Gameloft’s ‘Asphalt 4: Elite Racing’ Nears App Store Release
posted July 23rd, 2008 8:45 AM EDT by blakespot in News, Upcoming Games
By month’s end, Gameloft will be bringing Asphalt 4: Elite Racing to the iTunes App Store. This accelerometer-based racing title is an iPhone-enhanced port of the publisher’s original mobile phone version of the game. Pocket Gamer recently had the opportunity to take the iPhone version for a quick test drive.
Time was of the essence when we buckled up for our test drive of the game. The short race we played had us zipping in a blue Mini Cooper through the streets of Los Angeles, speeding toward the finish line in hopes of seizing first place. Any competitors in our way were unceremoniously taken off the road with a bash from behind or swipe from the side. The takedown mechanic is one of the few distinctive features of the series that returns in Asphalt 4 and it’s more satisfying than ever. Enhanced graphics obviously make take downs visually more appealing, but it’s a greater sense of destruction accompanying each take down that really ups the crash factor.
The accelerometer control in Asphalt 4 is as one might expect: a forward tilt accelerates, a down tilt brakes, and side-to-side motion controls steering. Speed boost can be achieved with a quick forward jerk of the iPhone. According to Pocket Gamer, the control sensitivity is excellent and the iPhone’s controls make drifting (a critical component of the game) much easier than in the mobile version. Another nice feature of the iPhone version is support for both portrait and landscape play, with on-the-fly switching fully supported.
( screens from original, mobile version )
We will provide a review of Asphalt 4 along with gameplay footage upon its release.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:13 am
This game sounds great… but would you need it if you already bought Crash Bandicoot? Especially if this game is going to be $9.99 too…
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:14 am
Looks pretty nice, hopefully will be at a decent price.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 am
@frase: Kart games have a distinctly different feel than more traditional racers like Moto Racer. Should have quite a different feel.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:36 am
Wow great news to hear. I think I might hold off until Need For Speed details start to surface.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 am
Man, that looks sahweet. I’m looking forward to this game and to whatever other major developers can come up with such as the anticipated Need For Speed.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:21 am
I too will wait for “need for speed”. In the end I will wait for YouTube videos of both and reviews of them side by side.
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I must admit, it really looks badass. Now if gameplay can match it’s looks. I’m guessing those cars are going to be fully automatic shifting. I guess the WinMo crowd will say that this game runs and looks better on some Treo or HTC Touch Diamond.
Anyway I’m sure this will be another game to suck the life out of the iPhone battery in no time at all.
July 24th, 2008 at 3:24 am
How do you all know how good this game looks? Because as far as i know the pictures being shown are the MOBILE PHONE versions, not any iPhone screen shots. Read the description people.
July 24th, 2008 at 4:42 am
The game looks great, it’s going to be nice having a racing game in which you are actually racing available in the App Store. I also like the idea of being able to race in portrait or landscape mode but I sure hope that it won’t happen while I’m trying to turn a tight corner and all of a sudden the orientation of the game is shifted 90 degrees, I could see that being problematic.
July 24th, 2008 at 6:48 am
All people who think this game looks great before the games Screen shots are actually shown obviously didn’t pay any attention. Game, SOUNDS great, i hope it doesn’t disapoint.
July 25th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Looks like a cheap cellphone-game
July 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Gameloft,
Nice one, the game looks great and there is no, or very little competition at the moment……not for long I bet.
Needs to be under $5 for a real hit
July 30th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
It’s one day till months end, where’s this app?!?!?!
July 31st, 2008 at 5:50 am
It is the last day of the month, where
Is it?????
July 31st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
MOTHER F!@# where’s my game.
It’s definatly the end of the month, and i’ve been eyeing this game for weeks.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:54 am
It’s the next month, where is it
I really want to try it out!
August 1st, 2008 at 6:16 am
No offence, but F!@# you gameloft, you just lied to me, and now I’m pissed.
August 16th, 2008 at 10:03 am
it was supposed to come out yesterday
August 30th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Game is out now, and I downloaded it and it looks GREAT. Graphics rocks, very nice sound & music (put your earphones on) and gameplay is very nice. It’s not too easy to win a race, but not too hard either, very well balanced imho. You can select between three control modes, one where you tap the screen to steer, one where you tilt the device (my preference) and one where you tap & drag a virtual steering wheel on the screen.