Battle Gear 4 Tuned!

This realistic racing simulator is one of the best racing games I have ever played. It is the only game I know of that actually has a clutch. In case you do not know, it is the pedal on the extreme left which is present in real-life manual transmission cars. It is used for changing gears. And for the steering wheel, it turns 1 and a half rounds, I think. The feeling when you turn the wheel is like, WOW! It gets harder and harder to turn the more you turn it. I suppose this is how it's like in a real car. It also features an in-car view. The speedometer, tachometer etc. are all based on the actual cars.

It also has a six speed gear shifter, which is also like the real thing! Of course, there are different modes to choose from depending on how you want to use the shifter and/or clutch pedal. First is Full Auto, meaning no need to use the gearknob and Driving assist is applied. Second is Auto, which is seen in the latest auto vehicles. Third is “Manual – Semi Auto” This means you shift with the gear-up-gear-down feature. and then the fourth is the 6-speed Manual Transmission. For this mode, the gearknob setting changes and can be moved like a real manual transmission with all gears having separate place, like the manual of a real car. You can only use the clutch in this mode.

There's also the Netsys key, which is used to 'buy' a car and save your status. Unfortunately, this requires online connection and is not available in Singapore, like many other countries.

However, this is not like any other arcade racing game. The driving physics are pretty realistic. It is not as real as gran turismo 4 but it is not that 'fake' either. It also gives you a speed penalty if you hit the wall too hard. If you hit the wall, you will come to a complete stop and you won't be able to accelerate for approximately 2 seconds. This actually forces the players to use the brakes, which is not frequently used in many arcade racing games. Do take note, there is a big difference between Battle Gear 4 and Battle Gear 4 Tuned. Battle Gear 4 is an older version of the game and lacks many things especially the clutch and the six-speed shifter. Battle Gear 4 Tuned has a big colour-changing sign on it that says "tuned".

Ok, enough with the talk. Let's get on with the pictures! (they're not mine though)

The gas,brake pedal and the clutch pedal!

 

Gear set to first gear.

In-car view

Sadly, there are not many BG4 tuned machines here in Singapore. I only know 2 arcades that have BG4 Tuned.
1. The arcade at Century Square (Tampines)
2. Timezone at Parkway Parade (Marine Parade)

Anyway, this game is awesome! I think I'm going to play it again tomorrow. :)