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Ask yourself this question: Can you honestly remember the last time you enjoyed a real-life demolition derby, let alone a demolition derby video game? The derby itself has become antiquated, and as far as games go, tried-and-true demolition derby games have pretty much been outshined and outclassed in recent years by crash-happy racers like the Burnout series. Atari and Monster Games' Test Drive: Eve of Destruction is an earnest attempt to try to bring the old-school brand of demolition derby game back into the limelight--and it almost pulls it off. The game features a pretty insane roster of race types, ranging from simple no-rules car races to school bus and trailer races. Unfortunately, some sluggish racing gameplay and a lack of any real depth beyond the game's offline multiplayer component and slightly taxing career mode mar the experience enough to prevent Eve of Destruction from living up to its potential. 

From the moment you pop Eve of Destruction into your console, it's apparent that the developers weren't interested in gussying up the experience beyond its core elements. You have only two modes to choose from in the main menu: action and career. The action mode is a basic single- or multiplayer mode; you can choose from any of the game's arenas, cars, and race types and get into a one- to seven-race series. The wide variety of cars range from simple compacts, to midsize sedans, to muscle cars, to big-time machines like school buses and ambulances. Even more impressive than the vehicle list, however, is the list of available race types. If you've ever been to a demolition derby, you can't help but appreciate how Eve of Destruction displays its affection for the "sport" by including everything from chain races to plain old "smash into everybody until you're the last car running" derbies. 
The career mode featured in Eve of Destruction is pretty lengthy. You'll begin with a clunker of a car, a modest amount of cash, and a trailer park home in a sleepy little hick town. Then you'll start driving around looking for a race. Each main race area is indicated by an icon on a map, as are other notable areas you can visit, such as the local scrap yard, where you can buy new cars with your winnings, and the auto shop, where you can purchase vehicle upgrades. You'll have to buy cars semi-regularly. Although you can repair cars that you thrash in competition, some damage is irreparable, and that irreparable damage adds up over time. There are also some time trial areas and some areas where you can challenge individual drivers to races for a little extra cash.