Single screen top down racers!

[sigh]

I was wondering what happened to the single screen top down racers like, Super Sprint, BMX Simulator and Ivan Stewarts Super Off Road Racer and many others.
What happened to this genre? It seemed to have turned into the scrolling screen variety like Micro Machines/Skidmarks/Next Penelope and the single screen was left behind.

I wasn't really a fan of the top down scrolling racing screens, especially in multiplayer mode where the person loses by being left behind and hitting the edge of the screen. I always felt that the single screen affair with a maximum of 4 players worked best, but I also think that it's a rather undeveloped genre despite it's presence on various formats and machines.

What are your memories of this genre and how would you make it better?

[mr_lou]

I only played BMX Simulator in this category, and remember finding it too difficult.

But maybe we'll see a new 4-player game in this category in the near future, since we now have the Multiplay device becoming available just around the corner. 

[sigh]

BMX Simulator was indeed probably one of the most difficult of the genre, but most of the Codemaster simulators were difficult.

[EgoTrip]

I loved Micro Machines on the Mega Drive. Would be good if it existed on the CPC.

[dodogildo]

I only played BMX Simulator in this category, and remember finding it too difficult.

Exactly it's hilarious how all the players keep hitting around non-stop, check it out:

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[arnoldorroland]

Grand Prix Simulator was my most hated game as a kid. Turns out I didn't understand how to play it more than anything...

[Shaun M. Neary]

Grand Prix Simulator was my most hated game as a kid. Turns out I didn't understand how to play it more than anything...

I loved this! It was a four key effort, accelerate, brake, left and right, but remembering the left and right could be tricky.
Crudely drawn cars, glorified blocks, but they moved fast.

Super Sprint and Championship Sprint's conversions were disappointments to say the least.


Badlands and Super Off Road showed so much promise in the arcades, I was really psyched for them when I heard the CPC was getting them, especially as it was 1990 and programming was improving.
What we got though... God awful.


One of the more exciting ones of this genre in the Arcades was Sega's Hot Rod. The CPC version stank though, no speed, sluggish awkward moving sprites. Shame, it was capable of more.

[sigh]

Jet Ski Simulator and BMX Simulator 2 had a 4 player mode if you could find enough keyboard space for it.

The ones I played the most were BMX Simulator 2 and Grand Prix Simulator. I wasn't too keen on Grand Prix Simulator 2 for some reason despite that it had 3 cars instead of 2. I think it may be the selection of colours used for the mode 1 graphics; I liked the palette of the first Grand Prix.

I'd like to see more of these games, but with power ups, boosters, music, short cuts, lots of special effects along with individual looking vehicles with strengths and weaknesses. Almost like a top down version of mario kart. Or maybe not vehicles but, rollerbladers or parkour practitioners.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Jet Ski Simulator and BMX Simulator 2 had a 4 player mode if you could find enough keyboard space for it.

The ones I played the most were BMX Simulator 2 and Grand Prix Simulator. I wasn't too keen on Grand Prix Simulator 2 for some reason despite that it had 3 cars instead of 2. I think it may be the selection of colours used for the mode 1 graphics; I liked the palette of the first Grand Prix.

I'd like to see more of these games, but with power ups, boosters, music, short cuts, lots of special effects along with individual looking vehicles with strengths and weaknesses. Almost like a top down version of mario kart. Or maybe not vehicles but, rollerbladers or parkour practitioners.

If you have a PS2 or an original XBox, check out Mashed, it'd be right up your alley, I reckon. =)
Not strictly top down, more helicopter view, but still a lot of fun to play.

[sigh]

I have played Mashed, but I really am wanting to hear more from people about top down racers and what they would like/dislike about the genre, how the genre could be developed, or why there aren't many of them around compared to 3rd person racers.

[Puresox]

I loved the genre , and It was a great cos there were so many decent budget games that satisfied my enjoyment , I think my first was BMX Sim cos I was blown away with the screen shots, I remember getting Grand Prix Sim and thinking that was great, especially trying to get to see all the different tracks which , was a real cool challenge, I also prefered GP1 to GP2 , Don't know why it just seemed to play better and was more entertaining. Super Sprint and others dissapointed me and I didin't give much attention too them. I was sort of impressed with 4x4 Iron Man , but the cars control was not right  sadly .
The only Thing that I'd like more of , is power ups that can be picked up and   that wear off . Pit features too sort damage and refuel . I would love to see a new game of this type..

[Shaun M. Neary]

I have played Mashed, but I really am wanting to hear more from people about top down racers and what they would like/dislike about the genre, how the genre could be developed, or why there aren't many of them around compared to 3rd person racers.

Fair enough.
Being honest, I liked the genre in the arcades, but i don't think it translated too well as a whole on the 8bit scene until 1990 when Supercars came along and changed the game. Be good to take the development from there.
Supercars really is what Badlands should have been, in terms of the CPC, more colour would have been appreciated, but in general, what tend to let the genre down is that the surroundings were always the same.


Especially in the case of Super Sprint and Championship Sprint, boring green grassy surroundings. At least with BMX Sim, the tracks mixed it up a bit, you felt like you had progressed, not playing the same level with a slightly different track layout.


I just remembered, didn't Run The Gauntlet have a top down race section too?

[dodogildo]

IMHO the problem with top down racers on CPC (or on any 8bit) was that there weren't much variety on the surroundings
so the gameplay was rather dull and boring due to the system's limits.

On the other hand they were surprisingly enjoyable while playing against an actual human being.

