When the day finally came for GRID to shift gears and head to the DS, the developers knew it’d be impossible to create a console-perfect replica. So they did what any smart development team would do and scrapped the idea of mimicking the PS3/PC/360 masterpiece and designed a racing game that was fun but not necessarily true to its name.

Inevitably, the studio behind the PSP version of DIRT 2 faced a similar dilemma. As powerful as Sony’s handheld may be, it is best suited for gaming experiences comparable to PlayStation 2 – not PS3 or Xbox 360. Thus, when playing this handheld sequel to a two-year-old racer that never appeared in handheld form, you won’t find yourself driving down the roads of a ported game. While that might sound like a huge letdown, the game is still tons of fun and is easily one of the best racers available for PSP.

DIRT 2 stays current in the automotive world with heavily upgraded versions of the Ford F-150 and the Dodge Ram, as well as smaller staples like the Evo X and the Cruiser FJ. The game goes back a few years, however, with its utilization of arcade-influenced crash and handling physics that make cornering simple (brake ahead of time and you’re safe) and turn environmental collisions into something unusual. Hit a curved or angled wall too harshly and your vehicle is more likely to flip over than it is to be crumpled. When crashing into other racers, the results are unremarkably subdued; rather than forcing one or both drivers into disarray, DIRT 2 either softens the blow or pushes the two vehicles apart from each other.

This is one of the quirks of DIRT 2 that players might not expect. But in time, they’re not so much a nuisance as they are a different style of racing gameplay. Take the courses, for example. Primarily, they come in just three flavors: short (with laps), long (with laps), and straightaway (lengthy but no laps). None of them are really the perfect size. At first you’ll be wishing the courses were a little longer or a little shorter, as there are times when a race ends too quickly and other times when it’s a tad too long. But after racing through each of them a couple times – you’ll be revisiting old (and altered) courses to gain additional medals – their length isn’t all that noticeable.

But players will notice the game’s speed, which isn’t the jaw-dropping, can’t-believe-your-eyes experience of Burnout or Wipeout. But compared to all other racing games, DIRT 2 is fast, packs a steady frame rate, and offers just enough background detail to keep things interesting as the environments fly by.

Unlike the console versions, however, graphics are not one of DIRT 2’s strong points. Compared to other recent releases, the game looks good. But if you go back four years and look at Wipeout and Ridge Racer, or glance at later releases like Burnout and Midnight Club, DIRT 2’s visuals come off as being solid and acceptable – but nowhere near impressive or memorable.

As far as the game setup is concerned, DIRT 2 will keep players busy (and very entertained) with the World Tour mode, which includes four separate tours: Clubman, Amateur, Pro-Am and Pro. Each tour is jammed with four different competitions, and each competition contains at least one race (most of them have more).

DIRT 2 also features a challenge mode with – you guessed it – a series of challenges aimed at enhancing the game’s replay value. The lineup includes Airtime (gain several seconds of air with the help of ramps), Gatecrasher (cruise through a bunch of gates at the required speed), and Trailblazer (DIRT 2’s version of a time trial race). Powerslide and Last Man Standing challenges are also included; their play styles are as obvious as they sound.

Lastly, for those of you who want a quick race or two, DIRT 2 offers an arcade mode with three options: single race, championship and time trial.

While DIRT 2 is a compelling game, you can probably imagine that it does have a few flat tires. In theory, the whole point of an off-road racer is to give players the chance to leave the road behind. DIRT 2 somehow missed that point, as the developers have chosen to box each car into a mysteriously linear environment. It’s mysterious in that it doesn’t always appear to be linear – there are plenty of opportunities to drive off each of the evenly carved dirt tracks.

However, let’s say you wish to drive around a road sign to cut in front of an opponent …well, you can’t. If you brake too late while approaching a turn and your vehicle spins off course, the game won’t give you the chance to recover from that either. Instead, DIRT 2 automatically transports your vehicle back to the track. While this is helpful in some circumstances, it is also heavily prohibitive in forming any original strategies. Yes, one might argue that going off course to cut in front of others is cheating. But what about the occasional open areas that appear to be shortcuts but are blocked off by invisible walls? That’s just flawed game design.

Regardless, unless you’re a racing purist, that shouldn’t be enough to keep you from speeding toward this enjoyable PSP racer.

Gameplay: 8.2
Mechanically, DIRT 2 is inescapably different from its console predecessor. There aren’t many other dirt racers that it compares to either, though you may notice a slight control similarity in Need for Speed and Midnight Club (both on-road racers). The button layout is standard and straightforward, and the thumbstick steering is fairly intuitive, albeit not to the extent that would be possible with a full-fledged analog stick.

Graphics: 6.0
In the beginning, DIRT 2 doesn’t look too spectacular. The vehicle designs are merely decent, not mind-blowing, and the backgrounds can’t compare to PSP launch titles like Ridge Racer. It's still a pretty good-looking game ... just not one of the best-looking on PSP.

Sound: 5.0
Boring, all-too-familiar rock music (crummy rock music) and a mix of sound effects you've definitely heard before.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Unexpectedly simple. You won't have to struggle to win these races as you might have while playing the original DIRT two years ago.

Concept: 5.0
Good racing games do come in small packages. But being a good game is not the same as being unique.

Multiplayer: 6.9
Nine tracks ranging from the US, UK, Mexico, China, Japan and more. Game sharing is supported, but whatever option you choose, this isn't the most inventive or the most expansive multiplayer racing game experience.

Overall: 8.0
DIRT 2 is a fun and gripping, highly worthwhile racing game.