Gamers that played the excellent release last year from this same team, Race Driver: Create & Race, will recognize GRID right away. It's not like the DS changed in the last year, and the developers haven't found any way to squeeze more out of the console. What we have is a "street" version of the racetrack epic that Codemasters and Firebrand released last year. It is interesting that GRID was released for the PS3 but not the PSP, perhaps because gamers with both handhelds would be unlikely to invest in a version with such weak graphics. If you can overlook the graphics, you'll find there is significant racing meat on these pixellated bones...

Where the video may leave lots to be desired, the audio creates some real excitement as you listen to revving engines and occasionally crunching metal. The music leaves a bit to be desired, since GRID doesn't feature any signature bands. The licensing dollars clearly went into purchasing rights to use aftermarket brands and the likeness cars from over 30 manufacturers. GRID shines in this respect, as gamers can brandish hot rides like the Saleen and Aston Martin, alongside tricked out rides from more traditional manufacturers like Ford and BMW. Racing on location is a neat option that features tracks like Le Mans and lets you "create and race" your own customized tracks. Forgiving the patchy look of GRID isn't that easy on the DS, but the guts of the game and its playability may help you forget the pain.

Much like Race Driver: Create & Race, GRID features excellent physics and track design, with a huge number of tracks that unfold as you play the game's modes. Multiplayer should be a standout, but the lobbies were empty. Over time, if a fan-base discovers GRID, you will find hours of racing fun in the multiplayer modes. Even if the Wi-Fi crowd never picks up, there are other ways to engage in a race with friends. The Multi-Card Play Mode opens up three events for up to four players, including Chase, Single, and Championship Race. The number of tracks available will depend on how far the multiplayer host has gone into unlocking various tracks within the game, so your results may vary. The difference between Multi- and Single-Card Modes is really the number of tracks available; in Single-Card, there is only a Championship Race option, but the basic functionality for up to four players remains the same.

The editor, labeled the Track Designer, is back in GRID with a few interesting tweaks. During the game's competitive play, you will occasionally be dropped into the Track Designer with the goal of building a course to certain specifications. This is like the "SimRacer" game that nobody thought of before; it's a neat idea that could even be extended further with the proper direction... Designer Mode has a huge number of options, including the ability to save multiple tracks and load tracks for further editing later. There isn't an incentive within the game to open up design elements, which would have been a neat addition. The pros of having the full-blown editor available out of the box is that players can jump in and start crafting their dream track right away. It is then possible to share a track with a friend as one of the multiplayer options. It is a shame that GRID didn't implement a global track upload/share mode similar to the model recently used in WipeOut Pulse. It would have been great to pull down tracks created by other folks in the racing community.

If there's a storyline to GRID, it involves building up your reputation on the world stage as an A-class racer. Where GRID has the edge on Codemaster's previous title is in its wide variety of locations and race types. In the single-player game, you'll typically enter a new area in the world, where you must conquer a single event to unlock a car and open a Home Base. This garage becomes your jumping off point in each country for events and customization of unlocked cars. There are a huge number of official, licensed aftermarket parts in the game and a graphic design mode for those that want to pimp their ride down to the level of colors, decals, and logos. New cars appear and can be unlocked in each new location, and races include a hodgepodge of options. Japan is a bit unique in two race types, Drift Battle and Touge. The former is where you score points according to how long you can keep the car sliding through corners. The latter is a funny little race where you rocket up and down a mountain, making a tight turn at the top and racing down the same track. Think of it a bit like the asphalt version of rally racing... Each of the other world locations features a blend of race types. Survival is a one-shot mode through a track, as you try to keep in front of a pursuing car. When the car overtakes you, the race is over. Chase is the opposite, where you work on overtaking a car in the lead position. Speed, Acceleration, Steering, and Braking "Test" races are exactly what they sound like, with simple objectives that require you to demonstrate some skills behind the wheel. Single Race, Championship, and Time Trial races are typical, but often must be unlocked after playing several special races. A Blueprint race isn't really a race at all, but a test of your design skills as you are provided with a budget and a goal to create a track.

The realism quotient in GRID is quite high, making it virtually impossible to win a race once you've screwed up enough turns or fallen behind due to generally poor driving. The other element of the game that raises the difficulty is the need for pit stops. As you drive recklessly, you will see various equipment indicators light up, showing progressive damage. You'll feel the damage in the car's handling and find it hard to win races with a busted ride. Pit stops are necessary and good, but set you back unless handled smoothly and timed perfectly. You don't have to manage the pit crew, but you do have to hang out in the pit until all repairs are made, which burns valuable time on the tarmac. GRID isn't an arcade racer, but more seasoned fans of serious racing games will enjoy the realism of damage and the ability to upgrade their car. We've seen even more realistic racers, almost simulations, which GRID is not. All the same it manages to walk that fine line between forgiving and punishing, which ends up being a nice racing game for anyone interested in a fair amount of challenge.

It shows good design when an editor can work so smoothly within a console game that has limited buttons and options for control. GRID presents a depth of gameplay that will be the envy of any previous DS racers, but never stoops to endless menus and an unmanageable interface. Some of the Designer options, such as creating decals and signs, become a little silly. Most people won't want to spend the time perfecting all these elements of their car or track, but GRID offers something for even the most control-freaky anal gamer out there. The upgrades aren't available right out of the box, but each win brings you closer to upgrading a certain type of car with a certain type of part. Five areas exist for customization, matching up nicely with the five areas that can register damage during a race. Improvements can be made to your car's tires, engine, body, transmission, and handling. Each upgrade, as any racing devotee knows, comes with its downside. Tires that grip are often soft tires and may not handle as well as hard tires. GRID is built without too much focus on physics and monkeywrenching, making it accessible for players that don't aspire to be mechanics in their next life... The wireless interface is equally scaled back and simple. Adding friends is possible, using codes provided during a multi-card session or entered by you as a means of tracking down your friends for Wi-Fi play. A neat feature in the Wi-Fi play is to register a rival; at the end of a race, both players are given the chance to opt in and become rivals, which then allows you to find each other for play when online. Do you race your friends differently than your rivals? We'd like to know.

The good news for fans of last year's game is that GRID doesn't make any changes that cheapen the formula. I prefer GRID to Race Driver: Create & Race for the variety of tracks and cars, but GRID is not a huge leap forward. If this were called "Race Driver 2 The Streets" or something similar, nobody would bat an eye, and we'd all be praising Codemasters for such a great sequel... For those playing multiplatform, the PSP has far better-looking racing action, but GRID is some fun, deep racing action.