| Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Magnetic Fields |
| Publisher(s) | Gremlin Graphics |
| Composer(s) | Patrick Phelan |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, Amiga CD32 (part of Lotus Trilogy), Atari ST, MS-DOS, Sega Genesis |
| Release | 1992 |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge is the third and final game in the Lotus racing series.
The third game in the series combined the gameplay aspects of its predecessors, allowing players to choose between racing opponents of Lotus Turbo Challenge or the arcade-like time trials of Lotus 2. The two-player option was retained and the music selection feature returns (Patrick Phelan's soundtrack to Lotus III spawned many modern remixes). Lotus III also added a third car - a concept Lotus M200 automobile - and allowed the player to choose which one to race with. The game recycled most of the graphics from Lotus 2, but added a number of new sceneries.
The Genesis/Mega Drive version bears the name Lotus II: RECS (referring to the game's new course creation feature) or simply Lotus II depending on country of release, while the MS-DOS port released in 1993 was called Lotus: The Ultimate Challenge. The MS-DOS version features the Lotus Esprit S4 instead of the Esprit Turbo SE. Apart from the slightly different cars graphics, the difference in gameplay is minimal, if any. The MS-DOS version was released again in 1996, this time on a CD-ROM.
Lotus III features a Racing Environment Construction Set (RECS) course creation system. The system allows users to create a race track by defining various basic parameters, such as number and difficulty of turns and hills, number of obstacles, type of scenery or difficulty of opponents. The created track can then be raced by one or both players. The course can also be written in form of a letter-and-digit code and later reused; these can be raced individually or in a series of up to nine user-created tracks.
The RECS system allows players to quickly create a unique track without having to use a course editor, but it sacrificed the facility of precisely positioning turns or obstacles. The RECS system was later reused in another Magnetic Fields' game, International Rally Championship .
The Amiga and Genesis versions of Lotus III again contain a hidden game, accessed by the password CU AMIGA in the Amiga version and POD PLEASE on the Genesis. The game is a graphically enhanced remake of Southern and Morris' Commodore 64 game POD. [1]
Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Genesis version a 5.4 out of 10. They complimented the course creation system but said the game is otherwise "more of the same" of the first Lotus game. [2] Computer Gaming World in August 1994 rated it 3.5 stars out of five and the best of four reviewed racing games. While recommending World Circuit for those wanting a racing simulation, the magazine approved of the "surprisingly realistic and consistent" car control, variety of courses, and the track designer. [3]
Page 6 was more negative to the game, saying "Perhaps Gremlin should ask Sean Connery to appear in the next edition and see if he can stop this sequelisation going entirely downhill. Sorry Gremlin I did not like this." [4]
PC Zone said: "Although Lotus is not as good as it might have been [...] it's still very playable and in two player mode pretty good fun". [5]
Matthew Squires for Amiga Power said: "If you can't go like a bat out of hell on your Amiga, where can you do it? It's no disgrace, but the time of Lotus has passed". [6]
David Reeves for OZAmiga Magazine wrote: "As car simulators go, the Lotus series has been very well received and this latest edition should be no exception". [7]
Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension is a platform game written for the Amiga by Gremlin Graphics and published in 1992. It was marketed as a rival to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. Zool was ported to other platforms and followed by Zool 2 in 1993.
Shadow of the Beast is a platform game developed by Reflections and published by Psygnosis in 1989. The original version was released for the Amiga, and was later ported to many other systems. The game was known for its graphics, with many colours on screen and up to twelve levels of parallax scrolling backdrops, and for its atmospheric score composed by David Whittaker that used high-quality instrument samples.
A-Train III, known internationally as A-Train, is a 1992 computer game, is the third game in the A-Train series. It was originally developed and published by Japanese game developer Artdink for Japan, and was later published by Maxis for the United States.
Top Gear is a racing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, published by Kemco and developed by Gremlin Graphics in 1992. The objective of the game is to become the fastest driver in the world by racing other drivers across several nations.
The Humans is a puzzle-platform video game developed by Imagitec Design in Dewsbury, England and originally published by Mirage Technologies for the Amiga in May 1992. It was later ported to other home computers and consoles. The goal of the game varies per level but usually revolves around bringing at least one of the player-controlled humans to the designated end area marked by a colored tile. Doing this requires players taking advantage of the tribe's ability to build a human ladder and use tools such as spears, torches, wheels, ropes and a witch doctor in later levels.