[arnoldemu]

I used to love playing Super Sprint and Championship sprint in the arcade.

What made the arcade fun was that there was shortcuts and alternative routes.

5:30 car jumps over side of track.

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3:02 there is a dirt track short cut through the middle.

Also I loved playing Super Sprint on the Atari st.

There was neat touches: driving the entire track in reverse only registered a complete lap if you did that 5 (maybe 10) times in reverse. You could sit in the way of the ai cars and move them off the track.


To work on the cpc, it needs to use overscan and the cars need to be small enough and it needs to be fast. When they are too large it becomes hard to pass, too slow it becomes boring, not much variety also brings boredom.

I think though the best fun was against other people unless the ai sometimes takes the short cuts too.

EDIT: I would also say that controls need to be tight. Too much or too little steering and the car crashes and doesn't turn as you expect and it makes it less fun.
May be worth experimenting with plus analogue joystick to see if better control can be done with that.

[Singaja]

5:30 car jumps over side of track.


3:02 there is a dirt track short cut through the middle.

Reminds me of "Ivan Ironman Stewart's Super Off Road"  pc dos game from 1990 ( I think the arcade version was released in 1989):

Really enjoyed this as a kid in early 90s.

[sigh]

Run the Gauntlet did have many top down racing sections, but they were scrolling(flick screen ) and not single screen racers. Lovely graphics though:)

IMHO the problem with top down racers on CPC (or on any 8bit) was that there weren't much variety on the surroundings
so the gameplay was rather dull and boring due to the system's limits.

On the other hand they were surprisingly enjoyable while playing against an actual human being.

Yes. That is definitely an issue an interesting one in that with 3rd person racers with looping tracks, you can get away with less variety due to it being 3rd person?

The only Thing that I'd like more of , is power ups that can be picked up and   that wear off . Pit features too sort damage and refuel . I would love to see a new game of this type..

Cool powers ups is definitely something is underdeveloped in this genre, though I think that pitstops could slowdown the intensity of the gameplay unless you were going with something that resembles more of an actual simulation like Formula 1.

To work on the cpc, it needs to use overscan and the cars need to be small enough and it needs to be fast. When they are too large it becomes hard to pass, too slow it becomes boring, not much variety also brings boredom.

I think though the best fun was against other people unless the ai sometimes takes the short cuts too.

EDIT: I would also say that controls need to be tight. Too much or too little steering and the car crashes and doesn't turn as you expect and it makes it less fun.
May be worth experimenting with plus analogue joystick to see if better control can be done with that.

True.

I think that maybe the biggest thing missing in this genre is the lack of intensity when racing. Special effects would give a much bitter feeling of speed such as the vehicle turning blurred when receiving a speed boost or sparks when it flies around the corner with sprite actually tipping at angle to convey the aggression on taking that really tight turn. It's a genre where it would truly benefit from flashy effects, with the sound effects and music lending itself to an audio that is hard and fast, whether that be heavy metal, fast techno or aggressive hip hop.

They need that "Burnout 3" type exhilaration:)

Track wise, it's tricky for the single screen top down view, but there could be much more experimentation with ramps that would show the sprite getting closer to the screen as it is airborne, to give a better illusion of a jump. The track could even have a corkscrew loop section, where that part would be slightly transparent so you can see your vehicle, again with the vehicle getting closer to the screen on the highest point of the corkscrew loop.
The tracks need to be large enough and the vehicles small enough to allow that one long stretch of road where the player is just flying at top speed, then hitting that handbrake turn when it hit's a corner. A reward could be given for perfect handbrake turns. Short cuts, patches of water that would spray as the vehicle drives through it, as well as barriers that the vehicle smashes through which would create new shortcuts at the expense of that player slowing down.
Maybe even 2 track on one screen, by having a track underneath that is slightly transparent. It would almost be like having x-ray eyes and looking at an underground car park from above where you would see the different levels.

Also - when the vehicle does crash, it should be in spectacular fashion (not a tiny explosion or the vehicle just getting stuck) and could switch the game into slow motion, enough for everyone to see your absolute disaster as your car goes tumbling down the track or finish line, then go back to normal speed again with the crashed vehicle quickly being replaced.

The environment around the track needs to do something too. Whether it be a stadium of some sorts with crowds, chants and announcers, or in a fantasy space world with stars/planets zooming past the track.

[Puresox]

Pit stops work really well in this format, See the game 'Indy Heat' brilliant arcade game that used Pit stops , adds a level of strategy whether to push for extra laps or take the safe and steady pit stopping. The added fun of knocking the other guy out of his pit box so that his tactics are screwed up .

[dodogildo]

Last V8 was fun though.

[sigh]

Pit stops work really well in this format, See the game 'Indy Heat' brilliant arcade game that used Pit stops , adds a level of strategy whether to push for extra laps or take the safe and steady pit stopping. The added fun of knocking the other guy out of his pit box so that his tactics are screwed up .

Your right - just looking at it on youtube. It's definitely a more strategic simulation type of game than the others mentioned.

Last V8 was fun though.

Yes - but it's not single screen.

[Puresox]

Your right - just looking at it on youtube. It's definitely a more strategic simulation type of game than the others mentioned.

Yes - but it's not single screen.

It's strategic , but it doesn't lose the fast flavour of Sprint type games .

[arnoldorroland]

I loved this! It was a four key effort, accelerate, brake, left and right, but remembering the left and right could be tricky.
Crudely drawn cars, glorified blocks, but they moved fast.

I think that was my problem - I was terrible using the keys! I'll have to give it another go...