Jet Moto
Encyclopedia
Jet Moto is a series of futuristic racing game
s for the PlayStation video game console
. Jet Moto (1996) and Jet Moto 2 (1997) were developed by SingleTrac
, known for Twisted Metal
and Twisted Metal 2
. SingleTrac then left Sony
, the publisher of the series, and Jet Moto 3
(1999) was developed by Pacific Coast Power & Light
in their absence. They would also go on to develop Jet Moto 2124, which was cancelled two years into development. A fifth title known as Jet Moto: SOLAR was being developed by RedZone Interactive for the PlayStation 2
however no screenshots or video of gameplay were ever released, and the game was cancelled in 2003.
in the Jet Moto series differs from traditional racing game
s, as players instead control hoverbikes which hover close above the ground and can be driven over both land and water. Most of the courses in the games are designed to take advantage of this ability. The game has a its variant of the traditional road course, but also introduces a new course type, known as a suicide course. Instead of being a continuous loop, these tracks have checkpoints at either end of the course, and the starting grid in the center. Characters race to one end, then turn around to head for the other checkpoint, repeating the process until all laps are complete. This provides a new gameplay dynamic as often the player must navigate oncoming traffic. Characters are split into teams, and bikes are adorned with logo
s of products such as Mountain Dew
and Butterfinger
, similar to real-life sponsored racing.
The Jet Moto series utilizes a system called the magnetic grapple. Pressing the assigned button near a red energy pole creates a magnetic attraction between the player's bike the pole. Energy poles are often placed strategically throughout the courses, enabling racers to "slingshot" around tight turns without slowing down. The magnetic grapple system is also sometimes used to swing over large gaps and chasms otherwise too large to ride over. In addition to the grapple system players are given four boosts per lap, which provide a temporary burst of speed.
) was developed by SingleTrac
and published by Sony Computer Entertainment
for the PlayStation and PC
. The PlayStation version was released in North America on October 31, 1996, in Europe in February 1997, and Japan on August 7, 1997. The PC version was released on November 30, 1997. On February 4, 2007 Jet Moto was made available for the PlayStation Portable
and PlayStation 3
via the PlayStation Network.
Twenty Characters and three tracks are available at the beginning of the game, with seven more tracks unlockable by winning tournaments. Traditional tracks are also included, and typical courses range from beaches with debris-littered water, ice covered mountains, and even a floating track set above a city.
At the time of its release Jet Moto was seen as Sony's response to Nintendo's Wave Race 64
. Reviews for the game were mixed, and Jet Moto the PC version currently holds 75% and the PlayStation version 78.9% at gaming aggregator GameRankings. Reviewers felt the game had solid gameplay, but criticized its high difficulty. Several reviewers also praised the soundtrack to the game. Game Revolution
called the Dick Dale
-esque music "reminiscent of spy tunes from James Bond movies". The surf guitar was a strong point for Electric Playground, who cited it as one of the best video game soundtracks of 1996. GameSpot
reviewer Shane Mooney said the soundtrack was "just the adrenaline pump [he] needed." Jet Motos popularity would earn it a spot in the PlayStation Greatest Hits in August 1998.
in 1997. A greatest hits version of the game was also released. Due to an error during the disc printing process, a special edition version, Jet Moto 2: Championship Edition was printed instead of the original. This version featured six fewer competitors, but increased the game's speed to 30 frames per second. Jet Moto 2 was added to the PlayStation Network in January 2008.
The amount of playable characters for this game was halved in comparison to the first game, with ten characters available at the beginning of the game and one unlockable character. Track amounts were greatly increased, however, with ten new tracks, and tracks from the original game. All the original Jet Moto tracks were unlocked from the start, and ran at a faster speed than the original - albeit with only four racers. Tracks are more varied than Jet Moto, with each level containing a unique theme rather than the shared themes of the original game. The courses range from earthquake-damaged cities, desert Canyons, ice-covered mountains, roller Coasters, and several others.
The difficulty was higher in this game; the developers used gameplay recordings in place of fully developed racer AI, so most racers had a perfect run and any mistakes made by the player would result in a quick loss of top racing positions. Dual Analog Controller
s were supported for the first time, but DualShock
Controllers were not.
and 989 Sports. It was released on the PlayStation Network on February 21, 2008 but was removed shortly thereafter for undisclosed reasons.
