Combat Cars for Genesis

Image: MobyGames

Combat Cars

Micro Machines' brother from another mother

Genre: racing - overhead

Publisher: Accolade

Year: 1994

System: Genesis

Gameplay Score: 1

Gameplay Notes:

Have you played Micro Machines? Then you've played this game. Controls are a bit wonky with it taking a bit too much effort to get on a straight line. Impossibly difficult. Acceleration is ridiculously slow and tracks are narrow so good luck keeping up with your opponents. Opponents only occassionally have a hitbox. For a game with "combat" in the title you'd expect some weapons but all you get is a single weapon with minimal ammo which recharges as you drive. Each driver has their own weapon and you can't ever get a different one. Imagine playing Mario Kart with only banana peels. Plays fast - too fast

Level Design Score: 1

Level Design Notes:

The tracks make no sense. Each track is completed in 4 laps but you always head upward. If you were to chart them out it would not create a full circle. That said, the biggest problem with the tracks is that the road is extremely winding and narrow. When combined with the slow acceleration the game becomes nearly unplayable.

Theme Score: 1

Theme Notes:

Select from 8 characters who are either alien or cybernetic. By the looks of the player select screen you'd were were playing a futuristic title like F-Zero but instead the locales are all generic earth-bound settings like a beach or a harbor. The windows don't match the drapes.

Art Style Score: 2

Art Style Notes:

Good framerate. All the cars look the same - like a VW Beetle. Nothing special and no interesting effects. Again the character designs do not jive with the rest of the game.

Audio Score: 3

Audio Notes:

The music is pulled straight from a 90's rave DJ playlist. It's lively and better than this game deserves.

Overall Score: 26

Review ID: 842