Mach Rider
Encyclopedia
is a futuristic
driving video game created by Nintendo
. It was first released on October 18, 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System
, as one of the 18 initial launch games
. A month later, on November 21, the title was released in Japan. On March 15, 1987 it was released in Europe
and Australia
. In July 2007 a modified version was released on the Wii
's Virtual Console
, which allowed designed tracks to be saved.
has been invaded by evil forces known as Quadrunners. The player controls Mach Rider, who travels from sector to sector on a motorcycle, searching for survivors and destroying the enemies in his path.
The game's controls are somewhat more complex than other games at its time. The left and right directions on the Control Pad steer Mach Rider and the A button accelerates. The B button fires Mach Rider's machine gun which can be used to destroy enemies and obstacles on the road. The up and down buttons are used to change gears. Mach Rider's bike has four gears and travels at an immense speed in top gear.
In each round, points can be scored by destroying enemies and certain obstacles with the machine gun. The number of points scored for destroying enemies and obstacles are determined by the power of the enemy destroyed and the type of obstacle destroyed. If the player "BLOCKS" an enemy by knocking it into a hazard on the track, they obtain more points, and this also replenishes Mach Rider's bullets.
Fighting Course: The Fighting Course consists of the primary story sequence. The player controls Mach Rider as he travels across ten different sectors, and tries to avoid being destroyed by obstacles such as Oil Drums and his enemies, the Quadrunners. If he is destroyed, he will separate into fragments and then reform, as long as he has energy remaining. Much like other games of the time, such as Ice Climber
and Balloon Fight
, there is no ending sequence. Once the tenth sector is completed, the story starts anew, with a second quest of ten entirely new sectors. On each sector in Fighting mode, the player is given the choice to ride to the next sector on either Track A or Track B. The two tracks are different from one another and with each new sector there are new tracks.
Endurance Course: The player must race a certain number of kilometres within a time limit while enemies and obstacles get in the way and slow down the progress. Lives and energy are not a factor in Endurance, but being destroyed causes a loss of precious time.
Solo Course: This is the same as Endurance Course, but with no enemies.
Design Mode: This is where the player may design their own sector and then race on it using one any of the three other modes of play. However, like Excitebike
, the original game required the Famicom Data Recorder
in order to save the tracks, and the device was never released outside Japan. The 2007 Virtual Console
version of the game allows the user to save the tracks onto the Wii's built-in memory.
toy also by Nintendo that came with a ramp
for jumping and a stick shift
-like object with three different kinds of meters on it. When the car is placed inside of it, it can be charged up and let loose at high speed.
Later, Mach Rider was released as part of the Nintendo Vs. Series
arcade variations. It was essentially a modified version of the Endurance Course from the original game. It included a brief scene that for the first time revealed clearly what Mach Rider looked like, however, unlike Samus
from Nintendo's Metroid
series, Mach Rider has not been known to remove his helmet.
While Mach Rider has not gained a true sequel, many elements from the game, such as the futuristic setting, incredible high speeds and aggressive racing have also been used in Nintendo's premiere racing series F-Zero
, making it a sort of spiritual sequel
to Mach Rider. Even the character Mach Rider himself bears some similarity to the hero of the F-Zero series, Captain Falcon
.
In the Super Smash Bros. series there were some Mach Rider references. Starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee
, Nintendo's crossover
fighting game
has a remix medley of the Mach Rider soundtrack, including the title screen music, track selection music, stage music and game over jingle. This music is used on the F-Zero themed stage called Big Blue, further reinforcing the connection between the two series. There is a Trophy of Mach Rider that can be earned, which shows Mach Rider in great detail on his motorcycle.
The Trophy entry, which gives additional information about the plot of the game reads:
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
, the Mach Rider became one of the game's many Stickers, while the remix medley from Super Smash Bros. Melee returned, only this time to the F-Zero-themed stage, "Port Town: Aero Dive", rather than Big Blue.
In WarioWare: Twisted!
, one of the many microgames is based on Mach Rider.
Future
The future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist is temporary and will come...
driving video game created by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. It was first released on October 18, 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, as one of the 18 initial launch games
Launch title
A launch game, or launch title, is a video game released to consumers synchronously with the release of its respective video game console, meaning they are the only available games at the time of the console's launch. Several of these games are also packaged with the console...
. A month later, on November 21, the title was released in Japan. On March 15, 1987 it was released in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In July 2007 a modified version was released on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
, which allowed designed tracks to be saved.
Story and game modes
Mach Rider takes place in the year 2112, and planet EarthEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
has been invaded by evil forces known as Quadrunners. The player controls Mach Rider, who travels from sector to sector on a motorcycle, searching for survivors and destroying the enemies in his path.
The game's controls are somewhat more complex than other games at its time. The left and right directions on the Control Pad steer Mach Rider and the A button accelerates. The B button fires Mach Rider's machine gun which can be used to destroy enemies and obstacles on the road. The up and down buttons are used to change gears. Mach Rider's bike has four gears and travels at an immense speed in top gear.
In each round, points can be scored by destroying enemies and certain obstacles with the machine gun. The number of points scored for destroying enemies and obstacles are determined by the power of the enemy destroyed and the type of obstacle destroyed. If the player "BLOCKS" an enemy by knocking it into a hazard on the track, they obtain more points, and this also replenishes Mach Rider's bullets.
