Sega Rally is probably a name that isn’t familiar with many new gamers. In fact, the last time a Sega Rally game was released in America it came out for the Sega Dreamcast. It’s a shame that in the age of Gran Turismo, Project Gotham Racing and Forza that Sega Rally only existed as a memory. Now Sega has revised the beloved racing series for the PSP, PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. What we get is a solid racing game for the PSP that will help bring the franchise back to the gaming forefront.

Sega Rally is, of course, a rally-inspired racing game. This isn’t NASCAR or the Indy Racing League. Part of a rally race could have you chewing up just as much dirt or even snow as asphalt. The cars have to be able to withstand a large amount of damage due to the different surfaces of the tracks. The cars in a Rally race are definitely closer to a real car when compared to a NASCAR or Indy car. But just don’t think that all of those “rally inspired” cars you hear about compare to a real Rally car.

The primary game mode in Sega Rally is the Championship mode. There are three championships, Premier, Modified and Masters. Each championship has several different races that you will earn points depending on how you finish. The higher you finish the more points you earn. Once you’ve collected enough points the next Championship is unlocked. As you finish a championship you will also unlock additional cars, usually for the next championship series. The other game modes are the typical Time Attack mode and a Wireless mode. Thankfully the Wireless mode includes Infrastructure Mode and a game sharing Ad Hoc mode.

The gameplay for all of the modes is straight-up arcade style racing. Sega Rally started out as an arcade racing game and Sega Rally Revo continues that tradition. This isn’t a simulation racing game that lets you tweak every detail on your car. The only modification you can make to your car is the type of tire you’re going to race the series you’re playing. There are three tires that handled differently depending on the terrain. The game will show you a breakdown of each track in the series so you can select the best overall tire for each track. But thankfully each tire selection doesn’t make a huge difference in the overall controls of Sega Rally Revo.

Since this is an arcade-style racer, controlling your car is never a big learning curve like in other racing games. The big item to remember is that you will be drifting in the corners, especially in the dirt and snow. Just tapping the directional buttons was usually all it took to keep a car on the track. There was never a worry of being left behind by the majority of the other cars no matter how bad my driving was. There is plenty of bumping with other cars and parts of the track. But the game will usually bounce you back to the track to keep you going. This isn’t a game to tweak with upgrades and changes; instead this is a game that you actually play to have fun with.

Since Sega Rally is an arcade-inspired racing game the “arcade” experience will probably be considered the biggest disappointment. Since we’ve been treated to the Gran Turismo’s of the gaming world we’ve come to expect so much more in a racing game. Sure we get actual licensed cars but we’re restricted to just a few limited options to change in the game. For the cars you can only select the type of tires to use and which car to use. For someone that has never played a Sega Rally game before you probably won’t be impressed by the lack of extra features in the game.

Overall Sega Rally Revo is a solid performing racing game for the PSP. In fact, I would say that the PSP version is probably the best version to pick up since the racing style fits better on a portable system. You get a fast-paced racing game that controls well, looks great and brings back the Sega Rally trademark voiceovers. The game feels like a Sega Rally game from years ago which could be a letdown for new gamers. Just don’t expect a deep, customizable racing game up front and you shouldn’t be disappointed.

Gameplay: 7.5
Fans of older arcade style racing games will be right at home with Sega Rally Revo. The controls are easy enough for almost anyone to use as long as you remember that you will be drifting in the corners. I found using the control buttons was much easier than using the analog nub.

Graphics: 8.2
Visually Sega Rally Revo is a nice looking title for the PSP. There is a ton of detail on all of the tracks and in the scenery. Lush green vegetation, tons of dirt and lots of snow help in creating a great visual impression on the PSP. Your car will collect dirt as you race but unfortunately will not show any car damage. One nice feature was how the game would show the tire tracks created by all of the cars in the race. The tracks didn’t disappear and looked great on races with snow.

Sound: 7.6
The classic voiceovers used to broadcast the upcoming turns brought a smile to my face when I went driving into the first corner. The rest of the music and sound effects are just your typical mix you would expect to find in a racing game.

Concept: 7.0
If you’re in the mindset that racing games have become too advanced than you can add an extra point to the concept score. Sega makes it well known that this is an arcade-style racer.

Multiplayer: 7.7
The game share mode and Infrastructure mode are welcomed options to Sega Rally Revo. The gameplay is still essentially the same but playing against friends online is still a great way to enjoy the game.

Difficulty: Easy
The game is easy enough for anyone to jump in and get used to the controls almost immediately.

Overall: 7.6
Arcade-inspired racing games are a great fit for portable systems and Sega Rally Revo is another good example. The controls are easy enough for almost anyone to play and the visuals look solid on the PSP’s screen. Unfortunately the lack of customization might be enough to turn some gamers away.