This Jet Moto is notable for the inclusion of new stunt tracks. The objective of these tracks is to perform stunts to gain higher points and to collect coins scattered throughout the track. Another notable inclusion is the hop button, which is used to boost your player above the ground to avoid obstacles. The physics also were given an overhaul. Many times your bike travels so fast that you will be stuck riding on walls. Graphics were also considerably smoother as the game was released two years after the original games, however suffered greatly due to the use of heavy texturing as was common for PlayStation games of the time. Track themes vary greatly, with tracks taking places in volcanic islands, underground catacombs, the heights of Machu Pichu, and a thick Sequoia forest. DualShock
Controller support was added to this installment.
when coming up with concepts and designs for the game. Jet Moto 2124 would be the first in the series to take the player to locations off Earth, including Mars
, the moon
and one of Jupiter
's moons, Europa
. Additional real-world sponsors had been solicited for in-game sponsoring, including Doritos
, Slim Jim, and Body Glove
. The game was to have redesigned physics and increased speed, giving 2124 "the Jet Moto feel but with Wipeout speed." Inspiration was also taken from freestyle motocross
, and the ability would have been given to the player to do in air-tricks such as the heel clicker and can-can, similar to modern day tricks performed on specialized dirtbikes.
Developers cited lack of marketing support, camera issues and a flawed physics model for the jet motos as a few of the main concerns with the game's development. Other concerns included a new company president that did not support the game, and the studio director seeking to widen all the tracks, causing a significant increase in development time. These, along with lackluster sales of Jet Moto 3 caused the game to be cancelled two years into production, just prior to beta testing.
project known as Jet Moto: SOLAR was rumored to be in development by RedZone Interactive, however no press releases or gameplay information were released to the public. On April 4, 2003 in minor coverage by IGN, the game was confirmed to be cancelled, subsequently confirming its development. A software design document and a document containing fictional character bio
s for the game surfaced in 2005 on the personal website of George Rothrock, co-founder of RedZone Interactive. SOLAR was set several hundred years after the original Jet Moto series, when the hover technology from the jet moto bikes had evolved into a new style of moto, the Gravity Resistant Vehicle (GRV). Locales would again expand to other locations off Earth, including Mars, the moon, and Ganymede
, one of the moons of Jupiter.
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...
s for the PlayStation video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. Jet Moto (1996) and Jet Moto 2 (1997) were developed by SingleTrac
SingleTrac
SingleTrac Entertainment Technologies was a video game developer, mostly for the PlayStation platform. The management team and much of the original development team came from Evans & Sutherland, bringing their 3D graphics and software engineering skills into the video game industry.Its most famous...
, known for Twisted Metal
Twisted Metal
Twisted Metal is a series of vehicular combat video games published by Sony Computer Entertainment, and developed by various companies during its tenure. The series began on the PlayStation in 1995 and currently features seven games, with an eighth installment currently in production...
and Twisted Metal 2
Twisted Metal 2
Twisted Metal 2 is the second and most successful game in the vehicular combat Twisted Metal series...
. SingleTrac then left Sony
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
, the publisher of the series, and Jet Moto 3
Jet Moto 3
Jet Moto 3 was released exclusively for the PlayStation video game console on August 31, . It was the first and only Jet Moto title released by developer Pacific Coast Power & Light and publisher 989 Sports. It has been released only in North America...
(1999) was developed by Pacific Coast Power & Light
Pacific Coast Power & Light
Pacific Coast Power & Light was an old game developer of DT Productions and Locomotive Games and develops games for a variety of game machines and consoles...
in their absence. They would also go on to develop Jet Moto 2124, which was cancelled two years into development. A fifth title known as Jet Moto: SOLAR was being developed by RedZone Interactive for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
however no screenshots or video of gameplay were ever released, and the game was cancelled in 2003.
Common gameplay elements
GameplayGameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
in the Jet Moto series differs from traditional racing game
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...
s, as players instead control hoverbikes which hover close above the ground and can be driven over both land and water. Most of the courses in the games are designed to take advantage of this ability. The game has a its variant of the traditional road course, but also introduces a new course type, known as a suicide course. Instead of being a continuous loop, these tracks have checkpoints at either end of the course, and the starting grid in the center. Characters race to one end, then turn around to head for the other checkpoint, repeating the process until all laps are complete. This provides a new gameplay dynamic as often the player must navigate oncoming traffic. Characters are split into teams, and bikes are adorned with logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
s of products such as Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was...
and Butterfinger
Butterfinger
Butterfinger is a candy bar made by Nestlé.The bar consists of a flaky, orange-colored center—somewhat similar texture to crisp caramel, with a taste similar to peanut butter—that is coated in compound chocolate.- History :...
