All 16-Bit

Review #11031 F1 Circus Special The one with a Dictionary PCE CD 1992 Nihon Bussan Racing Racing › Overhead X 19 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay As unplayable as its predecessors. I cannot keep my car on the road. This series sucks. 2 / 5 Level Design Championship, Test Drive, and a Time Attack mode that lets you practice. I still can't qualify for a race against other cars, so I don't know what that experience is like. 1 / 5 Theme Tons of Japanese text, including a Dictionary of racing terms! Lame presentation which frequently presents a mugshot of an old man. Maybe someone famous from that era? Who knows. Has faux licensing from Homda (aka Honda), Foad (Fo...

Review #11024 Deko Boko Densetsu PCE CD 1990 Telenet Japan Racing Racing › Overhead H 39 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay The object is to race up the screen in auto-scrolling courses. It plays a bit like R.C. Pro-Am with its forward and reverse weapons for damaging other racers. It does the weird thing where all racers must be on screen, ala Moto Roader. When a car goes offscreen they take damage and are flung forward on the screen. You seem to take way more damage than your opponents, so it's hard to have enough health to cross the finish line. VERY slow movement. You can jump, like in Bump 'n' Jump for NES. Being in first place is a major handicap because you are at the tippy top of the screen and have noly a few pixels worth or notice whe...

Review #11015 Championship Rally PCE CD 1993 Intec Racing Racing › Overhead E 68 / 100 Your mileage may vary Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 4 / 5 Gameplay Controls feels great - like Micro Machines, but tight. The turning sensitivity is just right. Sliding around a corner feels perfect and never requires you to let off the gas. Once you get going the camera gives you a good 70% of draw distance which is just enough to see around corners. Crashing will happen but you've got good acceleration so it's not a big deal. You always go up and so never need to fight with the controls to figure out which direction is left or right. 2 / 5 Level Design I know they were going for a lot of winding backroads for the Rally setting, and these work on the simple...

Review #8150 World Circuit PCE 1991 Namco Racing Racing › Overhead F 57 / 100 Not Bad, but Flawed Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 3 / 5 Gameplay I've come to the conclusion that I like uncomplicated, forgiving racing games. This title, despite being by far the simplest overhead racer of this generation, is more fun than most. It's in the same class as R.C. Pro-Am (having released only a year after) or the Micro Machine games. Unlike those games this one has you perpetually driving up the screen, with turns always followed by an opposite direction correction. Movement is slow enough that turns are not a problem, but fast enough to keep you engaged and on your toes. Other cars have no collision so they may as well be painted on the screen. The only challenge is staying on the r...

Review #8155 F-1 Dream PCE 1989 Capcom Racing Racing › Overhead G 41 / 100 Bad Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 2 / 5 Gameplay The controls are weird and inconsistent, or my brain just doesn't figure it out. You point the d-pad towards the road rather than relative to the direction you're moving. Gameplay is slow which works best for this type of game. Unfortunately I was never fast enough to passing a single other car so I could never win anything it last place. 3 / 5 Level Design Only a career mode. The variety of tracks makes up for the lack of modes. 2 / 5 Theme Major language barrier. Challenging to manage the shop. I like the career theme, but the language barrier saps my enthusiasm. 1 / ...

Review #8086 Moto Roader II Drive upward PCE 1991 Masaya Racing Racing › Overhead F 52 / 100 Not Bad, but Flawed Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 3 / 5 Gameplay Massive improvement over the first game, and the copycats like Deko Boko. It's basically a 5 player Micro Machines head-to-head mode played in slow motion and with R.C. Pro-Am vehicle customizations and offensive weapons. It's not as good as that sounds, but it's bad either. Would be a decent party game with 5 players. 2 / 5 Level Design Tracks only have cosmetic differences and few surprises. You always drive upward and make turns when they appear. Occassionally you'll be warned about rocks or other obstacles in your way but most of the time your opponents are the only t...

Review #8041 F1 Circus '92 I hate this series PCE 1992 Nihon Bussan Racing Racing › Overhead X 21 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay As unplayable as its predecessors. I cannot keep my car on the road. This series sucks. 2 / 5 Level Design A few more modes that let you practice. I still can't qualify for a race against other cars, so I don't know what that experience is like. A few more kinds of turns have been added. 3 / 5 Theme Improved presentation. Has licensing from Ferrari and other makes. 2 / 5 Art Style Simple pixel art but great sense of speed. Excellent framerate. 2 / 5 Audio ...

