Atari hill starts DS with the UK's official Driving Theory Training game
That number plate reads CASH 08
You can already make yourself cleverer, more life aware, more artistic, more mathematically adept and able to speak foreign languages using your DS but perhaps the most focused real life application comes in the shape of Driving Theory Training.
Officially licensed by the UK's Driving Standards Agency, the game/application has been designed to help learners study for and simulate the process of taking their driving test.
For that reason it features questions and answers from the full driving theory exam while revision for the test is provided using graphs and mini-games. More seriously, the application also features the full Highway Code in touchscreen form.
"Knowing the rules of the road and the Highway Code is vital part of driving and passing your theory test. Atari UK has been striving to replicate the driving theory exam in an educational and informative application. We hope this title will help people learn everything they need to know to successfully pass their driving theory test," suggested Jeremy Wigmore, Atari UK's MD while stamping on his brakes, attempting an emergency stop on a wet Monday morning road. "Everything from speed limits to stopping distances is covered using the official question bank featured in the actual test. Wherever they are, players can take the test, revise the questions or simply play challenges. Hopefully this title will help them achieve that while also providing an enjoyable experience," he added, wrenching the steering wheel around once again to complete a seven-point turn.
And while the game may seem a little bizarre, even in the context of the DS being the utility-screwdriver-console of the gaming world, the fact that the PC version of the Driving Theory Training long dominated the UK's charts until a reclassification of software categories forced it out suggests Atari will be completely on the money when the game launches in the summer; for example over 1.8 million car tests and 1.5 million theory tests were carried out in the UK last year.
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.