GP Rider is an arcade game

Arcade game

An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...

 developed and manufactured by Sega

Sega

, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...

 released in 1990. It was ported to the Sega Master System

Sega Master System

The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....

 and Game Gear in 1992.

Game description

GP Rider is a simple, arcade motorbike game for the Master System. While the game does have its weaknesses, it is known to give an overall enjoyable high speed experience. The games most interesting aspect is that it is played permanently in a split screen, regardless of if one or two players are playing. If only one player is racing then the second player is replaced by a computer opponent called "Wayne." Unique for a 8-bit

8-bit

The first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...

 game is that "Wayne" plays like a human player. He has good races and bad races. He passes riders and he has crashes. This is years ahead of its time considering other racing games of the era where the main opponent is programmed to always finish in the same position (see Super Monaco GP 2 as an example). Critics of the game however point out the high degree of pop up that the permanent split screen produces.