Crazee Rider

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Crazee Rider
CrazeeRider-disk-electron.png
Acorn Electron 3.5" disk inlay
Developer(s) Kevin Edwards [1]
Publisher(s) Superior Software
Acornsoft
Platform(s) Acorn Electron, BBC Micro
Release
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player

Crazee Rider is a motorbike racing video game created by Kevin Edwards and published by Superior Software in 1987. [1] It was released for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro with an enhanced version for the BBC Master. The game was particularly well received for the Electron as it was the first 3D racing game with corners for that machine.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Gameplay

Acorn Electron screenshot showing a corner on the Le Mans circuit. CrazeeRider-electron.png
Acorn Electron screenshot showing a corner on the Le Mans circuit.

The player competes as one of sixty riders in a series of motorbike races held on the real life race circuits Le Mans, Anderstorp, Paul Ricard, Brands Hatch, Misano, Silverstone and the Nürburgring. The player must finish in the top six in order to qualify for the next race.

As the race begins, the player's bike is slow to accelerate so the rest of the field speed past. The player must attempt to catch and pass the other racers. The player may also gain bonus points by knocking the other racers off their bikes by side swiping them when the player is slightly in front. If the computer controlled racer is slightly in front when the bikes clash, it will cause the player to slow down. If the player hits the back of another bike, their bike is disabled for a short time. [2]

Development

The game was originally conceived as an Acorn Electron car racing game as a follow-up to the hugely successful Overdrive . That game was the only 3D racing game available for the Electron so despite only having straight tracks, became Superior Software's biggest selling game. [3] In late 1986, Superior reissued Acornsoft's BBC Micro only racing simulation Revs and were also working on the Grand Prix Construction Set , set for release in 1987. Neither of these games were able to be converted for the Electron. After completing the shoot 'em up Galaforce , Superior asked Kevin Edwards if he would be interested in writing an Electron racing game. [4] During development, it was decided to change the game to a motorbike racer and to also release it on the BBC Micro. [4]

The Electron version runs in a four colour mode with the player able to change the three main colours (the fourth always remaining black). The standard BBC Micro version is virtually identical but runs in an eight colour mode. An enhanced version was included for the BBC Master which included more circuits, extra in-game graphics (including extra animation and different coloured opponents) and music by Martin Galway. [5] [6]

Release

Crazee Rider was published in 1987 on cassette and 5.25" DFS floppy disk as well as ADFS 3.5" disk for the Acorn Electron Plus 3 and Master Compact. The original release included a competition prize of a £500 moped. [7]

The game was included on the Play It Again Sam 2 compilation in 1988 and also re-released in 1989 as part of the Superior/Blue Ribbon budget range.

Reception

Electron User called the game "superb", giving an overall score of 9/10 (with 10/10 for both playability and value for money) with reviewer Joanne Hutcheson concluding "Crazee Rider is an exciting game - it's fast, challenging and there's plenty to keep you entertained". [8] A&B Computing, who concentrated on the BBC Micro, were less impressed, awarding only 7/10. Reviewer Dave Reeder claimed: "There is nothing here that marks bold new steps into unknown programming areas - the game is solidly put together but is not up to the usual high standard of Superior releases for the Beeb". He did however concede that "The Electron version is what counts and here, I'm told, it does things at great speed to amaze Electron owners". [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acorn Electron</span> Personal computer sold in Britain

The Acorn Electron was a lower-cost alternative to the BBC Micro educational/home computer, also developed by Acorn Computers Ltd, to provide many of the features of that more expensive machine at a price more competitive with that of the ZX Spectrum. It had 32 kilobytes of RAM, and its ROM included BBC BASIC II together with the operating system. Announced in 1982 for a possible release the same year, it was eventually introduced on 25 August 1983 priced at £199.

Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers, and a major publisher of software for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. As well as games, it also produced a large number of educational titles, extra computer languages and business and utility packages – these included word processor VIEW and the spreadsheet ViewSheet supplied on ROM and cartridge for the BBC Micro/Acorn Electron and included as standard in the BBC Master and Acorn Business Computer.

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Superior Software Ltd is a video game publisher. It was one of the main publishers for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in the 1980s and early 1990s, and occasionally published software to the Commodore 64, Amiga, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. It currently releases games for Microsoft Windows, iOS and Android, mostly updates of its original games.

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References

  1. 1 2 Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  2. ↑ Original instructions, Superior Software
  3. ↑ Leah, Tony (November 1989). "Heading For The Century". Electron User. Vol. 7, no. 2. Database Publications. pp. 36–38.
  4. 1 2 Kevin, Edwards (September 1987). "No Cutting Corners On Crazee Rider". Electron User. Vol. 4, no. 12. Database Publications. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  5. 1 2 Crazee Rider review Archived 2011-08-20 at the Wayback Machine , A&B Computing, vol 4 no 10, October 1987
  6. ↑ Crazee Rider at Computer and Video Game Music
  7. ↑ "Interview: The Superior Software Years and The Future", Crispin Boylan, The BBC Games Archive, 1998
  8. ↑ "On Yer Bike!", Electron User #4.12, September 1987
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