Destroy your opponents as you race through a dozen unique tracks in this fast-paced 3D demolition extravaganza! Punish the other drivers with over 100 damage combos and power ups like gas bombs and jet boosters.

Experience the thrill and adrenaline rush of high speed collisions and death-defying stunts in this non-stop race of car-crushing destruction.

This demo is time limited to one hour.

DEMO REVIEW
Ultimate Demolition Derby is obviously a budget title.

The 153 megabyte download features a respectable amount of features. You can choose nine cars to race over four tracks and have four modes to choose from: smash race, stunt track, arena and massacre. They differ slightly in objective, although all award points for causing mayhem during races.

Arena and massacre are my two favorites, as they restrict the game’s action to small, destructive spaces. Cars fly all over the place as you try to dodge opponents and deal out your own damage. Collecting power ups, like booster jets and spiked tires, gives you an edge, so much so that winning comes down to who has the best powerup.

This is because of the unforgiving damage system. It’s your basic mini diagram with colored boxes that change when damage is taken to a specific area. Too bad your vehicle is made out of tin foil, because scraping against walls or getting stuck against an object often causes it to inexplicably explode.

You’ll wish you’d suffer a fiery death, as Ultimate Demolition Derby’s presentation grates on the nerves. Each car has a personality attached to it, all tired stereotypes (cranky old man, burned out surfer dude and barnyard hick to name a few). Toss in some random guy who booms inane garbage like “any wreck you can walk away from did not happen here, folks” makes the game hokey.

The graphics are nothing special, although the car designs were cartoony enough to be tolerable. An inappreciable soundtrack accompanies the demo, bland even for budget games.

Not everything falls apart, though. Ultimate Demolition Derby’s controls are a cinch to use, with arrow keys controlling all movement and Q used to reset your car’s position in case it gets stuck. It’s a refreshing change from today’s complicated control schemes.

However, that’s not nearly enough to make the demo worth your time.

Demo review by Tom Previte.

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