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R/C Stunt Copter
Score: 80%
ESRB: Everyone
Publisher: Interplay
Developer: Shiny
Media: CD/1
Players: 1 - 2
Genre: Flight/ Simulation/ Action

Graphics & Sound:
Great camera angles, solid copter designs, and realistic flying physics make R/C Stunt Copter an extremely well designed game of its genre. The backgrounds are nothing out of the ordinary (everyday places like football fields), but it is not necessary to have rolling tundra when you are flying a radio controlled helicopter. There is little music to be heard in this one folks, but the sound effects are on par and give the game a good realistic touch. This is -- bar none -- the closest thing I have played to flying the real RC babies, so off you go into the wild blue yonder (uh... or most likely into the concrete).

Gameplay:
Well, this category is tough to score with this particular game. The helicopters in R/C Stunt Copter are able to do many -- and I mean many -- stunts once you get the hang of flying the darn things. Due to the realism the programmers wished to give the game, the helicopters do respond like their true-to-life counterparts, which means you are gonna spend some time flying the beginner models, which have a few safety features to keep you from going belly up and into little computer generated copter pieces. But, as far as control goes, if you think that flying the real Red Barons are smooth and easy, than this game is just that.

Difficulty:
Lemme spell it out for ya: H-A-R-D. R/C Stunt Copter has an extremely long learning curve. You are given a chance to learn the ropes in the training stages which you go through in the beginning of the game. Based on how well you fly in these stages determines what models will be available to you at the start of the actual courses. Needless to say, this game is certainly not for little kids, for they, like myself (who has the mind of a little kid), will find themselves wanting to slam their controllers into the ground to watch the little gray shards arc into the air. But with time, you’ll find yourself flying upside down, doing looptie loops and whirly twirls. O.k., I’m lying. You’ll end up like me -- flying two feet off the ground, trying not to smack into anything.

Game Mechanics:
Not a real brainer here folks. You fly single-player, or two-player through pre-designated courses, and must perform particular tasks asked of you at the beginning of the stage. You are given a limited choice of copters based on how well you fly in the training mode. Each copter has specific features, such as the trainer has special safety features to keep you from crashing easily, but is extremely limited in the tricks you will be able to pull off. If you do well, you may just get to use a professional copter in which you can pull off major stunts, even flying upside down. The camera angles allow for a true-to-life perspective of your ship, and the crashes aren’t that bad looking either. Overall, R/C Stunt Copter sure surprised me, and I am sure it will surprise many who play it as well. Besides, it’s much cheaper to buy the game and crash the digitized copter than it is to dish out a couple hundred bucks (for you rich people who have all that darn free time on your hands) to crash and repair a store bought model.

-Sabumnim, GameVortex Communications
AKA Larry Callier

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