Platform: Sony PlayStation

Developer: Alpine Studios, Inc.

Publisher: Gotham Games

Release Date (NA): 2003

Genre: Racing

Nerd Rating: 6 out of 10

Reviewed by Nerdberry

When you need a truck like a rock, you get a Ford. When you need a basic racing game with no frills or excitement, you get Ford Truck Mania for the original PlayStation. Having been released multiple years into the PS2’s life, one has to wonder what developers Alpine Studios expected to achieve. Nonetheless, Ford Truck Mania hit shelves and from what I can tell, nobody seemed to notice. Is it a good game? Is it fun? Is it worth buying? Let’s find out.

My first encounter with Ford Truck Mania is, well, sort of unintended. I couldn’t seem to round up my original PlayStation games, but inside the console was Ford Truck Mania. What? When the hell did I buy this? I have no clue, but I know I’ve never played it. So why did I put it in the console… and where the hell are all my other games?

So with a short hour of spare time, I said to myself, “well… screw it. Let’s do this.” Let’s give Ford Truck Mania a run. The hour spent diving headfirst into this semi-obscure title had me saying to myself, “whoa. This is a lot cooler than I thought.” It’s easy to sit here in 2020 and tear apart a near 2-decades-old game, but when viewing this for what it is, and the system it was designed for, there’s more to Ford Truck Mania than initially meets the eye.

One of the absolute standout features in Ford Truck Mania is the track-builder mode. This is wildly reminiscent of old Sim City games from the 1990s where everything was modular in a way and placed on grids. Your custom-built tracks are not at all dissimilar from some of the tracks you’ll face in the campaign mode, and this is indicative of the simple nature of this game. “Complex” is not a word I would use to describe Ford Truck Mania, instead opting for words like “basic” and “bland.” The track-builder mode is a fun way to put your stamp on the game and spice things up, but it’s not exactly laced with depth.

Aside from the track-builder mode, Ford Truck Mania doesn’t really have much to offer. It seems to be a pretty bare-bones game lacking variety and excitement, but that’s not to say it’s a bad game. Just lacking. There are 4 trucks in the game… that’s it. And I don’t mean that you can only choose from 4 trucks, I mean that there’s 4 trucks ONLY. So you can choose 1 of the 4, but then you just race against the other 3.

While there may be limited trucks to race, there’s actually 10 tracks available with 2 unlockables! Blew my mind. During the PS1 / N64 / Saturn era, you would usually only get about 4 to 8 tracks, so 12 is rock solid. But having an abundance of tracks doesn’t make up for the blandness of these tracks. Although graphically strong and visually pretty, there is NO variety whatsoever. The tracks are full of turns and some puddles and slight hills, but no hazards or challenges at all. None. Needless to say, they leave much to be desired.

With a dearth of vehicles to choose from, and a whole slew of boring tracks, what exactly makes Ford Truck Mania worth your effort and time? This game is funny like that… It’s one of those games that boasts very little in terms of options and variety, but somehow delivers a pretty fun experience – albeit for a shortlived moment. Although the gameplay is rudimentary, the action and excitement comes in the form of a romping pyrotechnic-guitar-laden hard rock soundtrack. These rockin’ riffs set the tone for a masculine truck experience that makes you want to fold your hand into a fist and pump it in the air with each victory.

Aside from the score, the graphics, sound, and controls are pretty great. While the rough texture and early-stage 3D design may be tough to look at by today’s standards, I was beyond impressed with the visual separation of track from background / edges. Knowing where you are on the track is never an issue, and this bodes well for keeping the races even and fair. I also LOVE the way the trucks get up to speed and their tail ends skid around turns as the sound of the engines rev and tires scrape the gravel and dirt.

Overall, Ford Truck Mania may not be the game that shores up the legacy of Sony’s debut system, but it sure as hell doesn’t feel like shovelware. The feel of driving a badass truck is ever-present with the sound effects and masculine attitude. Myriad options give the game much more depth than you’d expect, but not quite enough to make it feel like a fully fleshed out experience. Although a little inadequate as a true racing game, Ford Truck Mania delivers a really fun experience for about 1 to 2 hours. And with a low entry price point, you can think of it as a cheap game rental. Add it to the collection.

Nerd Rating: 6 out of 10

Reviewed by Nerdberry