent, held back only by some visual problems and design mistakes. That said, being ’not terrible’ doesn’t make it good either. When the course designs and power-up systems encourage the player to go as fast as possible, yet so many obstacles appear with little to no warning to punish you for doing what you should be, Asphalt 3D ends up being underwhelming. Combined with Ridge Racer 3D offering the same kind of game with significantly better quality, it’s hard to recommend Asphalt 3D for purchase.
