Test Drive Unlimited turns Oahu into a vast automotive playground. Arcade-sim blend handling, open online multiplayer and holiday vibe. A precursor of modern free-roam.
Your verdict
Category
Racing4 players7+
Description
An Eden Studios and Atari open-world arcade racing simulation released in 2007, set on the island of Oahu (Hawaii). The player buys and customizes over 100 licensed cars (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, Bugatti) to traverse over 1000 km of massive open roads, in online race duels against 8 players. Open-world racing genre innovator, strongly inspirational for the later Forza Horizon games.
Test Drive Unlimited review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Freely roaming an entire island at the wheel, online with other players, turns racing into an endless open world. Buying cars, mansions and taking on challenges fills hundreds of kilometres and dozens of hours. That freedom, a genre pioneer, earns the title a stubborn reputation as a generous open-world racer.
The Western release of Test Drive Unlimited, a pioneering open-world racer recreating a fully drivable Hawaiian island and persistent online traffic, bold for a late-life PS2. Still findable, its desirability rests on this status as a forerunner of the open-world driving genre and the nostalgia of its seaside mood rather than scarcity. An interesting piece for end-of-generation racing fans.
Better with friends
An open-world race on a sun-bathed island, originally meant to cross paths with other drivers and trade challenges on the roads. The competition is savored in sharing lap times, dream machines and itineraries, where you measure up against the clock as much as the other. The era's servers belong to the past, but the spirit of cruising and comparing among enthusiasts keeps a lasting convivial charm.
Is Test Drive Unlimited still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2007 on PS2, Eden Games' project popularised massively connected open world racing by recreating the island of Oahu in Hawaii in its entirety, kilometres of roads to roam freely at the wheel of luxury cars. The pleasure lies in automotive cruising, in buying supercars and villas, and in spontaneous encounters with other drivers online. The accessible arcade driving and the sense of freedom still appeal. The PS2 version, technically behind, and the shutdown of the servers amputate the experience. An interesting forerunner of the genre, recommended for fans of contemplative driving and of open world freedom.
