XS Airboat Racing - PS1 Review

Another Mario Kart clone.  Very basic game that doesn't require much skill at all.  I am assuming after playing through this, that it was designed for young kids.  There are 3 main tracks to race on with 6 other recycled tracks.  You pick up power ups like missiles and bombs just like Mario Kart.  The graphics in this game are complete garbage for a late PS1 release.  Music is cheesy, repetitive MIDI style steel drums and bass tracks.  The game play is OK.  I guess it is what is expected.  Overall, I give this game a 2 out of 10.  I really wouldn't waste my time on it.  

Monster Truck Rally - NES Review

This game is complete garbage.  Slow, boring, terrible graphics, terrible game play.  It is one of the few games that supported the 4 player feature on the NES.  I don't really have anything positive to say about it.  It does have a track editor and a random track feature that is ok.  Overall, I give this game a 1 out of 10.  Don't bother playing it unless you are a complete zombie.  My wife even said while I was playing it "what is this piece of shit you are playing"?

Virtua Racing Deluxe - Sega 32X Review

This game looks and plays identical to the arcade version as far as I can tell.  It runs pretty smooth and fast on the 32X.  There is an option to pick 3 different types of cars and I believe there are 5 different tracks.  The game itself is pretty challenging and it takes awhile to get used to the controls.  You can also pick between automatic and manual transmission for that extra kick of difficulty.  There are different views as well such as in the seat view and very far away view.  There are better racing games out there but this is pretty cool if you remember playing the arcade version.  Overall, I give this game a 6 out of 10.  Nothing special, but fun to play every now and then.  

Outrun - PC Engine Review

Not too shabby of an arcade port for the PC Engine.  There are better versions for consoles but this one is solid.  If you have ever played the arcade game, the purpose is to go from check point to check point within the allotted time.  There are five possible outcomes with five different endings.  Game controls are simply gas, brake, and high / low for shifting, and of course left and right.  This version plays and looks very similar to the arcade.  Sound is on par for the PC Engine and graphics are good as well.  The only complaint I have is that it seems the graphics are a little too bright.  Overall, it gets a 7 out of 10.  Solid arcade port.

Zero 4 Champ - PC Engine Review

Basically, what you see in the picture above is the entire game.  It is a drag racing game where you control only the gas and shifting.  There are a few modes to the game.  Story mode - Not understandable unless you can read Japanese.  Vs Computer mode, and Vs Man mode.  You can pick between 4 cars and "race" the opponent.  Once you get the hang of the controls, it is very easy to win.  Overall, a boring game that I will more than likely never play again.  It gets 3 stars total.  Not even worth looking into unless you are really into this type of game.   

Excitebike - NES Review

This game was one of the initial launch titles for the NES way back in 1986.  Most everyone has likely played this game at least once.  Most people write it off as just a cutesy dirt bike racing game, but in reality, this game is one of the most technically difficult games on the console.  You have to control the speed of you bike and make sure you don't overheat it.  You also have to shift the weight of the bike back and forth when you jump and land. There are three modes to the game, mode A where you are racing to beat the time on each track, mode B where you race against others adding more difficulty, and track creation mode.  It was pretty awesome back in 1986 that you could make your own tracks and race on them.  Overall, this game gets a 8 out of 10, being almost a perfect game.  If you have only played it once or twice I would definitely recommend revisiting it.  

Ridge Racer V - PS2 Review

Straightforward, no frills arcade racing brought to you by Namco.  This was one of the initial launch titles for the Play Station 2 way back in 2000.  This game is pretty decent and fun to play.  Don't expect it to be realistic however.  There is no braking really required, just releasing the gas and drifting around corners.  There are no real world physics, so cars don't act like they should.  You have to go into this game with the mindset that it is an arcade racer.  The game even comes complete with the annoying announcer guy that makes all kinds of obvious and goofball comments.  The game does get boring however after about 30 minutes due to the limitation of different tracks.  The tracks are basically just different versions of about 4 or 5 main, core tracks.  Overall, I give this game a 6 out of 10.  Fun to play and what you would expect from an arcade style racing game.    