Lamborghini American Challenge is a 1992 racing video game developed and published by Titus France for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Super NES, Amiga CD32, and Game Boy.
The Lotus series consists of three racing computer games based around the Lotus brand: Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge, Lotus Turbo Challenge 2, and Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge. Published between 1990 and 1992 by Gremlin Graphics, the games gained very favourable reviews upon release. Original Amiga versions of the games were created by Shaun Southern and Andrew Morris of Magnetic Fields, and then ported by other individuals to several other computers and game consoles.
The Immortal is an isometric action-adventure game originally created by Will Harvey and released by Electronic Arts in 1990 for the Apple IIGS. It was soon ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Genesis. A wizard is attempting to find his mentor in a large and dangerous labyrinth. It has a high degree of graphic violence. In 2020, the NES port was re-released on the Nintendo Switch Online service, while the Genesis port was re-released on the Piko Collection Collection 1 cartridge for the Evercade.
Centurion: Defender of Rome is a turn-based strategy video game with real-time battle sequences, designed by Kellyn Beck and Bits of Magic and published by Electronic Arts. Originally released for MS-DOS in 1990, the game was later ported to the Amiga and the Sega Genesis in 1991. Centurion shares much of the concept and feel with Beck's earlier game Defender of the Crown (1987).
Top Gear 2 is a racer video game developed and published by Gremlin Interactive. A direct sequel to the 1992 game Top Gear, it was first released by Kemco for the SNES in North America on August 8, 1993, and then the Super Famicom in Japan on December 22. It was later ported to the Amiga on May 24, 1994 by Gremlin Interactive, and to the Sega Genesis on June 2 by Vic Tokai. While more realistic than its predecessor, Top Gear 2 maintained the arcade-style gameplay the series is known for.
Pirates! Gold is a 1993 computer game, a remake to Sid Meier's 1987 release, Sid Meier's Pirates!
Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing is an arcade-style Formula One racing video game developed by Gremlin Graphics and released for various systems. The game was largely successful on Amiga and DOS platforms, and was consequently ported to home consoles.
Ishar: Legend of the Fortress is a 1992 role-playing video game developed and published by Silmarils for the Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, MS-DOS, and Atari Falcon home computers. It is the first entry in the Ishar trilogy.
Mercenary III is the third and final video game in the Mercenary series. It was written by Paul Woakes for the Atari ST and Amiga and published by Novagen Software in 1992.
The Lost Vikings is a puzzle-platform game developed by Silicon & Synapse and published by Interplay. It was originally released for the Super NES in 1993, then subsequently released for the Amiga, Amiga CD32, MS-DOS, and Mega Drive/Genesis systems; the Mega Drive/Genesis version contains five stages not present in any other version of the game, and can also be played by three players simultaneously. Blizzard re-released the game for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. In 2014, the game was added to Battle.net as a free download emulated through DOSBox. In celebration of the company's 30th anniversary, The Lost Vikings was re-released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as part of the Blizzard Arcade Collection in February 2021.
Brutal Sports Football is a 1993 sports video game developed by Teque London and originally published by Millennium Interactive for the Amiga. It was re-published for MS-DOS and Amiga CD32, and later became the first third-party title published for the Atari Jaguar. The first entry in the Brutal Sports series, the game is a fictional style of football played against human or computer-controlled opponents. It features a different take on american football by emphasising the violent aspect of the sport.
No Greater Glory: The American Civil War is a 1991 video game published by Strategic Simulations.
Greg Norman's Shark Attack!: The Ultimate Golf Simulator is a 1990 video game published by Gremlin Graphics.
Team Suzuki is a 1991 racing video game developed and published by Gremlin Graphics for the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS. A demo version of the game, titled Team Suzuki: Trainer Disk, was released in 1991. It includes only the practice mode.
Tennis Cup is a 1990 tennis video game developed and published by Loriciel for the Amiga. It was ported to the Atari ST, MS-DOS and Amstrad CPC during the same year. Tennis Cup was ported to TurboGrafx-16 in 1991 as Davis Cup Tennis. Versions for the Super Nintendo and Mega Drive/Genesis were released in 1993.
| Authority control databases: National |
|---|
