Parking may be the name of this game, but patience is the real name of the game.
Parking Star 3D sets out to realistically portray the act of parking a car in many tight spots and narrow areas. If you’ve ever been frustrated trying to maneuver your vehicle and park your car, you’ll know what to expect here.
Here in Canada we have a show on the Discovery Channel called “Canada’s Worst Driver” where contestants on the show have to do many different things, including parking. Watching these people try to park a car is hilarious and at the same time saddening. This is how it felt trying to park in this game.
Parking Star 3D goes for realism in the controls. Rather than steer your car by turning the control stick left or right, you have to actually rotate the stick around in a circle to turn your tires, much like you would have to turn your steering wheel. This not only creates some realism to the controls, but also adds some nuance to the gameplay. You can really adjust the direction of your car in very fine increments.
The touch screen can also be used exclusively to control your vehicle.
The premise of the game is very basic. Here is your car and you need to park it over there. Easy in concept, challenging in reality. The first challenge is that you are limited in time. From the start you are racing the clock and if you take too long you’ll start over. You will also need to line up your car in the spot so that you are facing the right direction and are straight. Yes, you will have to back into some spots.
The next challenge is the environment. The first few levels are relatively easy with not much to get in your way. Just follow the arrows painted on the pavement and pull your car into the parking spot.
To start you’ll get two hits on your car before having to restart the level. So if you bump into another car, the edge of the screen or another object, you’ll get one more chance before being prompted to restart. Though you can upgrade your vehicle with the stars you collect for finishing levels to increase the hits of your vehicle.
Later levels add a lot more challenge, including pedestrians, animals and other cars. Note, none of them stop and you run into them (or they hit you) you’ll have to start the level over. Even if you have two or more hits in the levels, these interactive elements are one hit wonders.
The level design is also very well done. You will have to navigate your car through many VERY tight spaces and will need to master the multiple-point turn to get through some of them. Of course you can’t take all day edging your way through the narrow spaces. You will still have a countdown timer so you’ll have to keep moving.
The game is a modest $2.99 in the Nintendo 3DS eShop. The game is definitely challenging and I would have liked to have a lot more levels.
