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I just picked up this import and have not quit playing it! This game finally lets you be the "thug" you've always dreamed about being. The game is presented beautifully, from the cartoon-ish graphics right down to the city's themselves. The breaks between stages are absolutely AMAZING! The animation is beautiful! I also love the option to create your own tags or download them via internet. But all in all, we can't forget the music. If this game had a soundtrack, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. The music goes along perfectly with the games atmosphere and frantic play. My only complaint on this game is (with almost every other game with it) is the camera. Hopefully this will be fixed for the American version. This game is THE reason to buy a dreamcast. I can safely say this game blows Crazy Taxi out of the water. If you have a DC, BUY THIS GAME!

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Jet Grind Radio is yet another impressively creative title to come out of Sega (which is why I'm so fond of Sega), and definitely rates as a success.

The concept is simple, you skate around towns, tagging (spraypainting) certain objects while evading police officers, police dogs, rockets from helicopters, and other baddies. The animation style is really what cements the experience as being something out of the ordinary, though. Dubbed "cel-shading", the end result is something that looks very much like a cartoon. It's really beautiful to watch as well as play.

The gameplay is fun, but has some problems. The first, which likely everyone has addressed, is camera control. There are 3 unused buttons on the controller, and the developers still decided for some unknown reason to double up controls. It's annoying, but you learn to live with it. The other issue that bugs me is that you're constantly on the run from police with no real defense other than fleeing.

One other problem I have is with the menu system. When you boot up, you're given the choice of starting a new game, playing a tutorial, or loading an existing file. However, once you have a game in play (through creating a new game or loading), you have to reboot the system to load another. This is really a patently ridiculous feature and particularly annoying if you like alternating w/ a friend but keep seperate game files.

One other note I should make is that the worlds may seem smaller than they were described by other reviewers at first. I was pretty aggravated and disappointed for a while until I got far enough that I was actually given the opportunity to skate more or less freely without worry of harassment by police, etc.. It's a bit into the game, but worth noting if you get discouraged.

All in all, Jet Grind Radio is still a fantastic game, and definitely a game to get for the Dreamcast. There are minor points that really should have been taken care of, but other than that, a solid effort.

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Really worth much more than the price tag, this is a game that anyone will like. The fairly juvenile premise did turn a lot of folks off when the game was first released (myself included) but I am very glad I looked past that and picked it up.

Awesome gameplay, good cohesive storyline, fresh stylish animation, very inventive and compelling level design that shows how much the Dreamcast as a system is capable of. Not to mention a fairly decent amount of playtime in order to beat it, no arcade 5-minutes-and-you're-done syndrome. Cruise around a portion of the city, bumping off opponents & painting over their graffiti. Eventually the cops show up, which you can usually deal with just be keeping active and running away. But then the Chief shows up, and this dirtbag has a loaded gun! I still get freaked out when I try to run away and the dude is firing live rounds in my general direction as he's chasing. Yikes!

All I can say is "Try it, you'll like it!" It may not be the ultimate skating simulator, but it isn't meant to be. There really are so few decent original action games for the Dreamcast and that makes Jet Grind Radio stand out that much more. The game is pure fun, no matter what age you are.

Honest reviews on Jet Grind Radio

…But the world turns a deaf ear. ...As gazed at, I really began to wonder to myself; "Did it do that bad commercially?" Apparently so. But then again, brilliance is often over-looked at first.

If there has been one thing that I have wanted to applaud Sega for, it was for trying something different. Attacking the norm and attempting to elicit a reaction from it. Games like Crazy Taxi; Shenmue, Metropolis Street Racer, and now Jet Grind Radio have all tried to do something different from the competition (with varying results and success). Which is what brings me to Jet Grind Radio. I think its entire purpose was to try some thing different and be able to get a person to put down another rehashed, "up-dated" and try something new for a change. That alone was why I took notice of the game (I'm a sucker for creative, quality products).

…And quality is what JGR shows. From its unique and very colorful "cel-shaded" graphics, to it's amazingly good J-pop/hip-hop/trance/electronica soundtrack (I'm not normally keen on most of the for mentioned, but I found it quite endearing this time), this game is bursting at the seems with personality. The characters (a bizarre and interesting mix of roller skating punks called "Rudies"), the graffiti tags (which look great) and the cityscapes are all well crafted and implemented well.

But with out quality game-play, this game would just be another pretty face for the next-generation systems (something that seems all too common in most games these days). Luckily JGR talented team of designers also made this game an absolute blast to play. Essentially what JGR is non-linear mix of roller-blading and spray painting in which you must paint designated areas as fast and as smoothly as possible. The painting is done simply by walking up to an arrow and pressing the spray button while avoiding cops and other evil figures. Follow the simple analog commands and you're finished. It takes some time getting used to, but the learning curve is so smooth in the game, you won't even notice. But as you will learn the more you play the game, the game's enjoyment is limited only to your own level of creativity. Nearly everything can be grinded or pushed off of to start a combo of linked tricks. And since the spaces of the game are so varied, the possibilities are endless. With a quick, effective and simple trick system, it becomes even more enjoyable.

But alas, this game is not perfect. The camera work tends to be a bit iffy sometimes (and with limited control over it, it can become frustrating). Not all the music is as great as others (songs like "Super Brother", "Dragula", and a few others are just really irritating). The simplistic trick system, though I love it, is certainly going to annoy others who weaned off of Tony Hawk for so long. But none of these things destroy (or even really dent a marvelous game).

So in the end, I guess its up to you. Do you really want another boring, uninspired shooting game? Or how about another dreadful RPG? Jet Grind Radio is the game for people who want something different in their library of games. Heck, it doesn't even have to be that. Buy it because it's fun game. Period.

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It's not perfect. The controls could use some work, and some of the levels are overly difficult.

But you can't help but laugh and smile while playing the game. It has a Parappa the Rapper quality. The gameplay isn't perfect, but the fun factor is absolutely over the top. Some of the Japanese tunes are a little quirky, but the majority are hip with deep beats that get even the most jaded gamer (and sister who hates video games) to tap their foot in unison.

Buy it. It's original. It's fun.