Destruction Derby Playstation Review

This is an early release game for the Playstation.  Came out in 1995.  This game is not as fun as I remember it.  The graphics are not very good as it is an early release and the music is kind of repetitive.  There are a few different modes you can play.  Practice mode, Race mode, Demolition Derby mode, and race wreckin mode.  The mode most fun is probably the race wreckin mode because you get to race around a track and crash into people.  The game play is not that great and the game get pretty boring after a few minutes.  The annoying voice over guy yelling things like "Get outta my way!" is pretty stupid.  Like I said, this game is fun for a few minutes and then it becomes boring.  Overall, I give it a 4 out of 10. 

Need For Speed Underground Gamecube Review

This game is pretty awesome.  Underground (quest mode) and quick race mode are your options.  Playing the underground mode allows you to buy new cars, unlock upgrades and visual mods for your cars.  The graphics in this game are great for the Gamecube.  The music is awesome, a great mix of rock and rap of the time when this came out in 2001.  The game play is awesome.  You can pop this game in and end up playing it for over an hour or two.  It is quite addicting.  The only thing I dislike about the game is the fact that when you get towards the end of the game, it becomes tedious to try and win to move on.  You have to acquire points to unlock mods to continue at the higher stages which means basically switching back and forth between 2 vehicles.  One vehicle will be for handling and one for acceleration.  It is basically those two things you have to worry about.  The game has lots of different tracks and even runs them in reverse on some stages.  There is a Circuit mode where you just race laps and a sprint mode where you race to the finish.  There are also drift modes and drag racing modes which have their own style of play which you have to master.  Overall I give this game an 8 out of 10 stars.  Highly addictive and awesome to play.

Enduro Racer Sega Master System Review

This game is supposed to be a port of the arcade version, I guess.  It is not a very fun game.  It is repetitive and boring.  After you play about 3 levels it gets to the point where it is the same thing over and over again.  It is nothing like the arcade version whatsoever.  The replayability of this game sucks because it is so boring and the same thing every time you play.  There doesn't even seem like there is a way to get faster times.  You can buy power ups between levels but the don't really seem to even do anything.  Overall, I give this game a 2 out of 10 stars.  Terrible.

Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge

There are a multitude of racing games on the NES and most of them are pure crap.  This one is not too bad.  Number one, the music is awesome in this game, some of the best on the NES.  The game plays pretty well.  It is not overly hard or easy, very good balance.  I can't stand other racing games where you are in like 3rd place and you crash and are all of a sudden in like 26th place.  You have a variety of different tracks to race with each having its own challenges.  There are oil slicks on the track and a pit stop feature that is pretty cool.  The graphics are pretty decent for the NES and the music is great.  If I had to choose between a lot of the other racing games on the NES and this one, I would pop this one in if I had a racing hankering.  The only thing that bothers me is that it seems like the computer cars that you race against never have to use the pit stop.  Overall, I give this game a 7 out of 10 stars. 

Jet Moto Playstaion Review

So this game is like a futuristic racing game.  I guess its like a cross between a jet ski and a dirt bike that hovers.  The graphics are what is to be expected from a 1996 Playstation game.  The music is pretty good but the game is not that great overall.  I found it very hard to control even after I got used to its touchiness.  The tracks are really boring and tedious and it just is a boring game overall.  I generally like racing games but not really this one.  Maybe if they threw in some power ups of booster panels on the ground?  I don't know, something is just lacking here.  Overall, it gets a mediocre 5 out of 10 stars.

Dragster Atari 2600 Review

While I am sure this game was cool in 1984 when it came out (I don't think so), it really sucks.  See the screen shot?  Thats the game, thats it.  No starting line, no finish line.  It is hard to believe that David Crane of Pitfall! fame wrote this shovelware.  One of the worst Activision games ever made.   Your goal is to get the best time possible as you shift through 4 gears while avoiding blowing your engine.  The concept of the game is unique, I will give it that, but the game play and fun factor are horrible.  Every time I play this game it is a chore.  Overall, I give it a 1 out of 10 stars.  It did not get a 0 because the concept is cool and you can play 2 players against each other. , but the game overall blows.

