Great sprint
| Great sprint | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio |
 Atari Games
|
| Publisher |
Atari Games
|
| Senior Developer |
Robert Weatherby Kelly Turner |
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
April 1986 |
| genre | Racing game |
| Game mode | up to 3 players at the same time |
| control | 3 steering wheels with accelerator pedal |
| casing | default |
| Arcade system |
Atari System 2 = Main CPU : T11 (@ 10 MHz) Sound CPU: M6502 (@ 0.789772 MHz) Sound Chips: YM2151 , 2 × POKEY |
| monitor | Raster resolution 512 × 384 (4: 3 horizontal) Color palette: 512 |
| information | Ports from Electric Dreams , Tengen , Midway etc. a. |
Super Sprint is an arcade and video racing game by Atari Games that was released in 1986. In this bird's eye view of Formula One game, up to three players can play at the same time in the arcade version.
Gameplay
The aim of the game is to complete four laps as quickly as possible than the opponents on eight different racetracks with Formula One vehicles and to collect more points. The routes are shown in the top view and can therefore be seen in their entirety and without scrolling . There are always four cars driving at the same time; the others are computer-controlled “ drones ”, i.e. at least one. In the original version, each player controls his vehicle while standing with his own steering wheel and gas pedal.
Depending on the route, there are jump ramps, underpasses and shortcuts, some as opening and closing gates. The obstacles are traffic cones , puddles of oil and water, small tornadoes and poles that come out of the ground. In the event of more serious accidents, a helicopter flies past, which allows you to continue driving after a short waiting time.
From time to time different scores and golden wrenches appear on the road, which can be collected by driving over them. The latter allow the player to select one of the following tuning options after the race and thus gradually improve his vehicle: super grip, turbo acceleration, higher speed or higher scores. The game ends when a computer opponent finishes ahead of the player (s) or when bonus round 85 has been reached.
Sometimes different numbers of players, routes and game details apply in the ports.
Arcade hardware
The arcade version has a 19-inch color monitor and the Atari System II arcade system with two main processors, which was also used for the Paperboy arcade machine, among other things . The DEC -T11-CPU controls the actual program, the MOS Technology 6502 controls the three sound chips for music and sound effects. The slapstick chip was used as copy protection .
The machine operator can set the level of difficulty of the drone vehicles and the number of tuning keys required. There are a total of seven different machine versions of this basic game alone, including two German versions.
Implementations
The original game was implemented for the following home computers and consoles: Atari ST (1986), Amstrad CPC , ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 (1987), as well as for the NES (1989).
It also appeared as part of compilations for Xbox , Game Boy Advance , GameCube , PlayStation , PlayStation 2 and Windows PCs, mostly as Midway Arcade Treasures.
The successor Championship Sprint was released for CPC, C64, ZX Spectrum and also for the PlayStation 3 .
Usually only up to two players can play at the same time. Sometimes a third person can use the keyboard.
Predecessor and successor
Super Sprint is part of a seven-part arcade series that began with Sprint 2 (black and white game) in 1976 and continued with Sprint 8 , Sprint 4 , Sprint One .
The successor to the game was the Championship Sprint arcade machine with new racetracks but only two simultaneous players. In 1989, Badlands appeared , which relocated the game to a post-apocalyptic scenario with armed vehicles.
Other similar predecessors were arcade games etc. a. Gran Trak 10 (first racing game) and Indy 800 (for eight players). Similar later games include Skidmarks , Super Cars , Super Off Road , Turbo GT, and other clones.
Reviews
The arcade version was successful and is considered a classic. However, most home computer implementations received poor ratings. In particular, the controls, the sound and sometimes the graphics were criticized.
- "An annoyingly and unneccessarily flawed arcade conversion." - zzap64 (Dec. 1987)
The Atari ST version is considered the best and most complete implementation.
this and that
The game was advertised as the first three-player video game. There were previously games for three players at the same time (Dare Devil, The Three Stooges) and even more players, such as Indy 800 (1975) for eight players, also from Atari (Kee Games).
Footnotes
- ↑ skooldays.com
- ↑ Videogame Critics
- ^ MobyGames
- ↑ zzap64
- ↑ Test report on The good old days
- ↑ arcadeflyers.com
- ↑ arcadeflyers.com
Web links
- Super Sprint in the Killer List of Video Games (English)
- Super Sprint Series at MobyGames (English)
- Entry in World of Spectrum including reviews