Test Drive Unlimited allows the player to select one of the various characters, both male and female, who are waiting at an airport to check in for their flight to Hawaii’s Caribbean paradise island of O’ahu. The characters do not have different statistics; only the expensive, licensed cars do.
The entire island is accessible from the start. Once the player has purchased his first home and car, he may drive around looking for activities or load up the map and jump immediately to a race, a car salesman, or other destinations – similar to Need for Speed Underground. Every purchased car includes a built-in navigation system guided by a woman’s voice to deliver the player to his destination, which can be pre-programmed in the game or chosen by the player.
There are over 125 automobiles and motorcycles at various pricing levels. From the Audi TT to the Jaguar XJ200 to the McLaren F1 and Kawasaki Z1000, the character has everything he or she wants as a young man or woman with too much money. Each car has unique realistic features, such as speed or handling, yet they all share a highly detailed exterior and interior.
The character starts with $200,000 in his pocket, but after purchasing his first car and home, he will have nothing left. Additional money must be gained in various races ranging from checkpoint challenges to time trials. The money can’t just be used to buy new houses and cars (with some tinkering) but also to purchase new clothing for the avatar.
The online mode lies at the heart of Test Drive Unlimited. Players connect to the official TDU server instantly after loading the game using a GameSpy account. Online, new choices emerge, such as a meeting lounge where participants’ statistics and appearances can be researched. It also gives you access to player-created matches displayed on the map interface. Creating a race here works in both single-player and multiplayer modes. The start and finish can be established anywhere, the type of event, which types/classes of automobiles or motorcycles are permitted, and how many individuals can participate. The AI will take over if no additional players have filled all the available slots.
The PSP and PS2 versions have lesser graphic quality and fewer features, such as manual transmission, avatar customization, certain automobiles and all motorcycles, dealership, tuning shop NPCs, vehicle interior camera angle, and specific tasks. They contain Master Points, Auto GPS, and many essential vehicles that are only available through download packs for the 360 version.
