Top Gear | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Gremlin Graphics |
Publisher(s) | Kemco |
Programmer(s) | Ashley Bennett Ritchie Brannan Simon Blake |
Artist(s) | Paul Gregory |
Composer(s) | Barry Leitch Hiroyuki Masuno |
Series | Top Gear |
Platform(s) | Super NES |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Racing |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Top Gear [lower-alpha 1] 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.
It marks the first game in the Top Gear racing game franchise, and it is one of the first racing games to be released on the Super NES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System). This game and its next two sequels were created by the same developers as the similar Lotus series of games was released earlier on the Amiga and Mega Drive.
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When players first start the game, they are given several options to choose from, including entering their name, a choice of four different controller layouts, a choice between automatic or manual transmission, and their choice of four unique cars. During the race, the player will have to steer and shift gears (if they chose a manual transmission). The player is also given control over three "nitros", which allow the player to increase their speed for a short period of time. The game features a password save system, made up of automotive terms such as "gear box" and "oilcloth". Each password grants access to another country to race in. During the race, there are pits in which players must stop in order to refuel. If their car runs out of fuel and coasts to a stop before the race is finished, the player will be disqualified.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2020) |
The music in Top Gear mostly consists of remixed tracks from the Lotus series of racing games on the Amiga produced by Barry Leitch. For example, the title music of Top Gear is taken from the ending of Lotus Turbo Challenge 2, and the third race of each country uses a remixed version of the Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge title theme.
The game (under the title Top Racer), along with several other retro titles, was released by Piko Interactive on a multi-cart for the Evercade handheld gaming system in 2020. [3]
Developer QUByte Interactive released the game for modern systems under the name Top Racer Collection on March 7, 2024.
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
GameRankings | 78% [4] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
AllGame | [5] |
GamePro | 23 / 25 [6] |
Nintendo Power | 14.6 / 20 [7] |
Consolemania | 80 / 100 [8] |
Consoles + | 82% [9] |
Game Zone | 86% [10] |
Joypad | 88% [11] 88% [12] |
Joystick | 86% [13] |
Mean Machines | 92% [14] |
N-Force | 91% [15] 93% [15] 87% [16] |
Nintendo Magazine System | 85% [17] |
Player One | 49% [18] |
Power Play | 72% [19] |
Superjuegos | 94 / 100 [20] |
Super Play | 76% [21] |
Super Pro | 69% [22] |
Tilt | 17 / 20 [23] |
Video Games | 75% [24] |
Top Gear was met with positive reception from critics and reviewers alike since its release.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2020) |
The game became very popular in Latin America, especially in Brazil. It inspired Brazilian company Aquiris Game Studio to create the arcade racing game Horizon Chase - World Tour , which features an original soundtrack scored by Top Gear composer Barry Leitch, who also contributes an unlockable remix of the Top Gear main title theme. [25]
Super Mario Kart is a kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The first game in the Mario Kart series, it was released in Japan and North America in 1992, and in Europe the following year in 1993. Selling 8.76 million copies worldwide, the game went on to become the fourth best-selling SNES game of all time. Super Mario Kart was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console in 2009, on the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2013, and on the New Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2016. Nintendo re-released Super Mario Kart in 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.
In video gaming, famiclone is a term used to refer to a hardware clone of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), known in Japan as the Family Computer or Famicom. They are designed to replicate the workings of, and play games designed for the NES and Famicom. Hundreds of unauthorized clones and unlicensed game copies have been made available since the height of the NES popularity in the late 1980s. The technology employed in such clones has evolved over the years: while the earliest clones feature a printed circuit board containing custom or third party integrated circuits (ICs), more recent (post-1996) clones utilize single-chip designs, with a custom ASIC which simulates the functionality of the original hardware, and often includes one or more on-board games. Most devices originate in China and Taiwan, and less commonly South Korea. Outside China and Taiwan, they are mostly widespread across emerging markets of developing countries.
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.
Axelay is a 1992 scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Konami for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Set in the fictional solar system Illis where an alien empire known as "Armada of Annihilation" invades its planets including the Earth-like Corliss (Mother), players take control of the titular D117B space fighter craft as a last resort to stop the alien invasion by recovering its lost weaponry. The gameplay mainly consist of both vertical-scrolling and horizonal-scrolling stages in the same vein as Konami's own Life Force, with players choosing three different weapon-types that increase in number as they progress through the game.
Super Tennis is a 1991 tennis video game for the Super NES. It was released at early points in the Super Nintendo's shelf lives and uses mode 7.
Low G Man: The Low Gravity Man is a platform game developed by KID and published in 1990 by Taxan in North America and by Nintendo in Europe for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
HyperZone is a rail shooter video game developed and published by HAL Laboratory for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It used the SNES' Mode 7 capability.
Spanky's Quest is an action game published in 1991 by Natsume, for the Game Boy and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
Konami Hyper Soccer is a 1992 soccer video game developed and published by Konami in Europe and Mattel in Australia for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Part of the Hyper Sports series, which included Hyper Olympic, its sequel Hyper Sports and Hyper Athlete, it is the second soccer game by Konami following Konami's Soccer on the MSX, and their first soccer game on a Nintendo platform.
BlaZeon is a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game released by Atlus in 1992 and was ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the same year. The game's most distinguishable feature is that players come equipped with a device that allows them to freeze and control certain robots.
Darius Twin is a 1991 horizontal-scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Taito for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is part of the Darius series. It was re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in 2010 for Japan on April 13 and for North America on December 13.
Battle Grand Prix is a 1992 Formula One racing video game developed by KID. One or two players can pit themselves in three Grand Prix races. Each of the different team cars have different color schemes. The courses vary from blacktop to concrete, and rain is also included and is implemented in the game.
Isolated Warrior is a 1991 video game developed by KID and published in Japan by Vap, in North America by NTVIC, and Europe by Nintendo. It falls in the shooter genre, although its gameplay also includes elements reminiscent of platforming, while it features isometric projection, similar to Sega's Zaxxon.
Smart Ball is a platform game developed by Game Freak and System Sacom. It was published by Epic/Sony Records and Sony Imagesoft for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991. A sequel titled Jerry Boy 2 was in production, but was not released.
GunForce is a side-scrolling run and gun video game produced by Irem for arcades in 1991. The game was ported by Bits Studios and published by Irem for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992. The sequel, GunForce II, was originally known in Japan as Geo Storm.
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.
Major Title is a golf sports video game that was released by Irem to arcades in 1990. A version of the game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as well as an arcade sequel, Major Title 2: Tournament Leader, were released in 1992. The SNES game and the arcade sequel were released in the United States as The Irem Skins Game.
Super Turrican is a video game in the Turrican series for the NES released in 1992.
Micro Machines is a racing game developed by Codemasters and originally published by Camerica for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991. Themed around Galoob's Micro Machines toys, players race in miniaturised toy vehicles around various environments. The game is the first installment in the Micro Machines video game series.