Test Drive Unlimited
TDU
Release Date: September 5, 2006
Racing, cars, sandbox, splitscreen, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet, LAN
A new incarnation of the popular racing game series launched back in 1987 by Distinctive Software and Accolade. Test Drive Unlimited was developed by Eden Games, the creators of the V-Rally franchise, under the aegis of Atari. The main change in relation to its predecessors is the vast open world set on the faithfully recreated Oahu island, which can be freely explored.
The Test Drive series, which was initiated back in 1987, has a myriad of installments that have been changing its image throughout the years. Test Drive Unlimited is the first one which was developed with Xbox 360 in mind, as well, and contains most changes in relation to its predecessors, making it much different from standard racing games.
Mechanics
The first change that players will encounter upon launching the game is the possibility of choosing a so-called avatar, which is the image of a driver. It happens on an airport where the fun starts. Moreover, in the game, we visit stores and buy clothes that make us different from other Test Drive Unlimited users in online gameplay. It is worth mentioning that clothes are bought for coupons won for giving rides to hitchhikers. Some apparels are branded by real designers’’ names, such as Mar Ecko, and some can be downloaded via an user-friendly service. Another significant change is conserved with race participation. Every player receives his own house with a garage that constitutes a base of operations for all activities. Our home lets us to, for example, receive external e-mail, browse a constantly-updated information bulletin on new cars and races, and using an eBay-like internet auction system where other users put their vehicles up for sale. The game’s publisher, Atari, also made sure that players have the possibility of downloading new cars from the Internet. Their number depends on the amount of licenses given to Atari by actual car manufacturers.
Once ready to head out in the streets, players are taken to the garage which serves not only decorative purposes but also allows them to mount expensive interior equipment into their vehicles. A player can also inspect cars and look at it at every angle, open doors, and admire the upholstery. If we take into account that the game features 90 luxury cars and motorcycles by default, Test Drive Unlimited for PC, PSP and etc. is not only an entertainment product but also an interactive car catalogue.
As far as racing tracks are concerned, the programmers at Atari decided to turn to the benefits of the nature. The competition takes place at a Hawaiian island of Oahu, where there is over a thousand miles of roads and highways, faithfully recreated on the basis of satellite pictures.
Thanks to the online gaming feature, thousands of players can participate in competition at the same time, which brings Test Drive Unlimited for PC, PSP and etc. closer to the MMO genre. The players can challenge other users and the money made in this way can be spent on car enhancements or buying a more spacious house. Another highlight of the product is the possibility of custom track generation within the island by setting the starting and ending points, as well as the checkpoints that have to be scored in every race. Creative and demanding users of Test Drive Unlimited will also be able to design races that can last for three hours of real time (over 50 rules and settings to choose from).
Technical aspects
Awesome graphics, stunning audio, and brilliant physics model can be appreciated by every arcade racing games fan. Test Drive Unlimited for PC, PSP and etc. is a spectacular title in its every aspect, and the introduction of numerous revolutionary solutions guarantees an exciting experience.
Last updated on June 7, 2016
Last Update: April 11, 2007
Test Drive Unlimited Game Guide
Cars, races, driving advices, racing hints for Test Drive Unlimited.
July 4, 2023
Test Drive Has Been Trying to Find Paradise for 35 Years. But One Installment Already Took Us There
There hasn't been many series so persistent in their attempts to achieve gaming paradise throughout over three decades and with the help of a dozen teams. Eden Games briefly achieved that with Test Drive Unlimited.
Videos and Screens
[1:14] Test Drive Unlimited classics
[1:04] Test Drive Unlimited #4
18
GAMES
in Test Drive Game Series
Game Series
Test Drive Series
One of the oldest and most famous car game series in the history of the industry. The series was created by Distinctive Software studio, but over the years such development teams as Accolade, Eden Games, Pitbull Syndicate, Monster Games, Slightly Mad Studios and Kylotonn have also contributed to its development.
18 video games
Test Drive Unlimited Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows March 16, 2007
Xbox 360 September 5, 2006
PlayStation Portable February 20, 2007
PlayStation 2 February 20, 2007
Developer: Eden Games
Publisher: Atari / Infogrames
Test Drive Unlimited System Requirements
PC / Windows
Recommended: Pentium 4 2.4 GHz, 1 GB RAM, graphic card 256MB (GeForce 6600GT or better), 8 GB HDD, Windows 2000/XP
PlayStation 2
Supports: memory card 8 MB, steering wheel, Network Adaptor
Xbox 360
Supports: steering wheel, Xbox Live
PlayStation Portable
Supports: memory card 32 MB
Test Drive Unlimited Devs Hired to Make NFT Racing Games
Eden Games, the developers of Test Drive Unlimited, has been bought out by Animoca Brands. From now on the team will create racing games focusing on NFTs.
video games
Hubert Sledziewski
April 12, 2022
Platinum Mod for Test Drive Unlimited Adds Over 880 Vehicles
Test Drive Unlimited Platinum - a huge modification for the popular racing game from Eden Games - debuted on the web. It adds new textures, songs, and 880 cars.
video games
Milosz Szubert
April 23, 2019