Ducati World

Developers: Attention To Detail. Publishers: Acclaim. Released: March 9th, 2001.

Ducati World is a racing game of the two wheeled kind, where the developers shunned the sports cars and jeeps for motorbikes, and not just any bikes but Ducati superbikes (and the odd vintage and touring models.) Not being a lover of cars but being a huge bike fan I got really excited when I first heard this was being made all those years ago, and because the Playstation version was released before the Dreamcast game I went straight out and picked up a copy on the day of release. (And to be honest by 2001 I had more than enough Dreamcast racers to keep me going.)
Fast forward nine years and here I sit with a Dreamcast copy of Ducati World and a happy bunnykins I am too. Other reviews have spent most of their time being on the stingy side and picking out flaws but I ignore them as usual. This is a pleasant enought racing game (especially for Ducati fans) and there is nothing about it to warrant a drubbing. Ok there are a few downsides such as aggressive opponents intent on knocking you into the scenery and there are no replay videos but these really are minor scrapes rather than a full head-over-handlebars accident.
If you want to, as Steppenwolf said it, just head out to the highway you can by hoosing Quick Race but the real meat of this game, the real rubber on its tyres (enough already! - impatient ed) then Ducati Life is the way to go. Here you must buy/sell bikes, obtain the important licences (to be able to race the big events), tune the bikes engine, brakes, etc and compete in some cool races. It really is a petrolheads daydream come to life and if you have ever played the career mode in Gran Turismo then this is it once again but with fewer wheels.
There are three licences to go get and tests for these go from the incredible easy starting and stopping to having complete laps in under a minute while never making a mistake. They are all fairly enjoyable however the tests can be unforgiving at times and frustration levels can go way past the healthy level.
Looks wise its no Katherine Jenkins but in the same breath its no Susan Boyle either. Some of the bikes look pretty good and the bails look painful enough.
Get to know the circuits well enough and it pays off by being able to weave around the corners, leaving those waspish opponents in the dust. Very satisfying. And there are over 40 Ducati's in the game along with helmets, leathers. Everything a budding Carl Fogarty would need.
I don't see this come up at auction sites very often and while by being no means rare, the bike fan with a Dreamcast should snap Ducati World up if they get the chance. I paid £3 for mine and thats about right.

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