Stunt Car Racer
Encyclopedia
Stunt Car Racer is a racing
video game developed
by Geoff Crammond
and was published
by MicroStyle
in 1989
. In the US it was published by MicroPlay
.
, with nothing to stop the player from accidentally driving off the side. Most race tracks in the game have gaps in them which will cause serious problems to the driver if he or she fails to clear them. If this occurs then the player's vehicle is hoisted back onto the track (by a nearby crane
) which costs valuable time. Turbo can be used to make a car go faster, but it can only be used for a limited amount of time in each race.
The game received positive reviews when it was published. The game's 3D tracks resembled a roller coaster
and were something new for players. Stunt Car Racer is often described as an especially fun racing game due to its special kind of track design.
The single-player game consists of a league table
which is split into four divisions of three drivers each, making a total of twelve racers including the human player. There are two racing tracks in each division making it a total of eight tracks in the game. The tracks in division four (the first division) are easy, but the tracks get progressively more difficult and dangerous with each division. The player's objective is to reach, and subsequently win, division one. There are four races in a season, and each driver will race the other two drivers in both of the tracks in the division. Each race is run over three laps. Two points are awarded to the winner of each race and one point is awarded to the racer with the fastest lap time. At the end of each season, the top racer of each division is promoted to the next higher division while the driver in last place will be relegated.
Damage to the player's car occurs when the player lands too hard on the track after driving over a crest too fast, crashes into a wall, falls into a gap in the track, or hits the opponent's car. If the damage, which is indicated by a crack in the frame at the top of the screen, reaches a certain level the vehicle is deemed to be wrecked and the driver will lose the race instantly. A particularly hard crash will also make holes representing structural damage appear in the frame above the windshield
. Holes remain on the car for the rest of the season and increase the rate at which the crack in the frame advances.
The player can compete against computer opponents or, at least on the Atari ST and Amiga versions, with another player using two computers connected via a null modem cable, each with their own TV or monitor .
Amiga and Atari ST versions of the game feature the most advanced graphics (in 1989 PC computers were still using low-resolution EGA
graphic modes). The game has often reached top-20 in "the best Amiga/Atari ST game" votings.
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
video game developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Geoff Crammond
Geoff Crammond
Geoff Crammond is a computer game designer and programmer who specialises in motor racing games. A former defense industry systems engineer, he claims to have had little interest in motor racing before programming his first racing game back in 1984, but he holds a physics degree, which may explain...
and was published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by MicroStyle
MicroProse
MicroProse was a video game publisher and developer, founded by Wild Bill Stealey and Sid Meier in 1982 as Microprose Software. In 1993, the company became a subsidiary of Spectrum HoloByte and has remained a subsidiary or brand name under several other corporations since...
in 1989
1989 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* October 3, Brøderbund releases the Prince of Persia game, the first in a series of games, noted for its advancements in animation....
. In the US it was published by MicroPlay
MicroProse
MicroProse was a video game publisher and developer, founded by Wild Bill Stealey and Sid Meier in 1982 as Microprose Software. In 1993, the company became a subsidiary of Spectrum HoloByte and has remained a subsidiary or brand name under several other corporations since...
.
Gameplay
The game differs from other racing games in that the races take place on an elevated race trackRace track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
, with nothing to stop the player from accidentally driving off the side. Most race tracks in the game have gaps in them which will cause serious problems to the driver if he or she fails to clear them. If this occurs then the player's vehicle is hoisted back onto the track (by a nearby crane
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
) which costs valuable time. Turbo can be used to make a car go faster, but it can only be used for a limited amount of time in each race.
The game received positive reviews when it was published. The game's 3D tracks resembled a roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
and were something new for players. Stunt Car Racer is often described as an especially fun racing game due to its special kind of track design.
The single-player game consists of a league table
League table
A league table, standings, ranking chart, or ladder is a chart or list which compares sports teams, institutions, nations or companies by ranking them in order of ability or achievement. A league table may list several related statistics, but they are generally sorted by the primary one that...
which is split into four divisions of three drivers each, making a total of twelve racers including the human player. There are two racing tracks in each division making it a total of eight tracks in the game. The tracks in division four (the first division) are easy, but the tracks get progressively more difficult and dangerous with each division. The player's objective is to reach, and subsequently win, division one. There are four races in a season, and each driver will race the other two drivers in both of the tracks in the division. Each race is run over three laps. Two points are awarded to the winner of each race and one point is awarded to the racer with the fastest lap time. At the end of each season, the top racer of each division is promoted to the next higher division while the driver in last place will be relegated.
