The camera pans down on two teams of three racers each and the speedsters throttle out of the starting gate and onto undulating and steep curving tracks. The aim of the game is to lead your team to the finish line first while punching and grappling with opponents on the tracks. The camera keeps close tabs of the action as racers weave in and out to perform their attacks and bear hugs. Bear hugs are used to clamp onto an opponent and then knock it down into the track. Combo attacks with team members may also be pulled off while throttling and handling opponents. As races are won and credits earning, mechs may also be customized by with new parts to enhance performance. The courses are a varied lot with desert tracks, industrial areas, and other metal grey tracks that inspire thoughts of a futuristic dystopia. Slow motion sequences are interspersed with the racing action for a dramatic experience as opponents are knocked for a loop or sent to the sidelines.

View the back cover and screenshots on the main NCSX website.

NCS Game Notes
* In the intro to the game, red, blue and yellow static lines shake across the screen followed by oval-shaped GPX logos which zoom like race cars around a black screen. Soon thereafter, the characters are introduced. There are three main heroes - a gal with flowing brown locks named Amy Stapleton, a guy with brown hair who goes by Uz Riccaro, and another guy with grey hair who swings a samurai sword named Takeshi Jinno. The camera spins in on a total of six characters who are positions at the racing line while observers stand at a distance. The mechs are shown skating on a road and racing towards the finish line while a wailing song plays in the background.

* As the mechs motor on the road, orange and yellow sparks jet from their legs to show brisk friction. The controls don't exhibit the same amount of friction as the mech move around freely on the road as they race towards the finish line.

* The mechs look like skaters of sorts except the sk8s are already built into their frames and spindly legs. While racing, it's possible to attack competitors with your arms in a bear hug to make them lose balance or simply strike a racer to blow them from the field temporarily. Every mech has a health bar which gradually falls as each suit takes damage.

* Upon pressing START, two modes are presented: GP MODE and VS MODE.

* VS MODE pits the players against the COM or a second player. Options that may be toggled include the MACHINE SELECT, LAPs, and COURSE SELECT.

* OPTIONs allow the player to set the difficulty level, toggle announcer, camera, and radar.

* The CONTROLS are as follows:

X BUTTON / Attack
O BUTTON / Catch
SQUARE / Boost
TRIANGLE / Combination
L1 TRIGGER / Camera change
R1 TRIGGER / Guard
L2 TRIGGER / Left Gimmick - basically a buzzsaw attack at the outset
R2 TRIGGER / Right Gimmick

Team mech modes that may be set during a race
D-PAD UP / Defense
D-PAD DOWN / Back
D-PAD LEFT / Cross Fire
D-PAD RIGHT / Man to Man

* Once a race starts, the camera pans down on six mechs standing at the starting line and their ID cards are flashed on the screen. Soon afterwards, the racers throttle from the starting line and automatically jet forward with mighty thrust. At the outset, you're alone at the top of the heap but a mech will invariably creep in behind you at full speed to battle. Keep an eye on the radar on the lower right corner of the screen to keep track of attackers. The camera may be toggled from the default forward view to a back view of the track and whomever is trailing you. To attack, smack the X BUTTON to punch at a foe and to knock it from its trajectory for a little while. The boosters may be hit to jump ahead temporarily but only a small amount of energy is available for a speed boost before it runs out and has to be refilled again.

* Although there's a track, the player doesn't have to maneuver on it. If you simply allow the mech to roll, it'll never go off course since the game automatically keeps you on course. All you have to worry about is attacking competitors and keeping them off balance while you muscle towards the finish line.

* GP MODE is a full season, so to speak, of Immortal Grand Prix where you have a garage to keep your little stable of mechs and participate in various races. In the garage, a mech may be customized by adjusting its paint, right arm, left arm, legs, and extra parts.

* GP MODE starts off in League 3 with a Training Mission to familiarize the player with the various functions of the mech as well as race objectives - namely bashing other mechs in. Practice attacks as well as the CATCH move where you bear hug a competitor to slow it's progress followed by an attack move such as dumping it down are whacking it to the side. However, if it blocks your hug, you may be skidding violently on the track on your mech loses balance and tumbles, causing massive sparks and painful metal scratching sounds.

* Each race consists of three of your TEAM SATOMI members and three mechs on the opposing team. Although all of your mechs are autonomous, your goal is to fend off any competing mechs from attacking you or your team members. Before each race, you may set the disposition of a team member such as NEUTRAL, BATTLE, or RACE. If you set a mech to RACE, it's primary goal is to race for the finish line and BATTLE will cause it to fight.

* After the training mission, it's off to battle Team Velshtein which is slightly more aggressive than the TRAINING mission mechs. Again, the track is simple since you don't have to maneuver around it when auto-pilot is on. What you will have to contend with are mechs which will bash your fellow Team Satomi members and your job is basically protecting them from being attacked while making sure that your team finishes with the most points or you won't progress to the next course. The third team to beat is GOLD DRAGON who are tougher than Velshtein with fast mechs and powerful troopers who fend off attacks. Once you finish up the teams in League 3, you'll move on to League 2 and then League 1 where the bruisers are tougher.

This document is ©NCSX 2006. All rights reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of this document may be made without express written consent of National Console Support, Inc.