Stunt Car Racer
| Developer: N/A | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: MicroStyle | Sound: |
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| Year: 1987 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Racing | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 by modem | Rating: |
9/10 | |
Stunt Track Racer in the United States. It took me a while to get into this one. Admittedly, the overall look isn’t all that appealing at first.
You’re in control of a speedster on a narrow ramp, several dozen metres high. The races are one-on-one, set in a 3D environment that’s rather dull but does a fantastic job of capturing the sensation of height and speed. Most of the time, the track features one or more pits, sometimes quite large, heralded by gigantic ramps. The highlights of the race, then, are negotiating these “angel jumps” to maintain the highest speed possible, without falling off the ramp or wrecking your vehicle from a too-violent landing.
Provided you don’t crash every other lap, the thrill of driving is extraordinary. I swear, the immersion is so spot-on that after just a few minutes, you’ll find yourself leaning into the corners and even getting out of your chair during the jumps.
There are eight ramps in total (the last ones are monstrous) and three modes: practice, league, and two-player (via modem, so I don’t think this last one works with an emulator).
A must-know classic!
In 2004, a fan-modified version was released, offering eight new tracks: Stunt Car Racer TNT (The New Tracks). I’m not sure where to find it now…
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