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Trax (video game)

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Trax
Developer(s)HAL Laboratory
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)Hirohiko Takayama
Platform(s)Game Boy
Release
  • JP: January 8, 1991
  • NA: September 1, 1991
  • EU: 1991
Genre(s)Shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Trax[a] is a shooter game for Nintendo's Game Boy developed by HAL Laboratory and published by HAL Laboratory in Japan and Europe, and by HAL America in North America (Electro Brain would rerelease the game afterwards). It was released on January 8, 1991, in Japan and released on September 1, 1991 overseas.[1][2][3]

Gameplay

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Gameplay screenshot

Trax is a shooter game.[2][4] The player controls a tank with a cannon that can be rotated to any one of the cardinal directions. Correspondingly, where traditional shooters consist of either horizontal or vertical levels, Trax mixes the two within the same level.

Development and release

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Trax was developed by HAL Laboratory.[5]

Reception

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Trax garnered average reception from critics.[1][2] Joystick's Jean-Marc Demoly said it was a dynamic game that deviates a bit from traditional shoot 'em ups, and highlighted its graphical presentation.[9] Aktueller Software Markt's Sandra Alter found the game easy to control, but noted that it slowed down when too many enemies appeared on the screen.[6] Play Time's Christian Müller commended the game's audiovisual department, precise controls, and good handling.[14] Jacques Harbonn of Consoles + gave the game positive remarks for its humorous introductory sequence, its varied range of weapons, playability and multiplayer mode, but saw the drab visuals and unexceptional soundscape as weak points.[7] Player One's Olivier Scamps celebrated the game's production value and multiplayer, but noted the occasional slowdowns and considered its low difficulty a major flaw.[11]

Joypad's Olivier Prézeau found the game's four-player mode appealing, and commended its originality, humorous situations, sprite animations and visuals, but noticed the occasional slowdown.[8] Video Games' Stephan Englhart opined that the game's enemies, landscapes, and weapons were not designed with much imagination. Englhart criticized the game's lack of variety and low difficulty, but highlighted its four-player mode.[13] Nintendo Magazine System (Official Nintendo Magazine) rated Trax as a "Snooze-inducing driving-type game which lacks the pace and excitement to get the adrenalin flowing".[10] Steve Jarratt of Total! commended the game's frenetic action, but lamented its short length.[12] Super Gamer labelled it as a strange but repetitive multi-directional shooter.[15]

Notes

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  1. ^ Known in Japan as Charge! Ponkotsu Tank (Japanese: 突撃！ポンコツタンク, Hepburn: Totsugeki! Ponkotsu Tanku)

References

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  1. ^ a b c "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: 突撃！ポンコツタンク". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 119. ASCII Corporation. January 11, 1991. (Transcription by Famitsu.com).
  2. ^ a b c Nihei, Wes (October–November 1991). "Game Boy ProReview: Trax". GamePro's Handheld Video Games (Special). No. 2. IDG. p. 24.
  3. ^ "Game Boy (original) Games" (PDF). Nintendo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  4. ^ Trax instruction booklet (Game Boy, US)
  5. ^ "突撃！ポンコツタンク/TRAX | ハル研究所". HAL Laboratory. 2023. Archived from the original on 2018-03-05. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  6. ^ a b Alter, Sandra (May 1991). "Konsolen: Gummipanzer? - Ponkotsu Tank (Game Boy)". Aktueller Software Markt (in German). No. 52. Tronic Verlag. p. 123.
  7. ^ a b Harbonn, Jacques (July 1992). "Game Boy Review: Trax". Consoles + [fr] (in French). No. 11. M.E.R.7 [fr]. p. 108.
  8. ^ a b Prézeau, Olivier (August 1992). "Game Boy: Tank Il Y Aura Des Hommes! - Trax". Joypad [fr] (in French). No. 11. Challenge SARL. p. 160.
  9. ^ a b Demoly, Jean-Marc (March 1991). "Consoles News - Game Boy: Ponkotsu Tank". Joystick (in French). No. 14. Sipress. p. 140.
  10. ^ a b "Nintendo Magazine System Game Index: Game Boy". Nintendo Magazine System. No. 1. EMAP. October 1992. pp. 109–111.
  11. ^ a b Scamps, Olivier (July–August 1992). "Tests De Jeux - Game Boy: Trax". Player One [fr] (in French). Média Système Édition [fr]. pp. 122–123.
  12. ^ a b Jarratt, Steve (October 1992). "GB Reviews Round-Up: Trax". Total!. No. 10. Future Publishing. p. 83.
  13. ^ a b Englhart, Stephan (August 1992). "Test: Panzer For Peace - Trax (Game Boy)". Video Games [de] (in German). No. 9. Markt & Technik. p. 114.
  14. ^ a b Müller, Christian (January 1992). "Konsolen Spiele: Trax (Game Boy)". Play Time [de] (in German). No. 8. Computec. p. 80. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  15. ^ a b "A-Z of Games - Nintendo Games Index: Game Boy". Super Gamer. No. 1. Paragon Publishing. April 1994. pp. 125–126.
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