Moto Racer
Moto Racerby Electronic Arts
Platform: PlayStation
ESRB Rating: Everyone
ASIN: B000038ABB
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GameSpot Review: When I was in high school, a friend of mine came into possession of a brand-new speed bike. We were all shocked when he sold the thing five months after having bought it. "Too fast," he claimed, describing some near-miss situations he'd experienced on the San Diego freeway. After playing Moto Racer, my friend's reasoning has become a bit clearer. Not that Electronic Arts' latest racing title is toofast. But the gut-turning velocities achieved during parts of the game - and the requirement that your reflexes one-up this pace - is definitely where the challenge lies in Moto Racer. Essentially two racing games in one, Moto Racer features both dirt and street bikes, with tracks that suit each bike's respective racing style. Dirt bikes can race in a classic motocross arena, complete with a crowd that roars each time you successfully clear a mogul or dirt ramp. Later, you'll travel to more outrageous environments, skidding out among your competitors in a jungle setting, and finally, performing handstands and triumphant leg kicks midair while negotiating the curves over the Great Wall of China. Street bikes settle for simpler tracks with more straightaways, frequently nearing the 200mph mark on their peaceful, idyllic highways. The running theme in Moto Racer is speed, and the graphics are no exception. The models are so efficiently drawn that even with several opponents tearing up the road at once almost no slowdown is experienced onscreen. Drivers and bikes are all realistically animated and always quick to respond to the motion of your controller. Creating the illusion of track friction - the illusion that what you're controlling actually appears to be riding on a surface - is key to creating a believable racing experience. The developers at Delphine have definitely taken this into consideration here. In-game controls consist of your basic direction, accelerate, and brake buttons. A special turbo button is reserved to accelerate over jumps and pass other bikes. Subtle combinations of these buttons need to be mastered in order to race efficiently on each track. You will soon find out that the turbo button needs to be used sparingly, and that braking is essential at certain curves, lest your driver will be sent sliding down the pavement like a helpless rag doll. Sure, any racing game has the tendency to grow old eventually. But Moto Racer gets extra replay points for including a multiplayer option and a thumbs-up for being a racing title worth checking out.--Tim Soete
Customer Reviews:
Arcade Motorcycle Racing at It's Best, November 21, 2002
Reviewer: jedisamurai from Seaside, CA United States
Five Stars? For this game? Yes. And I'll tell you why. Back in day, when Moto Racer first came out for the PC, Ultra Game Players said in their review that it could be the last racing game ever made and they would be happy. Seeing as how the playstation version and the PC version are virtually identical (save for slightly more jagged graphics on the playstation and a bug or two on the pc), I have to agree with them that this game is indeed one of the great ones. I've played many racing games in my time, and this one rises above the pack, particularly in the arcade category.
First, there are the graphics. Nice. Fast, clean, crisp, and bright. And there's lots of neat stuff going on in the background, like birds flying by overhead or windmills turning. Granted, today most games feature graphics that make old PSX games look pathetic, but style in graphics is forever, and the graphics in this game will always look great. They look just like a Daytona USA or Ridge Racer arcade game.
Then, there is the control. I must say, this is the only racing game I ever played where I actually WANTED to use one analog for steering and the other for braking. It just feels PERFECT. Control is also made more interesting by the turbo wheelies (the boost) which speed you up, but make it almost impossible to turn. Stategy in the controls? You bet.
The music and sound are VERY arcade-like. If you dig that sort of thing, you'll be very pleased. If you DON'T, well, it's pretty good for arcade-style.
Where this game really shines is replay value. Long after you've played through a season on the excellent and varied street and off-road tracks, you'll be coming back for more. You see, all of the tracks are awesome. You've got a snow track, a jungle track, a desert track, a beach track (you get the idea, every kind of eye-candy dressing you could imagine), and every track is very unique. There isn't one track that feels just like the other. And you can unlock mirrored and reversed modes for each track (and select them both for mirrored and reversed at the same time). And there is the code that makes every track at night, essentially doubling the replay value once again (thanks to GREAT lighting effects). And let's not forget the pocket bikes that look rediculous and go so fast you'll be flying off your bike left and right.
All in all, I would call this game a somewhat underappreciated classic. It's one of the best arcade-style games to be found for a console system, and even the sequels could never quite match the simple genius of the original. If you love racing games, this one is must-have.
moto racer, October 17, 2001
Reviewer: jack a mariotti from plymouth, ct USA
i like the game but it is kind of arcadeish. the bikes are neat and the sounds are neat.the game is fast even in easy but it dosen't take long before your lap times drop and the game gets more fun. its great in replay to see the bike your riding perform, you can relax and watch as your to busy while your playing to enjoy how the bikes look in action. and there is to few motor cycle racing games to play so enjoy.
Challenging, March 19, 2000
Reviewer: A gamer from singapore
It is not a very nice game as once you hit the walls,you will fall.It takes a long time to get back on the bike.Thus,slowing you down.The good thing is that it is very challenging as the tracks get harder all the time.So if you are a racing maniac,you should get it.