Damage to the player's car occurs when the player lands too hard on the track after driving over a crest too fast, crashes into a wall, falls into a gap in the track, or hits the opponent's car. If the damage, which is indicated by a crack in the frame at the top of the screen, reaches a certain level the vehicle is deemed to be wrecked and the driver will lose the race instantly. A particularly hard crash will also make holes representing structural damage appear in the frame above the windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
. Holes remain on the car for the rest of the season and increase the rate at which the crack in the frame advances.
The player can compete against computer opponents or, at least on the Atari ST and Amiga versions, with another player using two computers connected via a null modem cable, each with their own TV or monitor .
Amiga and Atari ST versions of the game feature the most advanced graphics (in 1989 PC computers were still using low-resolution EGA
Enhanced Graphics Adapter
The Enhanced Graphics Adapter is the IBM PC computer display standard specification which is between CGA and VGA in terms of color and space resolution. Introduced in October 1984 by IBM shortly after its new PC/AT, EGA produces a display of 16 simultaneous colors from a palette of 64 at a...
graphic modes). The game has often reached top-20 in "the best Amiga/Atari ST game" votings.
Screenshots
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Trivia
- The ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC ports of Stunt Car Racer were programmed by Pete CookePete CookePete Cooke is a famous British computer games programmer, best known for his work published in the 1980s for the 8-bit home computers, especially the ZX Spectrum....
, already well-known for his many 3D games on those platforms. - The Commodore 64 version was later modified for use without a keyboard. This version was in the Power Play cartridge together with Rick DangerousRick DangerousRick Dangerous is a series of two platform games released by Core Design in the 1980s.- Rick Dangerous :...
and Microprose SoccerMicroprose SoccerMicroprose Soccer is a soccer videogame published by Microprose in 1988. The original Commodore 64 version was developed by Sensible Software, with conversions carried out to other formats. It is the fore-runner of the 16-bit classic Sensible Soccer...
, released for the C64 Games SystemCommodore 64 Games SystemThe Commodore 64 Games System was the cartridge-based game console version of the popular Commodore 64 home computer. It was released by Commodore in December 1990 as a competitor in the booming console market...
. - Computer controlled cars never fell off the track, even if rammed by the player. However the player could be knocked off the track by computer controlled cars.
- A long-awaited sequel, Stunt Car Racer Pro, was announced in April, 2003. It never came to fruition.
- Two enhanced versions of Stunt Car Racer for the Commodore Amiga were also produced by hackers. One version was called Stunt Car Racer - TNT (The New Tracks) by AmiGer where new tracks were able to be played, and an earlier version called Stunt Car Racer - Turbo by Galahad of Fairlight which significantly speeded up the framerate on AGA Amigas, and had a built in PAL/NTSC screen mode switcher that smoothed the framerate out yet more still.
See also
- Stunt IslandStunt IslandStunt Island is a video game designed by Adrian Stephens and Ronald J. Fortier and was published by Disney Interactive in 1992. The game, marketed as "The Stunt Flying and Filming Simulation", provides an island which contains a number of different sets, such as a city, an oil rig, a canyon, and an...
- StuntsStunts (video game)Stunts is an early 3D racing video game developed by Distinctive Software, Inc.. The game places emphasis on racing on stunt tracks and features a track editor, it is clearly influenced by the earlier arcade game Hard Drivin' and has many similar elements to the game Stunt Driver which was...
- Stunt DriverStunt DriverStunt Driver is a racing game released in 1990. It allowed the user to create a racetrack from components such as draw-bridges, banked curves, oil slicks, water hazards, and loops, then race on them alone, against computer-controlled opponents, or against another user via a modem or null-modem...
- Hard Drivin'Hard Drivin'Hard Drivin is an arcade game that invites players to test drive a high-powered sports car on stunt and speed courses. The game featured the first 3D polygon driving environment via a simulator cabinet, rendered with a custom architecture...
- Ultimate Stunts
- TrackManiaTrackManiaTrackMania is a series of racing games for the Windows PC, Nintendo DS and Wii platforms, originally developed by the French team Nadéo for the PC...
- CrashdayCrashdayCrashday is a destruction derby/racing/car stunts game co-developed by Replay Studios, Moonbyte Games and published by Atari. It was released in February 2006.Version 1.2 - -Gameplay:The game combines various styles of preceding racing games...
- Excite TruckExcite Truckis a video game published by Nintendo and developed by Monster Games for the Wii video game system. It features malleable environments and tilt-based controls. The game was one of the Wii launch titles in North America. It is a spiritual successor to the Excitebike series...
- MotorstormMotorStormMotorStorm is a 2006 racing video game developed by Evolution Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the Sony PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. First announced at E3 2005, the game was released in Japan on 14 December 2006 and the rest of the world in March 2007....
External links
- Stunt Car Racer at AmigaMemo.com - AmigaMuseum
- Stunt Car Racer review from Your Sinclair.