GBAtemp Recommends! Karnaaj Rally

shaunj66 · Mar 31, 2009

GBAtemp Recommends! Karnaaj Rally
G.R. Issue #23 (GBA)

Welcome back to GBAtemp Recommends! Our popular weekly magazine feature in which we recommend classic Game Boy Advance titles big and small! Oops, we're a bit late. But don't worry, we'll have another issue tomorrow at the usual time.

GBAtemp Recommends!

Karnaaj Rally

A definite nominee, if not winner for WORST BOX ART of ALL TIME, I really have no idea how Jaleco expected any copies of Karnaaj Rally to be taken off the shelves, except to be laughed at. Awful box art aside, Karnaaj Rally is a pretty decent little racer that bares a lot of similarities to Micro Machines (or the lesser known title - Death Rally (PC)). So if you enjoy careering around a track whilst unloading all sorts of weapons on to your enemies in a neat top down racer then this might be the game for you.

The gameplay boils down to some weird geezer who wants to become the top racer, so he enters a series of races in order to bestow that prestigious title. You'll get to upgrade your wheels as you earn money for coming first, or you can even earn money by placing bets on various aspects of a race. Each race consists of four laps, and there are a variety of different locales (22 different tracks) to hoon it around in. You'll encounter all sorts of weapon upgrades and illegal modifications to use to your advantage, and on top of that, each track has different hazards scattered around the track to avoid. The tracks themselves, while not overly long, (but are 4 laps), are well designed with some fun twists and turns to drive around.

What makes Karnaaj Rally stand out from most other top down racers on the GBA are the controls... The cars all handle extremely tightly, and you'll have no problems drifting around corners and boosting between cars to take the lead. The games graphics are also very impressive, and each stage is well presented and even manages to pull of some neat 3D visual effects such as overhanging trees or billboards. Sweet sweet eye candy, but nothing more.

Karnaaj Rally is one of the better racers on the Game Boy Advance, and probably the best top-down racer for the system. Take it out for a test drive and let us know what you think!

Game Synopsis said:
Leave a trail of destruction behind as you blast ahead of the competition. Make your opponents spin and crash as you bombard them with a barrage of weapons. Take them out of the race with rockets and mines. Win races and prize money so you can progress to the next level of competition for more fire action.

#0818 - Karnaaj Rally (DCS)

Genre: Racer
Publisher: Jaleco
Dump Date: 17/12/2002
ROM Size: 64Mbit

If you enjoyed this weeks edition of GBAtemp Recommends! please leave a comment in the thread. This helps us monitor feedback and ensures we keep posting these magazine articles in the future. Another game will be featured next Wednesday!

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Discuss

VatoLoco · Mar 31, 2009

Good choice! I think this is a fun one=) i first tried it when Hadrian gave it props in his GBAtemp Recommends thread for Racing Gears Advance.
I like the Flintstones style theme to the first set of tracks.

...and yeah, i agree that is some terrible box art, heh

the_joeba · Apr 1, 2009

I bet this would look great on my GBA SP:Virtual Boy edition

EDIT:
HOLY CRAP, IT'S REAL!!! I was positive with box art like that, and the fact that it said that it posted on April 1st, that it was fake.

Bridgy84 · Apr 1, 2009

I can't say i have tried this one, but i must say, my god that box art is terrible haha.

Rayder · Apr 1, 2009

This one is pretty good. The graphics are nice.

Ferrariman · Apr 1, 2009

Ten bucks I can make a better box with my limited PS knowledge.

Blue Zoidberg · Apr 1, 2009

OMG, there's a Death Rally for the GBA??
We used to play the shareware of this in my school's computer lab (instead of programming C).
*runs out to find a copy*

cosmiccow · Apr 1, 2009

wow, very good "Recommends" issue again! thank you for sharing these hidden gems.
i loved all of them so far - even though i already knew densetsu no stafi and kuru kururin

can't believe they let this boxart hit the stores.. and whats up with the name? was it intended to sound like "carnage"?

anyway gonna hunt this down to check it out

enarky · Apr 1, 2009

Oh! I remember I played this back when it was released and didn't find it half bad. Totally forgot about it since then. Thanks for reminding us, I'll give it another few rounds or so.

Hadrian · Apr 1, 2009

Blue Zoidberg said:
OMG, there's a Death Rally for the GBA??

There isn't anything written to imply that there was, and there isn't.

A great addition to the GBA library, I remember there was some sort of uproar involving someone giving this game a bad score based soley on the cover. I still prefer Racing Gears to this though. The developers also did the Micro Machines GBA port too as well as the might fine GBC shooter, Project-11.

Toni Plutonij · Apr 1, 2009

I've never played or even seen this game..
But cover artwork is so ugly that it would attract me to this game.....Really, what were they thinking?!

shakirmoledina · Apr 1, 2009

its actually the face tht gives it away
interesting game... surely going to check it out thanks
all the recommends are fantastic so far

CreX · Apr 1, 2009

April fool?

Smartpal · Apr 1, 2009

My God, the box art is horrendous but I guess I'll check it out.

AXYPB · Apr 1, 2009

I don't know, I still think this box art is the worst ever.

Maz7006 · Apr 1, 2009

The box art is there on purpose, to attract us, and make us play it forever

i think this is worth checking out, still playing Kuru Kuru Kurin

Firedrake1 · Apr 11, 2009

never got into racing games, but this isnt half bad!

GBAtemp Recommends! Karnaaj Rally

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