Road Rash (video game)
| Road Rash | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Developer(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Designer(s) | Randy Breen Dan Geisler |
| Programmer(s) | Dan Geisler Walter Stein Carl Mey |
| Composer(s) | Michael Bartlow Rob Hubbard |
| Series | Road Rash |
| Platform(s) | Genesis, Amiga, Sega CD, Master System, 3DO, Game Gear, PlayStation, Saturn, Windows, Game Boy, Game Boy Color |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Vehicular combat, racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Aggregate score | |
|---|---|
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 80% (SMD) 72% (PC) 55% (GB) |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| CVG | 91% (SMD) |
| EGM | 84% (3DO) 7 / 10 (PS) |
| Famitsu | 27 / 40 (3DO) |
| Mean Machines | 91% (SMD) |
| MegaTech | 92% (SMD) |
| Maximum |
  (PS) |
| Next Generation |
(SCD, PS) |
| 69% (SMD) | |
Road Rash is a vehicular combat racing video game developed and published by Electronic Arts for the Sega Genesis in 1991. It was ported to a variety of contemporary systems and was followed by five sequels.
An updated version of the game was made for a CD-based platforms such as Sega CD, 3DO, PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows. It features a number of changes such as the ability to choose characters (with various starting cashpiles and bikes, some even have starting weapons) before playing, fleshed-out reputation and gossip systems and even full-motion video sequences to advance a plot. The updated version once again features all-California locales: The City, The Peninsula, Pacific Coast Highway, Sierra Nevada, and Napa Valley. The roads themselves now feature brief divided road sections.
The basic gameplay is similar to Sega's Hang-On (1985) and Tatsumi's Cycle Warriors (1991). The player competes in illegal road races and must finish in either 3rd or 4th place (depending on the version being played) and up in every race of a "level" in order to proceed to the next. As these levels progress, the opponents ride faster and fight harder, and the tracks are longer and more dangerous. Placing in each race gives a certain amount of money, with higher-level races offering higher payouts. This money allows the player to buy faster bikes and parts, which are needed to stay competitive, pay for repairs if the motorcycle is wrecked, or pay for fines if one is arrested by the police. The game is over if the player is unable to pay for these repairs or fines.
Road Rash requires that players contend with various grade changes. The physics reflect the act of going up or down a hill, as well as turning while climbing; this results in the ability to launch one's motorcycle great distances, resulting in crashes. Aside from this, Road Rash has a standard system of obstacles including street signs, trees, poles, and livestock. There is also active traffic while racing against other bikers.
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Wikipedia