New Rally-X, originally released to arcades in 1981, is another in a long line of old Namco games to make it onto mobile phones. The LG MM-535 version lets you play in two modes. The main mode is patterned after the arcade original. You drive a car around a maze, attempting to collect all of the level's flags while avoiding large rocks and red racecars that attempt to catch you. If they get too close, the 5 key lays out a smoke screen that throws off the chase cars. Your fuel gauge acts as a timer for each level, and using smoke screen drains the gauge more quickly. Every third race is a challenge race that puts you in a faster-moving car with the task of quickly collecting all flags before the opposition wakes up to give chase. The game's alternate mode lets you practice all of the challenge races.
New Rally-X has Game Lobby support for a scoreboard so you can upload and compare your scores. This sort of negates your ability to continue from where you left off, though. Continuing resets your score and starts you at a more difficult level, so you're not as likely to crack the top ten list.
The game speed feels right, though the control isn't very sensitive, making it too easy to miss turns. That, combined with a current lack of serious competition on the leaderboard, makes New Rally-X a game you should approach with caution.
