D-
		Title	18 Wheeler
		Publisher	SEGA AM2	Graphics	C-
		Developer	SEGA Acclaim	Sound	C
		Released	May 2001	Gameplay	D-
		Platform	Dreamcast	Longevity	F
	ESRB Information
	Violence
	Highlights
	More fun in the arcade, the novelty of the game falls flat when played at home.
	Full Review

When I saw 18 Wheeler in my pile of Dreamcast games I thought; "Cool! the arcade game on the Dreamcast!". As it turns out, it is the arcade game... on the Dreamcast but it is anything but cool. Once you pop in the disc, you can choose from arcade, parking, score attack and versus modes.

As you would expect, arcade mode gives you a close approximation to the experience you would get in the arcade, including a game design centered around eating quarters. On the normal difficulty, most players will find it difficult to navigate the hazardous roads in order to cross through the checkpoints in time. Unfortunately, lowering the difficulty does not seem to change the game at all. This basically means that you will find youreself playing a segment of the arcade mode over and over again in a desperate, futile attempt to complete the stage. On the bright side, you have an infinite number of continues at your disposal. So when you are at your wits end after playing the second level for the 100th time, still unable to finish in time, you can give it another go.

The difficulty and quarter eating nature of the game are just about the only things that made the transition from the arcade version. The classic cockpit view from the arcade version is there, with stuff flying across the dashboard as you make turns. Unforunately the graphics from the arcade version did not transfer over...the resolution and clarity of the textures does not come anywhere close to the arcade version. This is also true for the textures of vehicles and buildings. Not that I expect a whole lot from the Dreamcast, but it is worth mentioning if you are expecting the 18 wheeler experience at home.

Sound and music are bearable at best. The soundtrack mainly consists of random music picked out of a sound library. Hard rock guitar loop #3 and generic guitar riff #7 basically round out the music collection of 18 Wheeler. In my opinion, the developers figured that nobody would play this game for more than 20 minutes, so they only needed a few generic sounding tracks.

Parking mode is also self explanatory. You drive your 18 wheeler through a narrow parking lot while trying to avoid crates and fences. Ultimately arriving at a parking space, where you... park your truck (up next in game modes is "How to use your turn signals!"). The game mode is entertaining the first few play throughs and there are a few different maps to play on. But ultimately like arcade mode, you will get bored with it (how many times does one need to park before it gets old?) and put 18 Wheeler back in your CD case, to be pulled out by the next unsuspecting player.

Score Attack, like the other two modes, is fun for the first 20 minutes or so and then kind of tapers off to pure repetitive bordom. In score attack mode, you drive around a track and get money for ramming into specific cars, while trying to avoid hitting pedestrian vehicles, which negatively effects your score.

  If you really want to play 18 Wheeler; take the money you would spend on buying the game and visit your local arcade (if you have one). Chances are, you will walk away more satisfied than you would have been with the Dreamcast version. Believe me, I liked playing this game in the arcade and was really looking forward to playing it on the Dreamcast, but my hopes and dreams (what a sad life I live if I dream about 18 Wheeler in the arcade) were crushed after the first five minutes of playing the game. Don't let your hopes and dreams get crushed like I did.

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