Game Info Platform Game Boy Color Publisher TBA Developer Raylight Studios Genre Racing Origin Europe Number of Players 4 Release TBA 2001 A nice stroll on the beach is for townies and old folk. Let's be men and go racing! Four players can battle on the edge for the checkered flag. Gun it and steer straight. Each track treads across different terrain, so watch your wheels or you may find yourself misjudging the surface and kissing the guardrail.

• Ten tracks across the globe, plus hidden courses
• Tune your cars before races to stay in the lead
• Link play for up to four player racing heats
• Only for Game Boy Color

Italian developer Raylight Studios recently finished work on a top-down racer still under the working title GB Rally. The game hasn't yet found a publisher in the states, but with fast speeds and impressive, huge graphics, we may soon see this game on shelves. Working in a four-player simultaneous Link Play mode and some nice graphic effects, the designers of the game have concentrated on getting a unique and high-quality feel for racing not often seen on a handheld.

That includes multiple cars, each of which can be customized in the Tune-Up Center for increased speed, handling, brakes, and acceleration. Though not a simulation, the realism of the driving experience should handily rise above the rest of the disappointing GBC racers (though we've seen great things from Spellbound's TOCA as well). Gameplay stresses the crux of rally racing -- the powersliding and control in sliding situations. Several types of track conditions will be laid out in front of you to throw your back-end in a tizzy, including sand, gravel, wet tarmac, and snow. There's even a Training mode to teach gamers how to handle the slides, and manage hard breaking, and rub out others for the win.

Ten international tracks span the globe as you spin the world looking for a shampionship cup. In your pursuit, you'll tear through city streets, beaches, frosty mountain roads, and uncharted jungles. There are even secret courses traveling through ancient pyramids and temples. All of the tracks are open in every mode, including single and championship races, plus the training mode and the intriguing four-player mode. Assumedly, the feature works like THQ's Micro Machines I&II, having two players hold the Game Boy on opposite ends, one using the D-Pad and the other using the A+B buttons to steer. However, Raylight has been able to up the ante with true Link Play -- up to four race players can go head-to-head in the game at the same time.

Graphically, the game certainly looks bold and fast. Cars are drawn large and with plenty of detail, racing on sharp and colorful tracks. The size of the cars may make for trickier gameplay since the camera is set so close, but top-down racers tend to limit your view no matter no matter how far the zoom is (even on a full-sized TV screen), so as long as the balance of the speed and control is there, we don't expect this to interfere with the gameplay much. Instead, players will have to concentrate carefully, catching glimpses of the HUD to see what tricky turn's up ahead. And with all of the nice special effects used, such as smoke and dirt sprays and collision sparks, it may be tough to keep a clear head in the commotion.

Raylight is currently courting publishers for this one, and now that the game is finished, we may see it soon after the holidays if all goes well. IGNPocket is looking forward to a hands-on impressions of the game in the upcoming weeks if possible, but until then, check out the video below to get a sense of the game in motion.

-- Marc Nix