Sorry about the long post, but IMO the review just didn't give the right impression of the game.
For me, Stunt car racer (scr) is in top 3 for racing games for all times. The other two are Formula one grand prix and Grand prix 2, and I find the 3 points given in the review to be close to blasphemy (English isn't my native language so the word may be wrong but surely you get the idea).
Why does scr beats so many racing games, including Stunts? It is the FEELING of driving, flying. I think this game is a benchmark when it comes to realistic car handling. There may be only 8 tracks, but they are more than enough. Super division with increased car performance gives a nice addition to this.
I find myself playing scr every now and then, much because the game accomplishes two very controversial goals simultaneously: simplicity of handling the vehicle/learning to drive and on the other hand the accurate (or the feeling of) physical performance. Usually one must compromise between the two but not with scr. Sorry for the caps, but I must emphasise: the FEELING of driving in this game is something I haven't really encountered in any other racing game. GP2 and GP3 get close, but hey, they're 5 and 10 years younger, with maybe 100 times larger budget behind them. Also, scr accomplishes the realism with only the four arrow keys, whereas the formula games really need a joystick or a wheel to feel the precision and the realism.
Stunts is a track-making game, with a driving option attached to it. Scr is a racing game. You select control method, choose championship/practice and DRIVE. Enjoyment in 10 seconds.
It is due to the realistic (or maybe it is the "feeling of realism", I can't tell the difference) car handling that I think the game is more a breakthrough in racing games than "just another good racing game". Latter would justify the three points. I'd go with the former one, and would've given five points with no questions asked. And I think maybe 10 games in Abandonia deserve a five. (they are, btw, Colonization, Dune 2, Formula 1 grand prix, NHL hockey, Pinball fantasies (and Day of the tentacle, Monkey island 2, Civilization 2, Princess maker 2 which are unfortunately ESA protected).
(not that I would've played one third of all games in Abandonia though)
I like that it is not very easy for a game to get the 4 or 5 but I really think this was a vast underrating.
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