Racing games make for one seriously competitive market. Arcade or simulation? Sequel or brand-new medium? Those are just two of the things developers have to consider before entering (or continuing with) the genre.

Games like IGPX have it a little easier. First of all, it has a pre-existing license attached to it. That right there gains it some attention. Second, it's not just a racing game. It's also a mechanized combat action title where you race while fighting. To say that it's an interesting concept would be an understatement.

Based on the fictitious Immortal Grand Prix, IGPX pits you and two teammates against three mech-controlling warriors. These mechs aren't like the mobile suits found in Gundam or any of its knock-offs. They look similar, having legs to walk, arms to fight, and a head for continuity (nothing is more problematic than a headless mech!).

But their functions are somewhat different. You start out on the track, flying down it as you would fly through outer space. Given how powerful these suits are (they have the ability to race over 350 mph), it's quite possible that they could fly through space. That, however, is not what this game is about. Rather than veer off the course and venture away from the planet, your goal is to stay locked-on to the course at all times.

With corkscrews aplenty and relentless speeds that just keep growing, you'd be justified in thinking it must be very difficult to stay on course. But as necessary as it is to stay on course, it's even more necessary to be the better racer. And to be the best racer, you must first be the best fighter. Thus, the developers made the courses a bit more linear in function than in appearance. You won't have to do any significant amount of steering, nor will you have to worry about flying off the side of the course. Normal play ensures that you are almost always going in the right direction.

What do you do now? The first few laps are dedicated to combat. Whoever is in front does not matter because he or she is not likely to hold that spot for very long. You can speed up and slow down to catch up with your teammates and opponents at any time. If you're in the lead, the benefit of going backwards (where you spin your suit around and ride the course blindly) is that you can keep moving forward while looking back at your angry opponents. As they approach, hit 'em with everything you've got.

"Everything" meaning punches, grabs, and combo moves. It's simple stuff – the kind the original Virtua Fighter was made of, yet somehow simpler. Kids will be able to learn the moves the instant they start playing.

Every mech is given a life meter. If you attack your opponents enough times, their life will completely deplete, instantly removing them from the race. At that point you'll be free to move about the course as you please.

As you'd expect, wanting to destroy and actually destroying enemies are two very different things. Opponents don't go quietly. They'll attack, try to avoid those who they expect will attack them, and pull other tricks to try and make it to the finish line.

The finish line is not triggered until the final lap. Once the game makes that announcement, battles take a backseat to the straightaway racing you're about to endure. Learning from a mistake made by an overanxious racer in The Fast and The Furious (the movie), I held off on using my turbo boost until the race was half over. My opponents weren't as thoughtful. They dove right in and started boosting. By the time I started using mine, their boost was almost up. Our vehicles are pretty well matched. Given how the laws of physics work, I figured it was a surefire way to get a win – for that race, at least. My assumption proved to be true.

First place nabs 15 points, while second only gets 10. This is particularly interesting because it means that you could get 1st, 4th, and 5th place and still win (because the 2nd and 3rd place spots your opponents acquired did not award enough points to put their team on top).

Credits earned from your success can be cashed in for new mech parts. The result: a better, more suitable mobile suit.

That's it gamers. That's all there is to IGPX. If you're a fan of the show and like what you heard, you'll probably get some enjoyment out of the racing/combat experience it provides. Otherwise, you should almost certainly pass.

Gameplay: 6.0
Three hundred and fifty miles per hour. That’s how fast these hybrid mechs are supposed to go. Technically that might be true. There’s really no way for a player to test that sort of thing (this is a game, not real life). But you can gauge the sense of speed and enjoyment that comes along with that so-called sense of speed. Though I like the concept and general idea, for a racing game, IGPX doesn’t move very fast. All of my previous comments – that’s the experience you get, and it repeats with every race.

Graphics: 6.0
The mech designs are cool. Unfortunately their animations are stiff, which is to be expected for what is essentially a giant robot. But when they move, when they rush in for an attack, and especially when they explode, I expected something powerful and astonishing. IGPX didn’t deliver effects anywhere near that magnitude.

Sound: 5.0
Why do anime shows have the best music, but anime games are stuck with repetitive techno beats? The voice-overs weren’t that thrilling to me either, though I’m guessing fans of the anime series (which I am not) will be pleased.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Punch, turbo, first place! Punch, get knocked over, turbo, punch, first place! I think you know where this is going.

Concept: 8.0
A mech/combat/racer? It sounds crazy, but I love the idea. With any luck, the developers will take what they’ve learned from this release and make a sequel. Including a little bit of Wipeout’s speed would be a great start.

Multiplayer: 6.0
The same experience as the single-player mode, built for two.  

Overall: 6.0
A fan-targeted game that doesn't do much for the rest of us. If you like the show you might like this. If not, you need not continue.