Parcel Panic – Post Car Racer 3D, an exciting new driving delivery game that’s being compared to Crazy Taxi, has been released by Mad Processor and is available from the app store.

The goal of Parcel Panic is to use your truck to pick up and deliver packages to specific locations in the shortest amount of time. You must balance speed with precise driving, as erratic movements and big bumps could send boxes tumbling from your truck bed. There are four different trucks that can be used, though all but the first are locked from the beginning. Each truck has its own attributes and handles differently than the others. There are 99 levels for each truck, meaning that the order of drop-off locations varies in 99 different ways. Sadly, there is only the single location map. We would have preferred, say, 25 levels for each truck across each of 4 different maps, for example. This would allow the same level of content while keeping things fresh and creating a good deal of variety. Regardless, there are plenty of ways to have fun on the single map, such as finding crazy shortcuts to your destination, which is one of our favorite things to do.

Each level requires you to make as many deliveries as possible within 60 seconds. While it doesn’t sound like much time, the constraint adds to the frantic nature of play and creates more of a pick-up-and-play style game than one with lengthy levels. Each time you arrive at your destination, you are given a new destination and additional time to get there. There is an arrow and a green line that indicates the path to reach your location, though you’ll do much better by finding your own shortcuts. There is also an on-screen mini-map to help you plan your routes. Points are earned for number of boxes delivered, total airtime, and total time spent making deliveries. You must reach a certain point total to unlock new trucks.

Graphically, the 3D environment has a very fun, cartoonish look about it. Parcel Panic is quite polished, with bright colors and lots of great detail. The soundtrack is an upbeat, uptempo song that reinforces the urgency of getting to your destination quickly. Sound effects are decent, such as engine noises and crashing effects. The controls are pretty easy to get used to. As with most driving games, steering is handled by tilting the device left or right. There is a virtual accelerator pedal in the lower right corner and a virtual brake pedal in the lower left. Activate either by tap-holding to achieve the desired result.

Parcel Panic Pros:

• Frantic nature of play
• 396 “levels”
• Quite polished, with bright colors and lots of great detail
• Fun, cartoonish look

Parcel Panic Cons:

• Only a single location map
• No multiplayer functions, no achievements, and no global leaderboards

Replay value is mostly a function of how much you enjoy playing the game. Currently, there are no multiplayer functions, no achievements, and no global leaderboards (local high scores are maintained). There is a free ride mode that allows you to just drive around the island, hitting jumps and practicing your shortcuts without worrying about timers. Parcel Panic – Post Car Racer 3D (boy, that’s a mouthful) carries a $2.99 price tag, a fair value for 396 “levels,” 4 trucks, great graphics, and fun gameplay. Parcel Panic is a solid 4-Dimple joyride.

Parcel Panic – Post Car Racer 3D gets our AppSmile 4-Dimple rating: