Road Rash (3DO)

Genre: Action, Racing / Driving

Perspective: Behind view

Vehicular: Motorcycle, Street Racing

Published by: Electronic Arts

Developed by: Monkey Do Productions, New Level Software

Released: 1994

Platforms: 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, PlayStation (PSX, PS1)

Road Rash. With these two words, we all have too much in common to remain indifferent. It all began on Sega, when in 1991, from the restless depths of the game, the first game of the series, still gaining momentum, was released. And, as they say, she shot. The idea of racing on motorcycles with a concomitant scuffle was fresh and new (in fact, then the usual motosimulators did not have time to nest), besides, we had to ride not on comfortable racing tracks but on the real American tracks. Well, tell me, which one of you did not look for the password codes for the Diablo motorcycle in the book and found, did not you marvel at his power? Again, it was always possible to slam into something in an inaccurate motion, to tear yourself away from your iron horse and fly.

The second part was released in 1992 and actually did not differ much from the first, except for the fact that the increased number of sprite objects. People began to get bored and for the next part it took more time to develop (although most likely, EA were busy with the version for 3DO). Road Rash 3 came out in 1995 and was a delicious sweet for owners of SEGA. In the original game added a bunch of weapons, and more motorcycles and cartoons after each race, etc. etc. . But the speech is now going, a clear stump, not about it. And about our universal favorite - Road Rash on 3DO.

Once I played one of the games of the series on PSone (namely Jailbreak) and then for a long time and methodically spat. For the novelty did not correspond to my nostalgic memories of the masterpiece. And the management is different and the style has disappeared somewhere and in general ... However, a few years later, the culprit of this review fell into my hands, and I realized that this is exactly what I dreamed of all this time. In all earnestness, I declare that 3DO Road Rash is the most correct part of the series. Firstly, it leaves the same control as in the first two parts, except that the first motorcycle that is given to us is not so brisk. Plus, there was an opportunity to make more precise corners with the cipher. Secondly, we focus on the difference in the platform. 32-bit console - this is not Sega Genesis. That the game does not get tired of showing us, but more about this later. And in the third - in her, at the expense of point number two, the spirit of the series, the atmosphere, style and simple primordial frenzy are multiplied many times.

The game simply requires talking about it exclusively in an excellent degree. Electronics Arts managed to break the rusty grille of the harsh 16-bit reality. As a result - RR 3DO smiles at us in all 32 teeth. Excellent graphics, entourage, beautiful landscapes, high speeds, so what I'm saying, take a look at the screenshots! And art? The disc contains a bunch of grotesque portraits of heroes and other pictures made in impeccable tower-like street style. However, while on the road they are dressed in sports suits and helmets, their unique heroes of asphalt lands shine exclusively in the menu. And music ... Music is enchanting, unique. It explodes your mind, carries a drive through the arteries and boosts adrenaline flow in tenfold. I want to scream Yuhukhuuuu, and sweep, to rush forward along the California roads, forgetting about the problems ... but only the trees with machines interfere ...) Perhaps the only mistake of Electronics in the absence of a normal game mode for two, with a split screen. However, there is an opinion that the console would not pull.

We rush along the road on a motorcycle at a speed of about 200 kilometers per hour. To the left and to the right fly trees, houses, people, cars, other racers. Op, to the right there was an enemy biker. And he has a chain! The enemy starts dangerously waving a steel braid with obvious bad intentions, and it is necessary to cool his ardor with a couple of strokes on the face with the subsequent application of the aggressor's chain to himself. We turn on nitrous oxide, accelerate to unimaginable speeds, fly up the hill and fly out of the screen to return in a split second to a gray serpentine, stretching for miles ahead. From the columns breaks thrash metal, from the right flank comes another potential enemy. His foot on the motorcycle and it's all short! The rival crashes into a courtesy house and flies forward without his iron horse. To hell with it! Another charge of N2O accelerates us again and now, having missed the turn of the self-willed road, we are already unidentified flying object dissecting airspace over the American state ...

Have you imagined the gameplay?

