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DOUBLE CLUTCH (SMD)
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Publisher: SEGA.
Developer: BGS Development. Released: June 1993. Genre: Racing. Posted 17th November 2019. By Tom Clare © 2019 |
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Assuredly competent. Consistently solid. Reliably adequate. Granted, these probably aren’t characteristics you’d necessarily splash across a game’s cover. Not if you were hoping to entice racing fans, at any rate. Nevertheless, these terms accurately summarised what was in store for players who bought BGS Development’s top-down racer Double Clutch, which landed on the Mega Drive in 1993.
Accolades may have been a little warmer, had Double Clutch emerged just a couple of years earlier. The breakneck rate at which software was evolving in the early nineties meant that stand still was akin to move backwards, and very quickly at that. Double Clutch would have provided sturdy competition to home computer big-hitters such as Super Off-Road and Atari’s Sprint series, had it have been released alongside them. But the intervening period had seen a considerable shifting of the goal posts. Gremlin had delivered thrilling speeds and exciting multiplayer in their action-packed Top Gear and Lotus Turbo Challenge efforts, whilst Codemasters’ Micro Machines had given the top-down racer a much-needed shot in the arm, all bright colours and attitude. Double Clutch’s rather more sedate approach couldn’t help but seem reserved, and even old-fashioned, by comparison.
Double Clutch offers good, close competition, even if it isn't the most thrilling of racers
Old-fashioned it might have been, but it would be unfair not to note that Double Clutch got a lot of the basics down to a tee, offering a respectable chunk of competitive racing. It isn’t a racer that’s going to get pulses racing; cars (at least initially) travel at a leisurely pace, appearing more like hatchbacks than racing cars. That said, this does allow for some enjoyable tussles with CPU opponents. They drive in metronomic fashion, though more devious players will note that you can push opponents into the trackside scenery, causing a crash that will remove them from the race. Courses feature a great many twists ‘n’ turns, and with circuits not limited to a static screen, they’re all a fairly decent length.
The handling is acceptable, if not quite as sprightly as some of its contemporaries. Tracks are very narrow in parts and clipping the edges, even slightly, results in a big loss of speed and, oddly, puts a temporary halt to the game’s scrolling, until you’ve rejoined the asphalt. The biggest concern comes from trying to predict the track layouts ahead of time, as a result of the close viewpoint. Waiting for a corner to arrive in-shot will, at best, see you running wide and losing time, and at worst, result in an unwanted meeting with the scenery. Fortunately, there’s a big, clear map outlining each route as well as the relative positions of all the competitors, and with liberal usage of mirror and reverse course variants, it’s not as big of a hurdle as you might fear.
The handling is acceptable, if not quite as sprightly as some of its contemporaries. Tracks are very narrow in parts and clipping the edges, even slightly, results in a big loss of speed and, oddly, puts a temporary halt to the game’s scrolling, until you’ve rejoined the asphalt. The biggest concern comes from trying to predict the track layouts ahead of time, as a result of the close viewpoint. Waiting for a corner to arrive in-shot will, at best, see you running wide and losing time, and at worst, result in an unwanted meeting with the scenery. Fortunately, there’s a big, clear map outlining each route as well as the relative positions of all the competitors, and with liberal usage of mirror and reverse course variants, it’s not as big of a hurdle as you might fear.
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On reflection, perhaps Double Clutch’s biggest issue is that it undersells itself. It does everything quite well, but no elements of the experience ever help it stand out. In keeping with the general tone, visual design is functional and effective, but drab. Scenery is sparse, and though the circuit layouts become more elaborate, their appearance never really develops. Each competitor sports the same rather uninspired, boxy-looking car, with the player’s racy-red colour scheme distinguishing it from the CPU opponents, who’re all lumbered with a depressing grey livery. Weather mixes things up a little; the rain effect is a bit rubbish, but the developers committed a little more to the snow aesthetic, which is lovely.
One area Double Clutch really managed to get things right was its two-player. Rather than opting for the staccato, stop-start nature of Micro Machines’ multiplayer battles, players who drop too far behind will instead spawn directly behind the lead player, albeit having incurred a small time penalty, which can make a difference at the end. This allows the racing to flow, and goes a significant way towards preventing unfair results. A full field of competitors and smooth, close racing makes for a surprisingly successful, engaging setup.
One area Double Clutch really managed to get things right was its two-player. Rather than opting for the staccato, stop-start nature of Micro Machines’ multiplayer battles, players who drop too far behind will instead spawn directly behind the lead player, albeit having incurred a small time penalty, which can make a difference at the end. This allows the racing to flow, and goes a significant way towards preventing unfair results. A full field of competitors and smooth, close racing makes for a surprisingly successful, engaging setup.
Progression yields new hazards and new weather effects, often played out on the same layouts
The music is noisy, busy-sounding. The BGMs are quite catchy, but it’s debatable whether the rather clunky, tinny compositions really suit the racing. There’s little to say about the sound effects, save that they are limit and of a rather crummy standard. Three difficulty levels give the game a bit of legs and also a nice safety net for new players, who can use the relatively-forgiving easy setting to get a feel for the cars and track layouts.
Double Clutch’s two-player is its highlight and main source of long-term appeal, as racing a friend is more madcap and fun than tackling it on your own. Conservative presentation and a bland appearance make it appear dated for a Mega Drive game of its period, as does a paucity of modes and options. Micro Machines needn’t have lost any sleep, but provided you got someone to play it with, you could do a lot worse.
Double Clutch’s two-player is its highlight and main source of long-term appeal, as racing a friend is more madcap and fun than tackling it on your own. Conservative presentation and a bland appearance make it appear dated for a Mega Drive game of its period, as does a paucity of modes and options. Micro Machines needn’t have lost any sleep, but provided you got someone to play it with, you could do a lot worse.
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VERDICT
"Bland presentation and a paucity of options date Double Clutch, but provided you've someone to play it with, you could do a lot worse." OVERALL: 6/10 |