When it was first released on the Xbox 360 and the PC, Atari’s Test Drive Unlimited played like a racing game but it felt like a refreshing change of pace for the genre. Think of it as a CaRPG with an excellent dose of a massive multiplayer online feature that filled the created environment with real players taking up the role of racing challengers. This was a game that blurred the lines between single-player action and online multiplayer goodness that made up a giant playing field where you can still complete single-player tasks with computer-controlled racers but also compete against real players. Now Test Drive Unlimited finds itself on the PSP and, racing fans, you will be pleased.

Like the console version, the game begins at the airport as your avatar prepares to head out to gorgeous Oahu to participate in a series of races. Yet unlike the consoles, you won’t be picking your avatar. This means you’ll be stuck with a generic male avatar instead of being able to pick from a short number of other racers including the female avatars. Still, that’s fine seeing as most of the game’s best features make it in this portable version. You’ll still be able to drive to a car dealership and purchase a brand new Aston Martin Vanquish S or a Dodge Viper SRT-10. You can even purchase a home in this game that acts as your hub and garage to store your vehicles.

The best part, though, happens to be the fact that the open world map is available so you can freely drive around Oahu to your heart’s content. You’ll be able to drive past the lovely beaches, cozy resorts and the downtown area and stopping every now and then to join a race. You can customize your car as well, although the customization options aren’t as robust as the console version but at least you can upgrade your vehicle’s speed and handling to fit your needs. Most races require you to purchase different cars for specific class races. Some race classes require all muscle cars to show up to the starting line while others require luxury cars. The races vary from the usual make-it-to-the-finish-line races to timed races that have you racing against the clock as well as rivals. Speed races have you attempting to clock in the highest speed as you zip past a series of cameras.

Still, the game allows gamers to play this game offline or online. Playing online allows you to continue to drive through the open world and participate in all the usual single-player activities but you’ll encounter other gamers doing the same thing as if you were playing an MMORPG. You can challenge any racer (by flashing your headlights with the Triangle button) or accept their challenge or head to the nearest Drive-In and join other players in the lobby to set up a major race. It’s a blast playing the game and encountering other gamers racing around but you’ll wish there was more to the online multiplayer. Still, it’s hard to complain since the game pulls off online good enough.

There are some problems that do crop up in the PSP version and that’s thanks to the PSP itself. The camera can sometimes be a bit of a nuisance and will sometimes not give you a good view of the racing. You can switch views but this proves to be distracting. Collisions in the game are also unrealistic and so is the police response (although I have to admit it is fun giving them the slip). I don’t miss the clothing shopping - because we don’t see much of your avatar anyway - but I do miss picking up girls and giving them a ride (a timed mini-race that was sometimes fun and often challenging).

Graphically speaking, Test Drive Unlimited looks amazing on the PSP and the level of detail is quite impressive despite some noticeable jaggies. Still, there have been many moments in this game where I just drove around to admire the scenery that is nicely detailed throughout the game. While the cars don’t display a sense of speed, they do look good enough that you’ll be checking them out in your garage every now and then. The cars don’t get dinged up in this game and car crashes in this game look extremely unrealistic, though. The game’s soundtrack might not be my cup of tea either but it works nicely. The rock tunes are fairly decent in this game and the sound effects do their job. The voice acting is also good but there’s not a lot of it … unless you count the voice of the GPS.

Test Drive Unlimited for the PSP comes close to capturing the essence of the amazing console version and even in its portable form this is one fun and inventive racing game. While some features of the game have been removed and the online multiplayer goodness has been shaved down a bit, this is still a racing game that plays beautifully on the PSP and is challenging enough to satisfy racing fans. If you love a good racing game with a massive open environment, you will definitely want to buy this one right away.

Gameplay: 7.6
With a wealth of real-life cars and an open world to explore, Test Drive Unlimited has a lot to offer. The fact that you can play the game online to challenge real players is what sets this one apart from other games in the car-racing genre. The game sacrificed a few cool features from the console game but consider this one a near perfect port.

Graphics: 8.0
The game’s visuals are actually excellent and zipping through Hawaii in a sharp-looking car is a major highlight. The backgrounds are nicely detailed and so are the cars so color me impressed.

Sound: 7.0
The soundtrack isn’t bad and it fits the game’s theme nicely. There are some solid sound effects here as well, especially when it comes to the crashes and the few bits of dialogue are pretty good.

Difficulty: Medium
Different series class races offer different challenges and some of them will have you thinking twice before tackling them on without at least some kind of tuner upgrade. Some racers really know how to make some serious sharp turns so you’ll watch your back in this game.

Concept: 8.5
While you’re not able to go clothes shopping with your very own chosen avatar like in the console game, you’ll still be able to go car shopping, hit the tuning scene and even look for new property prospects. There are plenty of race types here and online play is good.

Multiplayer: 7.5
Hardly the MMO racing experience the console and PC version brings to the table but this portable version is still able to offer online multiplayer goodness and that’s a very good thing. While you can burn rubber with a friend through Ad Hoc, zipping through the open world looking for other racers online is the real treat. Plus, the game runs seamlessly online so see you on the streets of Oahu.

Overall: 8.0
Hardware limitations aside, Test Drive Unlimited for the PSP does an amazing job of bringing all the elements found in the console version of the game to make this a fun racing title. It would have been great if the online multiplayer delivered the same massive open-world racing goodness but what is here is actually good enough for racing fans to love either way. Do yourself a favor, racing fans, and pick this one up.