, similar to real-life sponsored racing.
The Jet Moto series utilizes a system called the magnetic grapple. Pressing the assigned button near a red energy pole creates a magnetic attraction between the player's bike the pole. Energy poles are often placed strategically throughout the courses, enabling racers to "slingshot" around tight turns without slowing down. The magnetic grapple system is also sometimes used to swing over large gaps and chasms otherwise too large to ride over. In addition to the grapple system players are given four boosts per lap, which provide a temporary burst of speed.
Jet Moto
The original Jet Moto (Jet Rider in EuropeEurope
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...
) was developed by SingleTrac
SingleTrac
SingleTrac Entertainment Technologies was a video game developer, mostly for the PlayStation platform. The management team and much of the original development team came from Evans & Sutherland, bringing their 3D graphics and software engineering skills into the video game industry.Its most famous...
and published by Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
for the PlayStation and PC
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. The PlayStation version was released in North America on October 31, 1996, in Europe in February 1997, and Japan on August 7, 1997. The PC version was released on November 30, 1997. On February 4, 2007 Jet Moto was made available for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
via the PlayStation Network.
Twenty Characters and three tracks are available at the beginning of the game, with seven more tracks unlockable by winning tournaments. Traditional tracks are also included, and typical courses range from beaches with debris-littered water, ice covered mountains, and even a floating track set above a city.
At the time of its release Jet Moto was seen as Sony's response to Nintendo's Wave Race 64
Wave Race 64
is a racing game for the Nintendo 64 that was released on September 27, 1996 in Japan and on November 5, 1996 in North America. In Wave Race 64 the player races on jet skis in many different weather conditions, on a variety of different courses. The game was sponsored by the Kawasaki Heavy...
. Reviews for the game were mixed, and Jet Moto the PC version currently holds 75% and the PlayStation version 78.9% at gaming aggregator GameRankings. Reviewers felt the game had solid gameplay, but criticized its high difficulty. Several reviewers also praised the soundtrack to the game. Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
called the Dick Dale
Dick Dale
Dick Dale is an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.-Early life:Dale was born in South Boston, Massachusetts and lived in nearby...
-esque music "reminiscent of spy tunes from James Bond movies". The surf guitar was a strong point for Electric Playground, who cited it as one of the best video game soundtracks of 1996. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
reviewer Shane Mooney said the soundtrack was "just the adrenaline pump [he] needed." Jet Motos popularity would earn it a spot in the PlayStation Greatest Hits in August 1998.
Jet Moto 2
Jet Moto 2 (known as Jet Rider 2 in Europe and Jet Moto '98 in Japan) was released exclusively for the PlayStation video game consoleVideo game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
in 1997. A greatest hits version of the game was also released. Due to an error during the disc printing process, a special edition version, Jet Moto 2: Championship Edition was printed instead of the original. This version featured six fewer competitors, but increased the game's speed to 30 frames per second. Jet Moto 2 was added to the PlayStation Network in January 2008.
The amount of playable characters for this game was halved in comparison to the first game, with ten characters available at the beginning of the game and one unlockable character. Track amounts were greatly increased, however, with ten new tracks, and tracks from the original game. All the original Jet Moto tracks were unlocked from the start, and ran at a faster speed than the original - albeit with only four racers. Tracks are more varied than Jet Moto, with each level containing a unique theme rather than the shared themes of the original game. The courses range from earthquake-damaged cities, desert Canyons, ice-covered mountains, roller Coasters, and several others.
The difficulty was higher in this game; the developers used gameplay recordings in place of fully developed racer AI, so most racers had a perfect run and any mistakes made by the player would result in a quick loss of top racing positions. Dual Analog Controller
Dual Analog Controller
The PlayStation Dual Analog Controller was Sony's first attempt at a handheld analog controller for the PlayStation, and the predecessor to the DualShock...
s were supported for the first time, but DualShock
DualShock
The DualShock is a line of vibration-feedback gamepads by Sony for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 video game consoles. The DualShock was introduced in Japan in late 1997, and launched in the North American market in May 1998...
Controllers were not.
