Platform: Playstation 2

Genre: Racing/simulation

Number of Players: 1 - 2

Horse racing has long been described as the Sport of Kings, but now you’re going to have the chance to partake in the sport in the comfort of your own living room, without having to pay a kings ransom for betting. Gallop Racer has long been a fan favorite horseracing simulator, and not just for those that are a fan of the sport either. The series has drawn in the seasoned fan right down to the curious onlooker. Believe it or not, Gallop Racer has been successful enough that it has reached a total of six sequels, the latest one taking on the title Gallop Racer 2003: A New Breed. This is also one of those games that I’ve been curious about for quite a while, but there’s been a problem. For some reason, even the video stores don’t carry it, at least not the major ones, and every time I have the money for it, not in stock, but when I’m broke, that’s when I see it. Thankfully though, this review marks the beginning of our newly forged relationship with Tecmo, and it’s looking like it’s going to be a good one at that.

Gallop Racer doesn’t have a story, at least not in the usual gaming terms. You either take your pick of either Season Mode or Free Mode. Free Mode will allow you to chose any of the horse that you want, and race, pure and simple. Think of it as the thoroughbred equivalent of free play in Gran Turismo. Of course, Free Mode is all well and good, but for those that are novices to the game, that being myself, Season Mode is the better selection in order to get the feel of the game.

The first thing you’ll need to do is select a jockey and once you’ve got that situated, you need to start deciding exactly what he or she is going to look like. There are a few color options as well as some variations in the shirt designs, and it’s all fairly straight forward. After that’s all in place, you’ll get your introduction to the world of horseracing from a very well educated horse. It may seem a little time consuming, but it’s very helpful as this isn’t a game where the controls just come naturally, and everything that is in the tutorials has a direct impact on playing the game.

The first thing, just as in any race, is the start. You have a meter with bad on both sides, and good being right in the middle. The key here, and this is a very obvious one, is to stop the arrow in the good section. A good start will give you a jump on your competition while a bad start is going to leave you eating dust. But, stopping the arrow isn’t quite as easy as you would think. You see, just like in real racing, each horse is different, and its temperament plays a great deal on how quickly the arrow moves. The more temperamental the horse, the faster the arrow will be.

Once you get out of the gates, you need to try and get a good feel for the horse. The direction pad is used for game play instead of the analog stick. Left and right, just as one would expect, move the horse, up increases your speed while down, well, that’s fairly easy to figure out. But, again, it’s not easy. You have a speed meter, with the middle be the most desired spot to be. Run too slow and you’ll be left behind, but run too fast and your stamina meter will drop, not leaving you with enough steam at the end of the race to even win by a head.

The stretch of course is, as the game loves to tell me (repeatedly) where the race is won. In some ways, it plays just like the main course, but now you can use your whip. Don’t worry though, you’re not hurting your hose, but just trying to get him to run a little faster. There is a whip meter and if it drops too low, your horse will need a little time to gain his composure back. The key here is timing, just like everything else in the game really. Although you can use the whip at just about any point, once you hit the last four furlongs is where it’s really important.

As a new jockey, you’ll be awarded points based on your performance. Initially, you have none, and not even a horse, but that’s not going to stop you. You see, there are some free horses that you can use to hone your skills, and as you gain more points, you can get better horses. However, your performance will also be rated, and if you succeed in getting a higher rating, it will increase your overall stats as well, give you better control over your horse, better starts, and anything else to do with racing. Your stats also are what compares with your horses, to make sure that your compatible to race. But, what’s better is that you can have more than one horse, allowing you to participate in more than just a single race each day, and thus gaining more points. And despite what everyone says, winning really is everything as if you manage to actually place, you’ll get yourself a little cash that you can use for betting, which I’ll talk about a little later.

