Anyone that has seen or played
Smuggler's Run on the PS2 will notice the immediate correlation that ties
Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open with it.
Wide Open includes three expansive outdoor environments that give you that 'go-anywhere' feeling. For those of you that enjoy inside racing events, the Stadium feature allows you to compete in the tighter quarters of the indoors.
Along with the Single Race, Multiplayer (which includes the King of the Hill game mode), Free Roam, and Stadium game modes, the heart of Wide Open is in the Career Mode. Here you have to work your way through race after race to earn points. Earn enough points in the series, and you will earn money to buy new vehicles. Different vehicles have different qualities, and depending on the type of race, you may need to utilize these qualities to win the next event.
There are three different types of races in Wide Open: Circuit Race, Blitz Race, and Scramble Race. Circuits are your typical races, where you will have to navigate checkpoints and complete a number of laps before other racers to win. The Blitz Race is similar to Circuit, but you won't know where the next checkpoint is until you cross through the active one. React quickly and take any path you want to cross all checkpoints first. Finally, the Scramble allows you to choose any path and any order to enter the checkpoints. Not only do you have to be fast, but you also need to use your head to find the best possible route.