But the complexity since the first Sonic. The reason for this is stated on the back cover of the longbox - 600 photorealistic objects, which are found somewhere there on the road. That is, if before all the entourage consisted of a couple of trees, and a cow grazing in a meadow, and having got off the right path it was possible to return safely to it, but now dozens of objects flash around, and road traffic has become not as an example denser, especially on urban Trails, so that you can not yawn. Otherwise, we literally fly far and long. Again, here it is worth mentioning the traffic generation system, because it can give us such wonderful game situations, when on a two-lane road there are 4 cars in front of the intersection and it is almost impossible to go round them. As a result, a funny pile of smells of gasoline and beer of extremists appears before them. In these conditions, roads with urban areas already at the third level become a real test of the reaction and fortitude of the spirit, for the motorbike - he also knows the wayward. Well, for the beauty you have to pay. In addition, we always have the opportunity to explain our troubles to the neighbor by means of a blow to the face. If you manage to catch up with him ... And the opportunity to catch up is foreseen, because in no other racing game for 3DO you will not find such long routes in such quantity. In addition, on the highway from time to time there are forks. However, the divergent path will inevitably unite in the near future, combining the rattling biker prank together.

It is worth, perhaps, to thank the developers for the fact that the vocal compositions play only in the menu, while on the battlefield we are accompanied by hard metal motifs. For I can not imagine how much the roof would be destroyed otherwise. I would have to play with the sound off. And so - almost does not distract attention from the screen. At 640 megabytes of real gaming happiness found a place for 14 tracks of bands playing in a variety of styles, from grunge and pop punk to thrash metal. A couple of tracks from there lit up in last year's Burnout Paradise, including the title theme of the game - "Rusty Cage" performed by Soundgarden, which speaks only of the undying ability of these songs to carve a spark from our souls and kindle a flame to it. It's easy to see for yourself. In addition to music, on the disc you can find a couple of full-fledged music videos. Just leave the joystick for a couple of minutes without attention, and the hairy guys in the video will shake their head of hair, and professional stuntmen will begin to show the wonders of mototruckling and just skate at a furious speed.

Videos are hiding everywhere. Before the start of the race we are shown how the bikers are preparing for the race. Depending on the outcome of the race, the TV screen broadcasts either bourgeois policemen with dogs tearing our (sorry) ass, or competitors kicking us with their feet on the helmet, or, in the best case, we are shown a terribly stained girl, with a direct hint of something , that this is our main prize. However, the picture flashes and better prizes - money and (for some reason) a cup. And what can you do? Year 1994 - such cases, you need a monstrous amount of video, otherwise no it is not a non-gene. Although, all movies are shot soundly and fairly naturalistic, except that the color renders lame. So there's really nothing to complain about. And do not complain. After all, what can be more pleasant than to sweep along the coast, pushing right and left rivals, listen to quality music and tease the ubiquitous police? This game is created solely for fun. Because it brings it in its purest form. Without impurities.

Control keys

Before the start of the competition, use the arrow buttons to view the motorcycles, use A, B or C to select. Press L and R to set volume.

On the road:

• ⇦, ⇨ - sharp slopes;
• A - to brake;
• В - accelerate;
• B, B (fast) nitro boost;
• C - attack (blow by hand);
• ⇧ + C - kick from behind;
• ⇓ + C - kick;
• L / R - smooth slopes.

In the Der Punzer Klub:

• Schmooze - another biker;
• Bulletin Board - selection of the next race.

Rest room - setting options:

• Game mode - Trash (arcade training) or Big (big race).
• Player mode - competition with the clock or with rivals.
• Player level - the choice of one of five levels of complexity in the Trash-mode,
• Engine sounds Race Music - on/off technical noise and music.
• Jukebox - music player;
• The Street - walk along the street;
• Olley's Skoot-A-Rama - the choice of a motorcycle (rat, sport, super).

Tips

• The easier the motorcycle you choose, the easier it will be for them to drive on the street.
• Try not to travel to unpaved roads.
• On prize money, buy your motorcycles and weapons more powerful.
• In fights with brothers, rockers, use both hands and feet, and chains with a club ... Try to drive your opponent to the lane that the truck is rushing towards: you will like it.
• Try not to run into puddles of oil, as well as water.
• To get to the next level, you need to come in the top three.
• Businessmen. On the third or higher level, on the track "The Peninsula", race to the mark of 6.6 on the speedometer - and you will see two businessmen with faces of clowns crossing the road. Try to hit or at low speed to move one of them.
• Off-road. On the track "Napa Valley" at the first fork (at the mark of 1.9 miles) turn right - and you will roll down the country road.
• Walking without motorcycle.Reset the speed-to zero. Press L + R + ⇧ and do not let your rider jump off the motorcycle and will wander around the neighborhood on foot.