Review #8040 F1 Circus '91 A few new curves PCE 1991 Nihon Bussan Racing Racing › Overhead X 15 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Unplayable, just like the original. I crashed so often that I couldn't qualify for a single race or even finish a qualifying attempt. 1 / 5 Level Design Only one mode and no meaningful customization. Tracks are all the same - go straight, turn left or right, straighten out, repeat. The only change from the previous title is that there are a few different kinds of turns. Exciting. 2 / 5 Theme Minimal presentation but slightly improved from the original. Mostly Japanese text. 2 / 5 Art Style Poor pix...

Review #8039 F1 Circus Go straight, turn, straighten out, crash, repeat PCE 1990 Nihon Bussan Racing Racing › Overhead X 12 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Unplayable. I crashed so often that I couldn't qualify for a single race. 1 / 5 Level Design Only one mode and no meaningful customization. Tracks are all the same - go straight, turn left or right, straighten out, repeat. 1 / 5 Theme Minimal presentation. Mostly Japanese text. 1 / 5 Art Style Poor pixel art. Creepy big-headed driver sprites. 2 / 5 Audio Music is a highlight, even if it's unmemorable. More PCE reviews ...

Review #6842 Super Skidmarks Super Mini Cooper Off Road MD PAL 1995 Codemasters Racing Racing › Overhead E 61 / 100 Your mileage may vary Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 3 / 5 Gameplay I really want to like this game, but the controls are so squirrely. Actually, they're slippery as an eel. I like what the devs were trying to do but I feel like my car is out of control at all times. I gave up trying to make tight turns and instead used the walls as bumpers like it's a pinball machine. The other problem is that with 5 other racers, small tracks, and narrow roads, you bump into each. A LOT. In fact, the game always puts you at the back of the pack to begin each race so the main challenge in the game is to deal with the other racers, PvP style. Another complaint is the lack of ...

Review #6825 Micro Machines: Turbo Tournament 96 The one with a track editor MD PAL 1995 Codemasters Racing Racing › Overhead E 61 / 100 Your mileage may vary Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 2 / 5 Gameplay Barely upgraded version of Micro Machines 2. Only a couple of new tracks were added. What's the point? See all notes on the other game. 5 / 5 Level Design There's a track editor! Very cool inclusion. 4 / 5 Theme 3 / 5 Art Style 3 / 5 Audio More MD PAL reviews Browse all reviews

Review #6824 Micro Machines Military Shoot and spin and shoot and spin MD PAL 1996 Codemasters Racing Racing › Overhead F 56 / 100 Not Bad, but Flawed Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 2 / 5 Gameplay More of the same, but this time with a forward gun shot. This is fun for a second, but quickly becomes little more than a nuisance. It also ensures that whoever can separate from the pack will race on their own and coast to an easy vistory while everyone else is bumping and shooting one another in the back. The speed is still a problem, only compounding my dislike of the gameplay. Get hit or bump a wall once and you've got not chance of catching up. 4 / 5 Level Design Same game modes as the previous game, but without the track editor in "96...

Review #6823 Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament Too fast MD PAL 1994 Codemasters Racing Racing › Overhead F 56 / 100 Not Bad, but Flawed Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 2 / 5 Gameplay Same basic controls as the first game but the speed is ramped up significantly. My reaction times aren't what they used to be. I could not keep myself on the road in this game as things popped up way too fast. Your car is kept not quite in the center of the screen. In fact, I think it's closer to the direction you're headed than it is to the back of the screen. the saving grace is that the penalty for going off road or even falling off a click is fairly small so with practice and memorization I think I could get good at it. Still, I MUCH prefer the prior title. 4 / 5 ...

Review #6812 Double Clutch MD PAL 1993 Sega Racing Racing › Overhead G 49 / 100 Bad Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 3 / 5 Gameplay Blatant Micro Machines clone, with R.C. Pro-Am upgrades for good measure. Controls are squirrely but mostly managable. The inclusion of a minimap helps tremendously. Fun but shallow, without any weapons or other fun powerups. You can, however, bump opponents and push them off the road to destroy them. In fact, this is my preferred way of winning a race. 2 / 5 Level Design There's only one mode where you begin on track one and work your way through all stages, Super Sprint style. The first batch of stages are simply mirrors of each other so I assume this is a common theme throughout the game. They're composed of mostl...

