ROAD RASH (SMD)
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Publisher: EA.
Developer: EA; Papyrus Design Group. Released: 1991. Genre: Combat Racing. Other versions: SMS; GG; PC; AMI; GB. Posted 15th October 2014. By Tom Clare © 2014 |
As the nineties rolled around, many console racing games had settled into an uncomfortable mimicry of superior coin-ops. With games costing £40 a pop, there was a burgeoning need to offer a meatier experience, and something that played to a home console’s strengths. Road Rash, with its white-knuckled mix of illicit street racing and survival-of-the-toughest combat, was thus an alluring proposition. Electronic Arts’ rebellious racer grabbed the genre by the scruff of the neck, and proved itself to be one of the most enduring motorbike titles of its era.
RR adopts a very different tack to its contemporaries. Its Californian courses, with their rolling hills and interstates, are purpose-built to accentuate the game’s strengths. Routes feature fairly gentle corners and pleasantly nippy handling, allowing the game to retain a breakneck pace. Unusually, the real heart-in-the-mouth moments derive from the impressive gradient shifts, as a helter-skelter of undulations, blind crests and monster jumps mean the player is always straining to see what’s up the road. Oncoming traffic, wandering wildlife, skid patches and some hair-raising junctions make for a potent mix of hazards, and some highly exciting racing.
The wind-breaking contest was getting out of hand
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There may be little scenery, but you should keep your eyes on the road
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Road Rash’s races take place on extensive stretches of road, ranging between five and fifteen miles, and there are no timed checkpoints to worry about, as your sole focus is to beat as many of your fifteen competitors to the chequered flag as possible. The higher your position, the more prize money you’ll be met with, and it’s here we discover how Road Rash is built to last. There are five progressively harder, faster and more hazardous tiers of five races to work your way through, with a password system to aid matters. Achieving good results is one thing, but jumping ahead too quickly can land yourself in hot water, as you’ll need to purchase stronger machinery in order to compete in the toughest races. Luckily, there’s a bike shop that allows you to do just that, though you must take care not get busted by the police, as you’ll face an instant end to your race, and a hefty fine for good measure.
Most refreshing about Road Rash however is its combat. Few racers of the time delved into much beyond rudimentary collision detection, but RR broke the mould with a supremely-balanced risk ‘n’ reward fighting system that is top-notch. Using a variety of directions combined with a tap of the ‘C’ button, your rider can punch or kick out at competitors. Sometimes this means stunning them, whilst a well-timed strike will result in the unparalleled satisfaction of seeing them sail clean off their bike. With guts and cute timing, you can even snatch a club from a small handful of the more vicious Rashers. There’s nothing more satisfying than pilfering Biff’s club and then bopping him on the head. The disappearance of his smug grin is a satisfaction that’s left to the imagination, of course.
The A.I. is excellent too. They ride with varying degrees of aggression and can dish out the punches quite ably themselves, but they feel smarter and less mechanical than in many of its competitors, as just like the player, they need to make adjustments based on emerging hazards, and as the odd spectacular multi-bike pile up attests, are no more impervious to the environment than you are. There are some really cool instances of individual behavioural patterns; Ikira makes for an ideal ally as he’ll never attack you, whilst Natasha, who lends you helpful hints throughout the game, rides non-aggressively except if you try to take her down. Do so, and you’ll be met with an angry comment prior to the next race, where she’ll go after you. You have been warned!
Most refreshing about Road Rash however is its combat. Few racers of the time delved into much beyond rudimentary collision detection, but RR broke the mould with a supremely-balanced risk ‘n’ reward fighting system that is top-notch. Using a variety of directions combined with a tap of the ‘C’ button, your rider can punch or kick out at competitors. Sometimes this means stunning them, whilst a well-timed strike will result in the unparalleled satisfaction of seeing them sail clean off their bike. With guts and cute timing, you can even snatch a club from a small handful of the more vicious Rashers. There’s nothing more satisfying than pilfering Biff’s club and then bopping him on the head. The disappearance of his smug grin is a satisfaction that’s left to the imagination, of course.
The A.I. is excellent too. They ride with varying degrees of aggression and can dish out the punches quite ably themselves, but they feel smarter and less mechanical than in many of its competitors, as just like the player, they need to make adjustments based on emerging hazards, and as the odd spectacular multi-bike pile up attests, are no more impervious to the environment than you are. There are some really cool instances of individual behavioural patterns; Ikira makes for an ideal ally as he’ll never attack you, whilst Natasha, who lends you helpful hints throughout the game, rides non-aggressively except if you try to take her down. Do so, and you’ll be met with an angry comment prior to the next race, where she’ll go after you. You have been warned!
Mmmm... Envy.
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Cars + Crests = Carnage
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A smooth, super-fast 3D update ensures Road Rash looks easy on the eye. Large, detailed sprites are really well-animated, though it’s perhaps a little disappointing that all the riders look identical. The velocity and general on-screen activity just about makes up for some rather sparse-looking courses, which probably go a little easy on the scenery due to their unusually lengthy nature. Still, the menus look decent and the music, composed by Michael Bartlow and industry stalwart Rob Hubbard, is absolutely awesome. From the title screen onwards, the game is characterised by raucous anthems replete with pulsating tempos and crashing drum beats, lending a healthy dose of anarchy to the proceedings.
A split-screen two-player option would have been welcome, as the slightly forgettable method of alternating goes inevitably lacks excitement. The solo player will discover a great and rewarding challenge however, as even if things end on a slightly abrupt note, the journey reaching the fifth tier will ensure plenty of thrills and spills and decent longevity too. The original Road Rash proved an adrenalin-soaked joyride, skilfully crafting a fun racing game and enhancing it with a well-conceived combat element. And it’s still bags of fun to this day.
A split-screen two-player option would have been welcome, as the slightly forgettable method of alternating goes inevitably lacks excitement. The solo player will discover a great and rewarding challenge however, as even if things end on a slightly abrupt note, the journey reaching the fifth tier will ensure plenty of thrills and spills and decent longevity too. The original Road Rash proved an adrenalin-soaked joyride, skilfully crafting a fun racing game and enhancing it with a well-conceived combat element. And it’s still bags of fun to this day.
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