R/C Stunt Copter

Pros • Innovative use of analog controller • Smooth graphics, and silky frame-rate • Totally immersive, and open-ended game play • Plethora of modes • Jack-ass announcer	Cons • Very steep learning curve • Small flight courses
Bottom Line With ultra-realistic physics and super-responsive controls, R/C Stunt Copter has a very steep learning curve, but getting there is half the fun Shiny Entertainment has provided me an outlet through which to live out a childhood fantasy; with their release of R/C Stunt Copter, I was finally able to know what it felt like to actually fly one of those twitchy (and expensive) bad boys. Radio-controlled copters hold a near-mythical status in my collection of memories. My mom always told that they were too expensive. My friends told me they were way too hard to fly. My cousin told me I’d probably crash and destroy it. None of those facts ever truly hit home, until I popped Stunt Copter in my console. Stunt Copter uses the Dual Shock to simulate the feel of an actual R/C transmitter, the left stick controlling throttle and rudder, the right stick banking the copter. The controls are painfully responsive, causing rookies titan amounts of frustration as they watch their copters smack into the remorseless pavement (or turf, as the case may be). Right off, the game has an extremely high learning curve. 10 training missions provided at the start do some good in pointing players in the right direction, but actually crashing and burning is the only true way to get schooled. After the initial shock (and rage), though, persistent players will find no peer to the bliss of actually soaring competently with one of these slick little copters. The game is packed with modes, including a two-player competition mode, which guarantee a lot of shelf-time before it ever gets old.

Is it really that hard??

Oh yes. This is a perfect physical simulation of what it is like to actually fly a radio-controlled chopper. Though some of the beginning copters have features that make life a bit easier, the “Ace” copters are %100 true to actual physics, making them insanely responsive, and easy to crash. The “Rookie” and “Pilot” copters have a set of training-skids attached to them (a copter’s equivalent of training wheels) which make landing simpler, and the former has an auto-level feature built in, which helps you stay parallel to the ground. The “Captain” copters ditch the skids altogether, and are much more responsive. They are also a bit harder to keep level, and tend to have a mind of their own when it comes to hovering. The “Ace” copters, being the real deal, fly like dreams. They soar quickly, stop on a dime (provided you know how), and have a special stunt-mode, which, when executed, makes it possible to perform death-defying stunts. It takes a lot to actually be able to saddle one of these mad stallions, so be sure to practice. It’ll save you a lot of embarrassment.

Hey, he’s making fun of me!

Get used to it. The in-game announcer/instructor comes armed with a staggering amount of quips, and is ready to dispense at first sign of your slightest foul-up. This is one of the game’s winning features, though--coupled with the lighthearted level-design, and the game’s amusing imagery, it does a great job of offsetting the sheer technicality of the play-mechanics. Expect a bombardment of one-lined assaults, though, at any given moment: during crashes, at the end of a level while points are awarded, etc. Forgive me, but I must quote a few: “Hey, it’s the Silver Surfer!!” told to me upon earning a silver medal in training; “Alright! We’re number three! We’re number three!!” upon earning a bronze; “You have a trust-fund, don’t you?” after a particularly nasty crash. I can go on. Just see for yourself.

I feel I’m mildly competent--so how do I start?

Start off with the 10 training levels. You’ll be taken by the hand, and taught the basics of copter flight: how to go up and down (adjusting the throttle/collective), how to gyrate (using the rudder), how to bank effectively, and how to actually make the copter move using all these elements, once you’ve gotten a grip on the basics. Once you pass the training, you’ll be give access to the one-player game, and depending on how you did, a fleet of copters. It’s best to start off with one of the “Rookie” copters, as they’re tricked out for beginners. The one-player game consists of five stages, which are comprised of five levels, each level being a certain event: slalom, hovering, shooting, landing, and targeting. Getting a decent score in each level allows you to progress to further stages where the events get more difficult. After all five stages are completed, you’re allowed access to a sixth, super-secret stage. No, I won’t tell you anything about it. That would be in violation of the code. If the slaloms start to get to you (just give them time), you can check out the free-flight mode. There are five courses in which you could practice stunts, or just watch yourself crash. You’re given access to all ten copters, so you’re able to literally knock yourself out.

What about my friends?

If you’re lucky enough to have friends, R/C Stunt Copter has a neat two-player mode that’s worth them checking out. No split-screen flying here, --you watch your opponent soar through the courses, and make their flights miserable with the vile instrument Shiny calls “The Hand”; essentially, you press a button, and a huge polygonal hand appears onscreen, blocking their center of vision, almost guaranteeing a glaring crash. There is a limit as to how long the hand can be on the screen, so be judicious. And remember, they’ll hand you on your turn. Be sure to keep your hand-play strictly in the polygonal realm, though, as fistfights can really strain a friendship.

You talk too much

Yeah, I know. Sorry. Anyway, R/C Stunt Copter is a great game to check out, if you’re particularly patient and determined. There really isn’t anything like flying a delicate craft competently, while having a huge appendage thrust in your front of your face. Those who aren’t willing to deal with the steep learning-curve, though, should look elsewhere. Now, all I need are some imported dating-sims, and all of my adolescent hang-ups will be resolved.

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