Street Racer
Encyclopedia
Street Racer is a racing
video game published by Ubisoft
for various systems. It was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
in 1994, Mega Drive/Genesis in 1995, PlayStation and GameBoy in 1996 and PC
and Amiga
in 1997. Inspired by Mario Kart
, the go-kart
themed game combined racing with comedy and beat 'em up
influenced violence. The game was a success on the SNES and Mega Drive and received mixed reviews across platforms.
The game features the ability to race various championships beginning with the Bronze Championship and moving on to progressively more difficult competitions. An alternative one-on-one mode is also available. The game awards points for final race positions, with bonus points given for accolades such as fastest lap. The competitor with the most points after all races wins the Championship. The game includes a "Rumble" mode in which players attempt to force opponents from an arena. The "Soccer" mode is a free-for-all football match with one goal and in which players tackle by colliding with the opponent.
. Reviewing the Amiga version, Andy Smith of Amiga Format complained of the soccer mode: "Your car moves as if it's in treacle while everyone else seems to be on greased rails". The reviewer said the soccer mode was "bizarre and, frankly, not much fun". He called the rumble mode "even less exciting" and said of the game overall "It's not that it's a complete pig or anything, it's just that it promises so much and manages to deliver so little". Smith said the "good tracks" of the "top SNES game" version had been "sacrificed" for "decent speed" and complained that this speed ruined the cornering mechanics. He said the background graphics were attractive but the animations "jerky" and wrote: "Well done chaps, you've made a crap racing game with some nice backgrounds." He also called the music "dreadful" and sound effects "crap", awarding 45%. CU Amiga Magazine complained that the tracks were shallow, but contended the game's appeal was in combating other characters. The reviewer noted the "pretty intense" action of the rumble mode and said the football mode did not live up to its potential but was a "pretty reasonable" distraction. The magazine said the game was simple but "demented fun" and praised its variety, awarding 87%.
GameSpot
, reviewing the PlayStation version, called the game "mildly entertaining" and said "It's good enough for a weekend rental, but not much more." The website awarded a "mediocre" score of 5.8. Sega Saturn Magazine
found "the characters a bit tacky and the characters largely derivative" but praised the game's artificial intelligence
and variety of game modes. The magazine called the graphics "very nice indeed, colourful and rich in detail" but said "racing tends to give you the impression that the road is moving while the car remains stationary." The reviewer compared the game to Mario Kart, saying "It lacks the overall accessibility of the Super NES classic and the course design isn't quite as innovative." The reviewer said "Street Racer remains very playable and challenging and is especially fun in multi-player mode" and awarded 82%. Other critics also noted that the game was inspired by Mario Kart, with Esquire
calling it a "likeable clone, boasting more cartoon characters in the kind of no-holds-barred go-kart race you dream of having when you come home from the pub with your chums."
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 published by Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
for various systems. It was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in 1994, Mega Drive/Genesis in 1995, PlayStation and GameBoy in 1996 and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
and Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
in 1997. Inspired by Mario Kart
Mario Kart
is a series of go-kart-style racing video games developed by Nintendo as a series of spin-offs from its trademark Mario series of platformer adventure-style video games...
, the go-kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
themed game combined racing with comedy and beat 'em up
Beat 'em up
Beat 'em up is a video game genre featuring melee combat between the protagonist and a large number of underpowered antagonists. These games typically take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical or fantasy themes...
influenced violence. The game was a success on the SNES and Mega Drive and received mixed reviews across platforms.
Gameplay
Street Racer is a go-kart racing game which combines racing with violence. Characters can strike opponents with their fists and must avoid explosives littered around the track. The game's characters (including Surf Sister and Frank Instein) possess unique power-ups such as the Screaming Banshee, Batmobile, magic carpet and tri-plane.The game features the ability to race various championships beginning with the Bronze Championship and moving on to progressively more difficult competitions. An alternative one-on-one mode is also available. The game awards points for final race positions, with bonus points given for accolades such as fastest lap. The competitor with the most points after all races wins the Championship. The game includes a "Rumble" mode in which players attempt to force opponents from an arena. The "Soccer" mode is a free-for-all football match with one goal and in which players tackle by colliding with the opponent.
Reception
Street Racer was a "top SNES game" and "highly successful" on the Mega Drive according to Amiga FormatAmiga Format
Amiga Format was a British computer magazine for Amiga computers, published by Future Publishing. The magazine lasted 136 issues from 1989 to 2000. The magazine was formed when, in the wake of selling ACE to EMAP, Future split the dual-format title ST/Amiga Format into two separate publications...
. Reviewing the Amiga version, Andy Smith of Amiga Format complained of the soccer mode: "Your car moves as if it's in treacle while everyone else seems to be on greased rails". The reviewer said the soccer mode was "bizarre and, frankly, not much fun". He called the rumble mode "even less exciting" and said of the game overall "It's not that it's a complete pig or anything, it's just that it promises so much and manages to deliver so little". Smith said the "good tracks" of the "top SNES game" version had been "sacrificed" for "decent speed" and complained that this speed ruined the cornering mechanics. He said the background graphics were attractive but the animations "jerky" and wrote: "Well done chaps, you've made a crap racing game with some nice backgrounds." He also called the music "dreadful" and sound effects "crap", awarding 45%. CU Amiga Magazine complained that the tracks were shallow, but contended the game's appeal was in combating other characters. The reviewer noted the "pretty intense" action of the rumble mode and said the football mode did not live up to its potential but was a "pretty reasonable" distraction. The magazine said the game was simple but "demented fun" and praised its variety, awarding 87%.
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...
, reviewing the PlayStation version, called the game "mildly entertaining" and said "It's good enough for a weekend rental, but not much more." The website awarded a "mediocre" score of 5.8. Sega Saturn Magazine
Sega Saturn Magazine
Sega Saturn Magazine was a monthly UK magazine dedicated to the Sega Saturn. It held the official Saturn magazine license for the UK, and as such some issues included a demo CD created by Sega, called Sega Flash, which included playable games and game footage...
found "the characters a bit tacky and the characters largely derivative" but praised the game's artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
and variety of game modes. The magazine called the graphics "very nice indeed, colourful and rich in detail" but said "racing tends to give you the impression that the road is moving while the car remains stationary." The reviewer compared the game to Mario Kart, saying "It lacks the overall accessibility of the Super NES classic and the course design isn't quite as innovative." The reviewer said "Street Racer remains very playable and challenging and is especially fun in multi-player mode" and awarded 82%. Other critics also noted that the game was inspired by Mario Kart, with Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
calling it a "likeable clone, boasting more cartoon characters in the kind of no-holds-barred go-kart race you dream of having when you come home from the pub with your chums."