- Publisher: Gathering of Developers
- Release Date: Apr 1, 2004
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It is fun for the same reason that something like Serious Sam is fun to play: the simplicity of it all. Fans of previous games may be a little turned off by the new arcade-like gameplay, though.
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The game’s modest modes of play, underwhelming presentation, and ill-conceived points system are a far cry from the series’ glory days, but the gameplay is solid and the courses can be a lot of fun under the right circumstances.
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There is plenty of great racing and wrecking action, but the loose controls and last-gen graphics will probably keep this game from achieving the stardom it could have if they designers had gone the extra mile.
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A mindlessly fun game with an addictive quality to the upgrade system, and the mounds of unlockable cars also helps to boost the replay value.
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The "Rocky III" of video games: There isn't much suspense, the acting's cheesy, and the production values could be better, but you can't help but get sucked in. [June 2004, p.70]
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The real draw is online play, and friends will have a blast ramming each other into the walls.
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PSM MagazineLots of arcade-style crash and bash, but the offline game's rather thin, so online play is probably the deciding buy-or-rent factor. [May 2004, p.40]
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The graphics are crisp and the physics are solid once you get used to how loose they are, but there's nothing to keep you coming back after the initial fun of t-boning someone and watching them explode wears off. [May 2004, p.99]
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While I liked the overall arcade feel to the game and I thought that the car handling was OK, I really thought that the track designs were pretty dull overall and that there just really wasn’t a whole lot of excitement to them.
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Play MagazineThe physics on the cars are kept too simple and there's too much of a reliance on power-ups, but go online and the energy level doubles. [May 2004, p.56]
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With a little work, a much better career mode, some hammering on the controls, and definitely the addition of custom cars and upgrades, this game would bring this series back to life with a stellar pulse.
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It takes quite some time to get used to the slow reaction of your car, but doesn’t prevent you from winning races right from the start – DDA wants you to destroy your environment rather than to skilfully avoid obstacles.
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Let's face it. Smashing up cars is huge fun. But with the game's focus on things like racing and making other cars spin, not enough attention is paid to plain ol' vehicular mayhem.
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Offers up some fun, mindless action that fizzles out rather quickly. It's an easy game to pick up and dive right into, but for a single player, it's a weekend rental at best.
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Both the online and offline portions suffer from a lack of depth in the demolition portion.
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netjakLack of challenge, mediocre presentation, and unfriendly driving simulation makes DDA an unworthy contender in the racing game genre.
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A major disappointment with too many problems to be anything more than a weekend rental.
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TotalGames.netNow it's here and we can't help to say with steadfast assuredness that it's not worth your effort.
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If you've got nothing else better to do, then Destruction Derby Arenas can kill a few hours of your time. Provided you're not expecting too much out of the game, you'll have some fun in a "it's always fun to smash cars" sort of way.
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Official U.S. Playstation MagazineA racing game packed with features that you've mostly seen before, hiding behind a veneer of graphical mediocrity. [May 2004, p.96]
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GMR MagazineThe specialized tag-style modes are fun for a while, particularly because they involve explosions, but even these modes quickly wear thin. [June 2004, p.83]
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Electronic Gaming MonthlyEven crash-test dummies would yawn at this wreckage. [June 2004, p.96]
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A cheap game offering even cheaper thrills. If you're a die-hard fan, rent the game, but be prepared to be bitterly disappointed.
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The well quickly runs dry and the races leave practically everything to be desired. If you really, really, really, want to see cars collide, play "Driver."
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The videogame equivalent of bubblegum; you’ll keep busy for a few hours, but after that it’s over.
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Cheat Code CentralIf you get more than three hours of entertainment out of this game you must be using the disk for a beer coaster.
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games(TM)Despite ticking all the correct boxes Arenas lacks any synergy between components, making it the "Turok Evolution" of racing sequels. [Feb 2004, p.123]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 13 out of 19
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Mixed: 2 out of 19
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Negative: 4 out of 19
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Aug 27, 2013
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Sep 7, 2022
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MartR.May 7, 2004Waste of time and money.