That game is currently sitting in my SNES. I put it in after I did a Mario Kart play through a few weeks ago and got side tracked. Still haven’t got round to playing it.
Cracking vid. I was playing this only a few weeks back and you can get a 'feel' for it after a while. Although, the steering mechanic is a bit fiddly. For filled-poly-3D games, Driller has to be up there, too (and Dark Side, of course). IIRC they came with a bizarre origami 3d cardboard map of the planet.
@@ToughMonkey The manual gears make it easier to control the speed, once you've gotten coordinated. The gears seem to correspond to the speed limit signs, IIRC. In fact, it would be really good if I could run this in a PC emulator, and try to use a PC steering wheel and sequential shifiting. If the emulator allows the Z80 to be overclocked, then that might well be the best way to play the game, if I can get a decent steering experience.
@@ToughMonkey Yeah - the Spectrum and Amstrad versions are really pushing the systems beyond what you'd usually see for them - so a great technical achievement - but those controls are poor. The gameplay matters as as much as the visuals - more, in fact. At least an autocentre mode would have been useful. Physics issues as well - as you mentioned with the banked curve. Gravity works very strangely in these versions! I played them in 1991, a few months before I managed to get hold of a Mega Drive. I did love some of the Spectrum and Amstrad stuff, however. Them being 'real' computers, and booting to a command prompt gave them real educational value, for those who were interested and capable, and had a little documentation and support or assistance.
The surprise is that it just about works. The controls are very difficult to get your head around, but I think it plays better than several other games that people talk about fondly.
Just watched your megadrive video (and commented on the mid engine issue, hah) but weirdly after marvelling at how low the framerate was compared to how I remembered it, seeing it overlaid next to the speccy version it seems buttery smooth! (And I mean that in an opticall illusion sense)
Yes it’s sometimes fascinating to revisit old games and see if they’re how you remember them and then compare them against other ports of that game to see how they stack up. There’s a definite hierarchy of performance with Hard Drivin’ across the various ports depending on how the computer or console could handle the specific needs of this game.
Better suited to the Speccy than the C64 (and I owned both) due to the Speccy dealing with 3D better, and the slightly faster processor speed helps. Very rudimentary graphics but the overall speed and frame rate are pretty good (the original arcade game wasn't exactly 60fps)
All very true. The arcade game was choppy and the MegaDrive version was very similar. Running the MegaDrive and Speccy versions side by side through my editing software shows that the Speccy was doing a really good job. It’s not as quick, but then it has no business being as quick as a 16 bit console.
Thanks, I’m pleased with how it turned out. They’re mostly just spares as I’ve got a box under my desk I keep the every day controllers in, it they’re all accessible should I need additional controllers.
It’s scary how much of my car related knowledge comes from 70’s, 80’s and 90’s Top Trumps. I pretty much stopped playing when Gareth Keenan in the UK version of the Office starts pulling out stats. It’s a curse.
I can understand why. It was borderline giving me a migraine….but ultimately it gave me immense satisfaction to beat it. It took me a good hour of practicing before I finally nailed the footage in the video. The control system is horrible.
@@ToughMonkey yep. That steering centring was the worst for me. So many great games on zx speccy but this was not one of them. I shall however defend gunship, afterburner and disco dan to the death 🤣
It took a good half hour of practicing to do this in a single take while I got used to the controls, so it at least elevates it to the longevity of many other Speccy games.
So what do we think? Was it demonstrating what the Speccy could really do, or just highlighting its issues?
Makes Star Fox/Star Wing on the SNES look super smooth
That game is currently sitting in my SNES. I put it in after I did a Mario Kart play through a few weeks ago and got side tracked. Still haven’t got round to playing it.
Cracking vid. I was playing this only a few weeks back and you can get a 'feel' for it after a while. Although, the steering mechanic is a bit fiddly.
For filled-poly-3D games, Driller has to be up there, too (and Dark Side, of course). IIRC they came with a bizarre origami 3d cardboard map of the planet.
You’re right. The first time you try to play it the controls blow your mind. But after ten minutes or so you become accustomed to it.
@@ToughMonkey
The manual gears make it easier to control the speed, once you've gotten coordinated.
The gears seem to correspond to the speed limit signs, IIRC.
