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To ensure the game doesn't become too stale, players can use cash from each race to purchase vehicles from over 30 manufacturers, including heavy hitters such as Jaguar, Lotus, McLaren, Shelby and Saleen. You need a place to store all of those dream cars, right? While your digs may start out humble due to limited funds, you can work your way up the food chain to purchase some of the most exclusive properties on the island. Car customization is also available to some degree in that you can choose your car color at purchase, rim design and engine upgrades to make your ride even more competitive.

I have to give additional praise on another element of the game. It would have been so easy for Atari and Melbourne House to make this game inaccessible to casual gamers due to the sheer size of the island. Players could become frustrated quickly trying to locate races, shops, racing clubs, dealerships, etc. Thankfully, a user friendly map tool was included that will allow you to not only get a bird's eye view of Oahu, but places of interest are labeled with icons that are easy to locate. Additionally, you can lock on to a specific icon and your in car navigation system will plot out your path. Very smooth indeed.

As for my statement at the beginning of the article indicating that Test Drive Unlimited would not be burdened with the Gran Turismo comparison, it is one-hundred percent true. The game doesn't pretend to be anything more than an arcade racer that nicely integrates single-player and multi-player modes. While the PSP is limited in power, Atari and Melbourne House have proven that they can still offer a quality experience, which can keep racing fans occupied for months perhaps. The "Unlimited" in Test Drive Unlimited is as accurate a description of this title as you will ever find. A definite purchase if you're a racing fan.