Rally Bike NES Review

This game is horrible and repetitive.  It has really bad graphics and is super slow.  When you crash or touch something, you are sent back to the beginning of the level.  you could be 1 second from finishing the level and touch the side and crash and be sent back to the start.  It is very frustrating.  The music and sound in this game is also very poor.  The game reminds me of something that would be on like a 32 in 1 plug in play controller.  Overall I give the game a 2 out of 10 stars.  It is barely playable.  It would suck to get this game as a gift back in the day, or actually buy it thinking it is a good game.  Ughhhh! 

Radical Psycho Machine (RPM) Racing SNES Review

A feeble attempt to clone RC Pro-Am on the SNES.  I believe this was an early release game for the system.  I try to give every game I review a chance but this one is just painful to play.  It is mediocre at best.  What you see is basically what you get.  You race different tracks and try and win money to upgrade your car / truck.  The only issue with the game is the fact that the difficultly is so high that it makes the game frustrating and not even remotely fun.  The game is sluggish and very hard to control.  You also have a damage gauge and it is only half full when you start a race.  If you just slightly touch another car (which is almost impossible not to do) you lose a good portion off the damage gauge.  If you touch a wall, you also lose damage points.  When the gauge goes all the way down, you blow up and it takes like 5 seconds to re spawn.  Another thing is that I didn't find a button that would let you reverse and that becomes a problem.  You get to certain points where another car will hit you and make you stop, then you have to go up a hill or ramp and you can't because there is not enough speed.  What ends up happening is that you have to go up and roll back down like 2 or 3 times to build up enough speed.  Poorly planned out game in my opinion.  I give the game 2 stars out of 10.  Not a very good game overall.

Enduro Atari 2600 Review

This is a really fun racing game.  I would say the best on the 2600.  Very smooth graphics and game play.  You start out having to pass 200 cars.  It is timed, so you can't go slow.  The cars appear at random places and it it your job to avoid them.  The control in simple; left and right, and fire button for gas.  You hold down the fire button to go faster and you let go to slow down.  There is no brake.  Scoring is simply your mileage which goes up quicker the faster you go.  As time progresses, you go from morning, to afternoon, to driving on snow, then back to dry pavement.  It then becomes dusk, night time, foggy night time, and then morning again.  The game has great replay value and is a must have in my opinion for anyone's 2600 collection.  Overall I give it a 8 out of 10.  I think it would have been a perfect game if the added braking control by pulling back on the joystick.

Bill Elliott's Nascar Challenge NES Review

The NES is not known for its racing games.  There are a few that are OK but nothing to get excited about.  This game is a sub standard racing game on the NES.  I will give them an A for effort for trying to make a simulation style racing game like Test Drive which was so popular on the PC at the time this game came out.  I like racing games, just not this one.  It is very difficult to control...  too difficult, NES hard (like some people like to say).  Anyway, there is not much to say about this game, the game play stinks, the music stinks, and the graphics stink.  I give it 1 out of 10 stars.  It only got 1 star due to the fact that you can tell that there was a huge amount of effort put into the game, it just fell short.

Rad Racer 2 NES Review

OK, number 1, why did Square make this game?  Anyway, this game is just a recycled version of the original Rad Racer.  The game play and graphics are identical to the original.  It doesn't even make any sense why they put this game out.  The only thing challenging about it is there are these red cars that actually try to block you.  I don't remember that in the original, but I could be wrong. The music is also different and the dashboard display.  I didn't see anywhere in the game where you could select a different car.  Maybe when you get to later stages, you win a different car?  The bottom line is that overall I give this game a 4 out of 10.  Same old recycled crap that Squaresoft should be embarrassed about even putting out.