Review #6050 Nakajima Satoru Kanshuu - F-1 Super License MD 1992 Varie Racing Racing › Overhead G 41 / 100 Bad Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 2 / 5 Gameplay Camera is zoomed out compared to the first game and is all the better for it. It even pulls away from you the faster you go to the point where your car is nearly against the side of the screen. Very nice. Still too fast to make any tight turns and the minimap is utterly unreadable. 2 / 5 Level Design All of these F-1 games have the same content. Ho hum 3 / 5 Theme 2 / 5 Art Style Not much to say about the visuals. They're fine 2 / 5 Audio Better music than the original, which isn't sa...

Review #6049 Nakajima Satoru Kanshuu - F-1 Grand Prix Stare at the minimap MD 1991 Varie Racing Racing › Overhead H 29 / 100 Horrible Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 1 / 5 Gameplay Controls like F1 Circus but looks like Moto Roader in that you drive around a track via an overhead view which doesn't adjust to your perspective. In other words, left isn't always left. Thankfully there's a minimap so you can drive using that as your guide. In fact, I would stare at that and only see my car in my peripheral vision. The map is too small to do this so it made the game only slightly better. 2 / 5 Level Design Only two modes - G.P. and Spot Mode, which appears to be practice. All the usual F-1 tracks and car customization options. ...

Review #6022 F1 Circus MD A few new curves MD 1991 Nihon Bussan Racing Racing › Overhead X 15 / 100 You've been warned Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 0 / 5 Gameplay Unplayable, just like the original. It controls slightly better than the PC Engine version but not enough that I could actually qualify for a race. The only meaningful improvement is the inclusion of a minimap to show upcoming turns. They still spell impending doom, but at least I can see them coming! 1 / 5 Level Design Only one mode and no meaningful customization. Tracks are all the same - go straight, turn left or right, straighten out, repeat. The only change from the previous title is that there are a few different kinds of turns. Exciting. 2 / 5 ...

Review #3922 Power Drive The Italian Job meets R.C. Pro Am SNES PAL 1995 U.S. Gold Racing Racing › Overhead E 61 / 100 Your mileage may vary Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 3 / 5 Gameplay Rally racing. No other cars to contend with. Actually there's always one other racer, but they are way faster than you so you'll never really see or interact with them. A flashing arrow alerts you about upcoming turns. Your car bounces around unexpectedly. Takes some getting used to. Pretty fun movement...it's just a shame that there's so little to do. You can pick up a few items which I assume give you money and one that gives you a burst of speed. 3 / 5 Level Design Only one mode plus a practice mode. Nice tracks which are wide and have a...

Review #3919 Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament Too fast SNES PAL 1996 Ocean Racing Racing › Overhead F 56 / 100 Not Bad, but Flawed Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 2 / 5 Gameplay Same basic controls as the first game but the speed is ramped up significantly. My reaction times aren't what they used to be. I could not keep myself on the road in this game as things popped up way too fast. Your car is kept not quite in the center of the screen. In fact, I think it's closer to the direction you're headed than it is to the back of the screen. the saving grace is that the penalty for going off road or even falling off a click is fairly small so with practice and memorization I think I could get good at it. Still, I MUCH prefer the prior title. 4 / 5 ...

Review #2441 Zen Nihon GT Senshuken: Hyper Battle Game Turn here. Here? HERE! SFC 1995 Banpresto Racing Racing › Overhead E 66 / 100 Your mileage may vary Screenshot used for review/reference purposes. 4 / 5 Gameplay As good as it gets with an overhead racer. Fast acceleration, responsive movement that doesn't require too much correction, a weighty feel to the controls, nice arrows indicating what upcoming turns look like, and good physics for bumping the walls and driving offroad. It's all very forgiving, but rewarding to get good at. The only thing missing is a HUD with a map. 2 / 5 Level Design Only two modes - Story/GT and Time Trial. Unfortunately, the only way to race against other racers is in GT and it's hidden behind multiple warm up races...