Fighting Course: The Fighting Course consists of the primary story sequence. The player controls Mach Rider as he travels across ten different sectors, and tries to avoid being destroyed by obstacles such as Oil Drums and his enemies, the Quadrunners. If he is destroyed, he will separate into fragments and then reform, as long as he has energy remaining. Much like other games of the time, such as Ice Climber
Ice Climber
is a vertical platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for release on the Nintendo Famicom in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985...
and Balloon Fight
Balloon Fight
is a 1984 video game developed by Nintendo. The arcade version was released in 1984 and the Nintendo Entertainment System version was released in 1986. The gameplay is similar to the arcade game Joust by Williams Electronics.-Gameplay:...
, there is no ending sequence. Once the tenth sector is completed, the story starts anew, with a second quest of ten entirely new sectors. On each sector in Fighting mode, the player is given the choice to ride to the next sector on either Track A or Track B. The two tracks are different from one another and with each new sector there are new tracks.
Endurance Course: The player must race a certain number of kilometres within a time limit while enemies and obstacles get in the way and slow down the progress. Lives and energy are not a factor in Endurance, but being destroyed causes a loss of precious time.
Solo Course: This is the same as Endurance Course, but with no enemies.
Design Mode: This is where the player may design their own sector and then race on it using one any of the three other modes of play. However, like Excitebike
Excitebike
is a motocross racing video game franchise made by Nintendo. It first debuted as a game for the Famicom in Japan in 1984 and as a launch title for the NES in 1985. It is the first game of the Excite series, succeeded by its direct sequel Excitebike 64, its spiritual successors Excite Truck and...
, the original game required the Famicom Data Recorder
Famicom Data Recorder
Famicom Data Recorder HVC-008 is a compact cassette data interface for the Family Computer.-History:Manufactured by Matsushita/Panasonic for Nintendo, the Drive was released in 1984 only in Japan as an addition to the Family BASIC Keyboard to save data from BASIC programs created by users...
in order to save the tracks, and the device was never released outside Japan. The 2007 Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
version of the game allows the user to save the tracks onto the Wii's built-in memory.
Legacy
Back in 1972, Mach Rider was originally released as a plastic race car or hot rodHot rod
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...
toy also by Nintendo that came with a ramp
Inclined plane
The inclined plane is one of the original six simple machines; as the name suggests, it is a flat surface whose endpoints are at different heights. By moving an object up an inclined plane rather than completely vertical, the amount of force required is reduced, at the expense of increasing the...
for jumping and a stick shift
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
-like object with three different kinds of meters on it. When the car is placed inside of it, it can be charged up and let loose at high speed.
Later, Mach Rider was released as part of the Nintendo Vs. Series
Nintendo Vs. Series
The Nintendo Vs. System is a coin-operated video game platform designed for two-player competitive play using the VS. UniSystem or VS. DualSystem, arcade system boards based on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Many of these stand-up or sit-down arcade machines had two screens and controls joined...
arcade variations. It was essentially a modified version of the Endurance Course from the original game. It included a brief scene that for the first time revealed clearly what Mach Rider looked like, however, unlike Samus
Samus
Samus Aran is the protagonist of Nintendo's Metroid video game series.Samus may also refer to:*Samus, female variant of the Celtic first name Séamus*Samus, the Latin name of the Someş River...
from Nintendo's Metroid
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
series, Mach Rider has not been known to remove his helmet.
While Mach Rider has not gained a true sequel, many elements from the game, such as the futuristic setting, incredible high speeds and aggressive racing have also been used in Nintendo's premiere racing series F-Zero
F-Zero
is a futuristic racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . The game was released in Japan on November 21, 1990, in North America on August 23, 1991, and in Europe on June 4, 1992...
, making it a sort of spiritual sequel
Spiritual sequel
A spiritual successor, sometimes called a spiritual sequel or a companion piece, is a successor to a work of fiction which does not directly build upon the storyline established by a previous work as do most traditional prequels or sequels, but nevertheless features many of the same elements,...
to Mach Rider. Even the character Mach Rider himself bears some similarity to the hero of the F-Zero series, Captain Falcon
Captain Falcon
Douglas Jay Falcon, better known by his alias, , is a playable character in the racing video game series F-Zero. He first appeared in F-Zero, and has been called the poster boy of the F-Zero franchise. Nintendo first envisioned Captain Falcon as a flagship character to represent the release of a...
.
In the Super Smash Bros. series there were some Mach Rider references. Starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
, Nintendo's crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
has a remix medley of the Mach Rider soundtrack, including the title screen music, track selection music, stage music and game over jingle. This music is used on the F-Zero themed stage called Big Blue, further reinforcing the connection between the two series. There is a Trophy of Mach Rider that can be earned, which shows Mach Rider in great detail on his motorcycle.
The Trophy entry, which gives additional information about the plot of the game reads:
- After the destruction of his home town, Mach Rider jumped onto his machine-gun-equipped combat motorcycle and set off in search of a new home, destroying all the Quadrunners who got in his way. His motorcycle had four gears and endless ammunition. When hit, Mach Rider would break into fragments and then rejoin together.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
, the Mach Rider became one of the game's many Stickers, while the remix medley from Super Smash Bros. Melee returned, only this time to the F-Zero-themed stage, "Port Town: Aero Dive", rather than Big Blue.
In WarioWare: Twisted!
WarioWare: Twisted!
WarioWare: Twisted!, known in Japan as is a video game for Game Boy Advance by Nintendo. The game is of a variety and puzzle genre. It was released on October 14, 2004 in Japan, May 23, 2005 in North America, and May 19, 2005 in Australia. It was not released in Europe, despite having been...
, one of the many microgames is based on Mach Rider.
External links
- Mach Rider at NinDB