Jet Moto 3
Jet Moto 3 was released exclusively for the PlayStation in North America only on August 31, 1999. A new developer and publisher would take over the series, Pacific Coast Power & LightPacific Coast Power & Light
Pacific Coast Power & Light was an old game developer of DT Productions and Locomotive Games and develops games for a variety of game machines and consoles...
and 989 Sports. It was released on the PlayStation Network on February 21, 2008 but was removed shortly thereafter for undisclosed reasons.
This Jet Moto is notable for the inclusion of new stunt tracks. The objective of these tracks is to perform stunts to gain higher points and to collect coins scattered throughout the track. Another notable inclusion is the hop button, which is used to boost your player above the ground to avoid obstacles. The physics also were given an overhaul. Many times your bike travels so fast that you will be stuck riding on walls. Graphics were also considerably smoother as the game was released two years after the original games, however suffered greatly due to the use of heavy texturing as was common for PlayStation games of the time. Track themes vary greatly, with tracks taking places in volcanic islands, underground catacombs, the heights of Machu Pichu, and a thick Sequoia forest. DualShock
DualShock
The DualShock is a line of vibration-feedback gamepads by Sony for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 video game consoles. The DualShock was introduced in Japan in late 1997, and launched in the North American market in May 1998...
Controller support was added to this installment.
Jet Moto 2124
A fourth Jet Moto, called Jet Moto 2124, was being developed at Sony's 989 Studio in San Diego and was set to be based in the future. Production on the game began prior to the completion of Jet Moto 3. Level designers used Alias Power Animator 8.5 to create tracks for the game. Developers took inspiration from Syd MeadSyd Mead
Sydney Jay Mead, commonly Syd Mead, is a "visual futurist" and concept artist. He is best known for his designs for science-fiction films such as Blade Runner, Aliens and Tron...
when coming up with concepts and designs for the game. Jet Moto 2124 would be the first in the series to take the player to locations off Earth, including Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
and one of Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
's moons, Europa
Europa (moon)
Europa Slightly smaller than Earth's Moon, Europa is primarily made of silicate rock and probably has an iron core. It has a tenuous atmosphere composed primarily of oxygen. Its surface is composed of ice and is one of the smoothest in the Solar System. This surface is striated by cracks and...
. Additional real-world sponsors had been solicited for in-game sponsoring, including Doritos
Doritos
Doritos is a brand of seasoned tortilla chips created by Arch West and produced since 1964 by the American food company Frito-Lay ....
, Slim Jim, and Body Glove
Body Glove
Body Glove International, LLC is a major surf/skateboard/watersports brand started in the United States. Body Glove was founded in 1953 by twin brothers Bill and Bob Meistrell. The brothers invented the very first practical wetsuit in the early 1950s in the back of their Redondo Beach, California...
. The game was to have redesigned physics and increased speed, giving 2124 "the Jet Moto feel but with Wipeout speed." Inspiration was also taken from freestyle motocross
Freestyle Motocross
Freestyle Motocross is a variation on the sport of motocross in which motorcycle riders attempt to impress judges with jumps and stunts.The two main types of freestyle events are:...
, and the ability would have been given to the player to do in air-tricks such as the heel clicker and can-can, similar to modern day tricks performed on specialized dirtbikes.
Developers cited lack of marketing support, camera issues and a flawed physics model for the jet motos as a few of the main concerns with the game's development. Other concerns included a new company president that did not support the game, and the studio director seeking to widen all the tracks, causing a significant increase in development time. These, along with lackluster sales of Jet Moto 3 caused the game to be cancelled two years into production, just prior to beta testing.
Jet Moto: SOLAR
In a PlayStation 2PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
project known as Jet Moto: SOLAR was rumored to be in development by RedZone Interactive, however no press releases or gameplay information were released to the public. On April 4, 2003 in minor coverage by IGN, the game was confirmed to be cancelled, subsequently confirming its development. A software design document and a document containing fictional character bio
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
s for the game surfaced in 2005 on the personal website of George Rothrock, co-founder of RedZone Interactive. SOLAR was set several hundred years after the original Jet Moto series, when the hover technology from the jet moto bikes had evolved into a new style of moto, the Gravity Resistant Vehicle (GRV). Locales would again expand to other locations off Earth, including Mars, the moon, and Ganymede
Ganymede (moon)
Ganymede is a satellite of Jupiter and the largest moon in the Solar System. It is the seventh moon and third Galilean satellite outward from Jupiter. Completing an orbit in roughly seven days, Ganymede participates in a 1:2:4 orbital resonance with the moons Europa and Io, respectively...
, one of the moons of Jupiter.