Thrash Rally is one of those games only the most die hard racing game fans are going to find any type of enjoyment in. Even these people will have trouble mastering this one. Sloppy control, boring graphics, and
nearly non-existent sound drop this one far below par as far as racing games are concerned. Players have the choice of tackling either the world championship or the Dakar rally, one of the longest races the world offers. The Dakar offers up unique vehicles choices like a motorcycle and semi-truck while the world championship only offers rally vehicles. Differences are quite noticeable between the vehicles once on the track and finding one to suit your driving tastes may take some times.
Once the mode and vehicle has been selected, everything falls completely apart for this title. The overhead view is severely limiting and the nauseating scaling effect when your car/truck/motorcycle catches air doesn't help much. Upcoming turns are prompted by a large arrow and scratchy voice sample, but it's still way too difficult to time the turn correctly.
Once a turn has been made, trying to keep your car straight is an
excursive in frustration. You'll constantly weave all over the road trying to straighten up. If you finally manage to pull it off, it's nearly
guaranteed that another turn is upcoming. Loose controls are not something that fit this genre.
The only real highlight in this one is for those who enjoy running over elephants and other animals running across the track. Even if your not the type, you have to admit hitting an elephant with a lowly motorcycle and hardly losing any speed is pretty stupid. The graphics don't exactly convey impact either. Even for a first generation title, you'll have to be easily impressed to find something, uh, well, impressive about this games graphics.
Though racing games were almost always a bust on the Geo, you'll be much better off with the much later Neo Drift Out. It's in the same genre, same view, and the same style of racing, but it does everything better. Even though Thrash Rally can now be picked up for less than $30 on E-Bay, there's plenty of other games worth your money on this system.
