Product Description

Driving Theory Training gives players the unique opportunity to revise, practice and take virtual tests on driving theory and Highway Code whilst on the move.

This will be the first time that the Nintendo DS has been used as a new media device to help learners study and simulate the actual test. Driving Theory Training is aimed at provisional license holders who need that little extra help to be successful when the day of the real test comes around and offers valuable help to anyone who's learning to drive.

Driving Theory Training will feature driving theory questions and answers officially licensed by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency). In addition to a full theory test based on the real life exam, learners can benefit from revision, graphs, minigames and questions and answers relating to vehicles. The application also features the full Highway Code, ways to learn and revise as well as fun games to entertain whilst stimulating the mind.

• Over 1,000 questions for Car and Motorcycle learner drivers
• Supports entire official DSA Question Bank for Approved Driving Instructors
• Realistic Exam Mode, Training Mode and Challenge Mode
• Includes the Offficial Highway Code - road signs, stopping distances, etc.
• Statistics to show your strengths and weaknesses
• Minigames - park your car, road sign games, and many more
• Driving simulation to prepare for Practical part of driving test

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3274 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Atari
• Released on: 2008-08-29
• Platform: Nintendo DS

Customer Reviews

Useful but not perfect
The DS has become popular and innovative in the way that its usefulness goes beyond simple gaming, particularly with the brain-stimulating games (such as Brain Training) that are available for the handheld machine, so it's no real surprise that Atari have come up with Driving Theory Training.

So at the RRP of £19.99, what do you get exactly?

You get a game that caters for up to 4 separate profiles as well as a "Guest" profile.
"Practice Exam" mode that simulates real exam conditions
"Practice", "Random Test" and "Challenge" modes
The Highway Code included in the software
List of road signs with description
A selection of mini-games
Progress and high score information

Now on to the mini-games:

Memory- Try to pair up all of the road signs hidden on the screen
Expert Memory- Look at a sign for a moment then find the correct sign afterwards
Sign Game- Create a sign using shape, colour, and design to match it's description
Park Your Car- Park your car in a variety of different situations
Car Game- Repeat the order that the indicators light up

"Park Your Car" is the only one really worth going into more detail. You steer a car from a bird's eye view using the touch screen steering wheel and try to park correctly at a free car park space that is often at the end of a little maze of turns. This is the main mini-game as the other ones are basically simple puzzle/memory games.

This game does exactly what it says, helps you practice for you driving theory test whether it's for car or motorcycle with over 1000 questions taken from the official theory test (labelled as being valid from September 2008), as well as throwing in some extra mini games. However, there are some flaws, particularly with the "Park Your Car" mini-game. The main problem is that the steering wheel is not in the center of the screen but slightly lower so that while trying to steer with the stylus while looking at the top screen, you may find that it doesn't steer as you expect as you may not rotate around the steering wheels axis correctly. Another minor thing I noticed with the same mode is that as there is no animation for the cars speed dial (which is clearly in view) as you accelerate.

My verdict of the game: Ideal for it's target market, especial at the retail price of £19.99 or less, and although it does the job, and can keep you entertained with the mini-games and competitive with the high scores, missing out a simple animation that wouldn't be difficult to include kind of shows how lazy they were with the bonus content. Nevertheless, if you have a DS and want to learn to drive, this is an ideal purchase that allows you to practice some exam questions and play a few mini-games whenever and wherever you have the spare time.

Driving Theory Training (ATARI)
Another training game for the DS, this time aimed at the learner driver. The game contains the official theory test questions for car and motorcyclists and is valid from September 2008. The game itself is broken up in to a variety of 'mini games' in which you can learn the road signs and using the stylus to control the steering wheel (bottom screen) you can rehearse the various sequences of the parallel park and other manoeuvres. The game also includes the Highway Code and 'realistic' training and exam modes for the all important test.

The game gets a 3 star rating for fun, as the context is fairly bland and ATARI could have been more imaginative in creating the mini games. However in short bursts the game is enjoyable and will help in preparation for the theory test and at £14.99 you can't ask for much more.

Instructors view
Driving Theory Training (Nintendo DS)
To start with this is not a game as such but it is a learning tool, with fun.
The Nintendo has become popular in the way that its usefulness goes beyond simple games, Very useful for someone on the move, sitting on the bus etc, because you can practise pretty much anywhere, so if you want to revise in your spare time whilst doing a crash driving course on the night say, it's a good way training using spare moments.
Practice Exam mode that simulates real exam conditions
Practice, Random Test and "Challenge" modes
The Highway Code included in the software
List of road signs with description
A selection of mini-games
Progress and high score information
There are also mini-games, still helpful and useful
Memory- Try to pair up all of the road signs hidden on the screen
Expert Memory- Look at a sign for a moment then find the correct sign afterwards
Sign Game- Create a sign using shape, colour, and design Park Your Car- Park your car in a variety of different situations
Car Game- Repeat the order that the indicators light up
Park Your Car is the one really worth going into more detail. This is the most useful, You steer a car from a bird's eye view using the touch screen steering wheel and try to park correctly at a free car park space that is at the end of a little maze of turns. It helps you practice for you driving theory test whether it's for car or motorcycle with a 1000 questions taken from the theory test, as well as throwing in some mini games, great for some one having cheap driving lessons who wants to progress quicker with the theory aspect,
A great training tool, Ideal for learners, and at the price of £12 or less, it does the job, Intensive driving lessons combined with this will accelerate your learning, and it can keep you entertained with the mini-games, if you have a DS and want to learn to drive, this is an ideal purchase that allows you to practice some exam questions and play a few mini-games whenever you have the time, having driving lessons buy this, Have a great driving week.