Horses, just like people, have attitudes, and some days they won’t feel like racing. Try and take one out when it’s feeling a bit under the weather, and it will perform poorly. That’s why it’s important to keep them happy, and let them rest when they really seem to need it. Again, that’s where having several horses comes in handy. Also, each race card will let you know if there is a certain race that’s ideal conditions for your horse. Remember, some will excel at racing on turf while others have absolutely no problem with dirt. And, just like in real racing, you’ll find a variety of conditions including rain, show, and even fog on occasion. One of the last things that makes some horses unique is that some have special abilities that can be activated under certain conditions. Some will be able to go from having been in last place to suddenly making a leap to the front; others will be able to do well no matter where they are at on the track. Not all horses have special abilities though, but it’s not always a matter of importance.

As your points as a jockey, and your skills, increase, you’ll be awarded points for performing well in races. As these accumulate, you can trade them in for better horses to increase your success rate. Horses that you don’t want anymore can be retried, but that doesn’t mean a trip to the glue factory. There’s no animal cruelty in this game. Point though do not remain once they are spent, so once they are gone, it’s up to you to build the collective pool back up.

While betting doesn’t really get you anything, it is fun and a nice addition into the game. It’s set up just about like the real thing, allowing you to bet either by win, place, and show, trifecta, or even an exacta. The one thing that’s actually missing from it is the ability to select and play an all. For those who don’t know the betting terminology, and these are all covered in the manual, we’ll use an exacta for an example. An exacta means that the horses finish in exactly the order you have selected. So, let’s say that you’re positive the 3 and 4 will place first and second respectively, but you’re not sure who will place third, in normal betting you can play an all, which means that it could be any horse, so you’ll win if your pick place as you selected.

The game also keeps track of not only your stats as you race, but also the stats of your horse. The whole thing can be seen in a layout that would be similar to what you could find in something like The Daily Racing Form. You’ll be able to see what jockey has won the most money, races, and just about everything else. The same is true for the horses as well.

Horses can also be breed, and it’s fairly simple. You see, when a mommy horse and a daddy horse care about each other very much, never mind. Anyway, horses that are breed can be trained, by you of course, and later raced. It takes time and patience, but the results can be very rewarding, and profitable as well.

Honestly, I really have no complaints about GR in the least. It’s fairly easy to get into, and even if you forget what you learn in the beginning tutorial, or feel that you need more practice, you can revisit any of the previous classes. But, the real problem comes, not with the game, but the jockey, and I’m talking about myself. My horse has more or less become the equivalent of Zippy Chippy. For those of you who don’t know this horse, he’s never won a race, ever. In fact, Zippy was even pitted in a race against a minor league baseball player, and he lost that as well. That’s about how many races I’ve won: none. Just when I think that I might pull it off, I see the rest of the pack sprinting off in front of me in the final furlong.

There are a few things that I’d like to see in the future however. Online play of course would be extremely easy to pull off, especially since the races aren’t that long. Even with a lack of enough players for a race, the computer could fill in the blanks. Being able to purchase items instead of just bet would also be a great touch. Maybe different saddles would increase or decrease a horses abilities, or blinders would help lower his temperament. A story mode would also be a nice touch. Heck, maybe the mob could come to you and want you to throw a race. Also, I’d really love to see some of the more famous names in horse racing make an appearance as well as some of the tracks. Something else that would make the game even better than it already is would be the option to be invited to certain events, which is where having something like the Breeders Cup or the Kentucky Derby would come in handy. Lastly, going beyond just jockey and being able to simply be a trainer or even an owner would add a whole new element into the playability.

The fact is that horse racing is growing more and more popular; as I’m sure everyone has seen already with the growth of off track betting as well as network racing channels like TVG. Hopefully, a game like this will teach the general public that in all reality, betting on the horses isn’t really a bad thing at all, and in fact can be very enjoyable, and even profitable. Of course, for those with a little problem, Gallop Racer at least allows you to gamble responsibly. Sure, you aren’t going to win any real money, but you’re not going to lose any either. This is a title that will definitely appeal to those that are into the sport as well as those that are just generally curious. This is definitely a class act all the way.

 -mike-