Gameplay
Wipeout Pulse is broadly similar to other games in the Wipeout franchise, and indeed to other racing games as a whole. The player drives futuristic hovering vehicles powered on a series of race tracks which they must navigate, and sometimes other vehicles to compete against. They are aided in this endeavor by the traditional Wipeout arsenal of weaponry (including rockets, missiles, plasma bolts, etc.) and bursts of speed, both of which are gained by driving over special pads on the track; they are also allowed to choose between a number of different vehicles, each with their own handling characteristics. The game features electronic music and extraordinary visual and graphic design, two hallmarks of the Wipeout franchise; it also features downloadable content from the PlayStation Network, each containing a new vehicle and two new tracks, though four have been released in Europe and are not yet available elsewhere in the world.
Pulse delivers a number of new variations on this basic formula: while the game only ships with 12 tracks, these can be driven both forward and backwards; the race's direction is marked by the suffix "White" or "Black" on the race's title (i.e. "Talon's Junction White") and may show subtle variations depending on which way they are driven. Certain circuits also have "Mag-Strips" on some portion of the track, which lock the player's vehicle onto the track and allow for roller coaster-esque loops, sideways U-turns, waterfall-like sheer drops, and so on. It also completely revamps the standard method of game progression. Most racing games present the player with a series of "cups" in which they must come in first while racing against opposition. Pulse players are instead challenged to complete "grids", a cluster of hexagons which represent a wide variety of tracks and race types: time trials; seven-lap "Best Lap" races in which the player attempts to achieve a particular lap time; single races against one opponent ("Head-to-Head" mode); single races against seven opponents ("Single Race"); multiple-race Tournaments; "Eliminator" matches returning from Wipeout 3; and the "Zone" mode from Wipeout Fusion, in which the player attempts to survive as long as possible in a vehicle whose speed is slowly but infinitely accelerating. Players can race against the computer, against other human players within range of the PSP's built-in wireless card ("Ad-Hoc" mode), and over the Internet via a wireless network.
The game features a number of extras. Players can take screenshots of in-progress races at any time from the Pause menu. Players are rewarded for using the same team's ship over and over via the Loyalty system which unlocks new ship skins. Players are able to create custom skins for any vehicle at the game's central website using an Adobe Shockwave-based client, which can be downloaded to the PSP by the creator and/or the public at large. Lap times and other records can also be uploaded to the game's website which features a global ranking list.
Tracks in WipEout Pulse come in two variations, referred to as "White" and "Black". These variations essentially determine whether you go around the track forward or reverse. Coloration also tends to vary for each map, as do certain pick-up or speed up bonuses along with Mag Strip placements. The track color is added as a suffix to the track name, such as "Moa Therma Black" or "Basilico White". Some debate may ensue on whether or not each track should be counted separately, allowing for a 24-default-track listing for the game, or as the same map, which would limit it to 12 original maps. The official listing refers only to 12 tracks.
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