In fact, it would be really good if I could run this in a PC emulator, and try to use a PC steering wheel and sequential shifiting.
If the emulator allows the Z80 to be overclocked, then that might well be the best way to play the game, if I can get a decent steering experience.
@@TechRyze I’ve got a new sim rig coming in the next few days. Maybe I try that first rather than iRacing!
'Steering doesn't autocentre (unless you hit the spacebar).'
Yeah, that's right. Such a wierd control system. I mean, I supposed it worked, but it gave you a mental workout trying to get it right.
@@ToughMonkey
Yeah - the Spectrum and Amstrad versions are really pushing the systems beyond what you'd usually see for them - so a great technical achievement - but those controls are poor.
The gameplay matters as as much as the visuals - more, in fact. At least an autocentre mode would have been useful.
Physics issues as well - as you mentioned with the banked curve. Gravity works very strangely in these versions!
I played them in 1991, a few months before I managed to get hold of a Mega Drive.
I did love some of the Spectrum and Amstrad stuff, however.
Them being 'real' computers, and booting to a command prompt gave them real educational value, for those who were interested and capable, and had a little documentation and support or assistance.
I was always suprised they attempted this game :) I never had it myself think I thought it would never work.
The surprise is that it just about works. The controls are very difficult to get your head around, but I think it plays better than several other games that people talk about fondly.
Just watched your megadrive video (and commented on the mid engine issue, hah) but weirdly after marvelling at how low the framerate was compared to how I remembered it, seeing it overlaid next to the speccy version it seems buttery smooth! (And I mean that in an opticall illusion sense)
Yes it’s sometimes fascinating to revisit old games and see if they’re how you remember them and then compare them against other ports of that game to see how they stack up. There’s a definite hierarchy of performance with Hard Drivin’ across the various ports depending on how the computer or console could handle the specific needs of this game.
It's certainly all relative!
Check out the Super Nintendo version of Race Drivin', for instance 🤣
Better suited to the Speccy than the C64 (and I owned both) due to the Speccy dealing with 3D better, and the slightly faster processor speed helps. Very rudimentary graphics but the overall speed and frame rate are pretty good (the original arcade game wasn't exactly 60fps)
All very true. The arcade game was choppy and the MegaDrive version was very similar. Running the MegaDrive and Speccy versions side by side through my editing software shows that the Speccy was doing a really good job. It’s not as quick, but then it has no business being as quick as a 16 bit console.
Looks great! for speccy that is.
Great vid!
Thanks. For a Speccy I think it looks great too. It just runs very slowly, but is just about playable.
Did this version also have the crash animation?
It has the crash replays, yes.
Love your Controller display
Thanks, I’m pleased with how it turned out. They’re mostly just spares as I’ve got a box under my desk I keep the every day controllers in, it they’re all accessible should I need additional controllers.
I really enjoyed the Game Boy version Race Drivin'
I didn’t know they did it on GameBoy!
@@ToughMonkey it is a very impressive port. Runs pretty decent too.
Well it's better than the C64 version..
A week long migraine was better than the C64 version.
Yeah right always thought hard drivin was a good conversion
Pulls out 'Top Trumps' for fact-checking. Brilliant.
It’s scary how much of my car related knowledge comes from 70’s, 80’s and 90’s Top Trumps. I pretty much stopped playing when Gareth Keenan in the UK version of the Office starts pulling out stats.
It’s a curse.
The controls for this game were terrible, couldn't keep the car from zigzagging across the track.
It was close to impossible, I agreee. If you pressed space it centred the steering which does work but it melts your brain getting it to work.
My gosh i hated this game with a passion
I can understand why. It was borderline giving me a migraine….but ultimately it gave me immense satisfaction to beat it. It took me a good hour of practicing before I finally nailed the footage in the video. The control system is horrible.
@@ToughMonkey yep. That steering centring was the worst for me. So many great games on zx speccy but this was not one of them.
I shall however defend gunship, afterburner and disco dan to the death 🤣
For a speccy it's impressive but you did a vid on this game and finished in in a few minutes so it's awful game regardless
It took a good half hour of practicing to do this in a single take while I got used to the controls, so it at least elevates it to the longevity of many other Speccy games.