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Dirt Racer

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Dirt Racer
Dirt Racer
Cover art
Developer(s)MotiveTime
Publisher(s)Elite Systems
Platform(s)Super NES
Release
  • EU: May 1995
Genre(s)Offroad/rally driving
Mode(s)Single-player

Dirt Racer is a Europe-exclusive video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed by British studio MotiveTime and released in 1995. This game uses the Super FX powered GSU-1 to provide enhanced graphics.[1]

Gameplay

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Gameplay screenshot.

Players must drive their dirt track racing vehicle across a road rally. The car comes complete with a speedometer (in kilometres), a lap counter, and a lap time counter. There are a pre-determined number of chances to complete the game, like in Super Mario Kart and F-Zero. If the player is unable to defeat the game in those number of tries, then the player gets an automatic game over. A yellow smiley face shows up to track the performance of the driver.[2] If it's smiling, then the player is winning. Otherwise, the player is losing the game.

Development and release

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Dirt Racer was developed by British studio MotiveTime. It was the second racing game using Super FX technology simultaneously developed under publisher Elite Systems, the other being the unreleased PowerSlide.[3][4][5][6][7][8] Elite Systems director and co-founder Steve Wilcox recounted, "PowerSlide was intended to be an authentic, track-based simulation whilst Dirt Racer was intended to be an off-road romp with benefits, those benefits including real-world vehicle dynamics."[9]

Dirt Racer programmer Chris Nash and graphic artist Adam Batham stated that development began in September 1993 after they dissected and analyzed the cartridge for Star Fox. They claimed that the updated iteration of the Super FX allowed them to use twice as many polygons as in Star Fox.[10] Unlike the racing game Stunt Race FX, Dirt Racer did not allow to change the viewing perspective because the designers saw it as a needless waste of memory.[11] Elite Systems development manager Trevor Williams explained that the game's race courses were generated on a "square mesh" which could be raised or lowered to create variable terrain.[3] The game's computer AI-controlled opponents were programmed to dynamically adjust to the skill level of the player so that even beginners stand a chance of winning.[11]

The completed version of Dirt Racer featured less complex visuals than what was previewed in magazines. For instance, sprites were ultimately used for the wheels, similar to Stunt Race FX.[9] Dirt Racer was released exclusively in Europe starting in May 1995. Wilcox shouldered some of the blame for the game's poor critical reception. It was his decision to exclude "driver aids" which he speculated would have mitigated its difficult vehicle controls.[9] In 2018, Elite Systems had considered giving Dirt Racer a limited physical re-release with improvements alongside a finished version of PowerSlide.[9]

Reception

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Dirt Racer received largely negative reviews from print publications during its release including 51% from Super Play,[18] 30% from Total!,[19] and 21% from GamesMaster.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Super FX chip information". SNES Central. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  2. ^ "Advanced overview". Super Adventures in Gaming. 26 February 2011. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Prescreen: Elite Systems". Edge. No. 7. April 1994. pp. 37–8. ISSN 1350-1593.
  4. ^ "C.E.S. Special Report: What Else?". Nintendo Power. Vol. 63. Nintendo of America. August 1994. p. 113. ISSN 1041-9551.
  5. ^ "Special Feature: Elite". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 6, no. 11. Ziff Davis. November 1993. pp. 154–5. ISSN 1058-918X.
  6. ^ Brooks, Jason (June 1994). "Gamefreak: SNES Tech & Gaming Answers". Super Play. No. 20. p. 72. ISSN 0966-6192.
  7. ^ "What's Really in store for '94". SNES Force. No. 8. Europress. January 1994. p. 17. ISSN 0969-5079.
  8. ^ "The Super Control News". Super Control. No. 9. Maverick Magazines. February 1994. p. 6. ISSN 0969-0778.
  9. ^ a b c d McFerran, Damien (13 July 2018). "Feature: This Unreleased SNES Super FX Racer Could Be Getting A Physical Rebirth". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  10. ^ Atko (March 1995). "Preview: Dirt Racer". Total!. No. 39. pp. 22–3. ISSN 0964-9352.
  11. ^ a b Atko (April 1995). "The Making of Dirt Racer FX". Total!. No. 40. pp. 14–5. ISSN 0964-9352.
  12. ^ Menier, Marc; Homsy, Richard (June 1995). "Super Nintendo Review: Dirt Racer". Consoles + [fr] (in French). No. 44. M.E.R.7 [fr]. pp. 84–85. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  13. ^ a b Ellis, Les (May 1995). "Reviews – Dirt Racer". GamesMaster. No. 29. p. 56. ISSN 0967-9855.
  14. ^ Nini, Nourdine (June 1995). "Les Zapping des Tests: Dirt Racer". Joypad [fr] (in French). No. 43. Yellow Media [fr]. p. 80. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  15. ^ Ehrle, Oliver (May 1995). "Spiele-Tests: Dirt Racer". MAN!AC [de] (in German). No. 19. Cybermedia. p. 59. (Transcription by MANIAC.de. Archived 13 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine).
  16. ^ Schmiedehausen, Götz (June 1995). "Test Kunterbunt: Dirt Racer". Mega Fun (in German). No. 33. Computec. p. 32. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  17. ^ Pottier, Christophe (June 1995). "Vite Vu – Le Zone de Vite Vu: Dirt Racer". Player One [fr] (in French). No. 54. Média Système Édition [fr]. p. 103.
  18. ^ a b Mott, Tony (May 1995). "UK Review: Dirt Racer SFX". Super Play. No. 31. pp. 46–47. ISSN 0966-6192.
  19. ^ a b Atko (May 1995). "Total! SNES Review: Dirt Racer FX". Total!. No. 41. pp. 56–57. ISSN 0964-9352.
  20. ^ Hellwig, Thomas (July 1995). "Test: Dirt Racer FX". Total! (in German). No. 26. X-Plain-Verlag. Archived from the original on 29 April 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  21. ^ Zengerle, Robert (May 1995). "Super Nintendo – Reviews: Rutshcpartie – Dirt Racer". Video Games [de] (in German). No. 42. Magna Media. p. 112. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  22. ^ Girlich, Stephan (July 1995). "Super NES Review – Dirt Racer". Play Time (in German). No. 49. Computec. pp. 116–117. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  23. ^ Evans, Jonathan; Guttery, Miles; Jones, Hayden (May 1995). "Super NES Review: Dirt Trax FX – It's a dirty job and everyone wants to do it!". Super Gamer. No. 14. Paragon Publishing. pp. 28–29.
  24. ^ Pilet, Stéphane (May–June 1995). "Test Éclair: Dirt Racer". Ultra Player [fr] (in French). No. 29. Média Système Édition [fr]. p. 106. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
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