Super Cars
System: NES
Release Date: February 1991
Developer: Magnetic Fields
Publisher: Electro Brain
Genre: Racing
Show that you have what it takes to take the checkered flag in Super Cars! You’ve entered a nine race circuit that pays out cash for finishing in the trifecta. But you have to finish in a cash position or it’s game over. Do you have what it takes?
The menu screen has you choosing from one of nine tracks to race on, the garage for single race upgrades, and the sales floor where you can buy yourself a brand new ride. The cars are expensive, so you have to save up for several races in order to afford them. Your car has four meters that you need to keep from running out during the races. Gas and engine drain consistently as you race around the track. Body drains as you crash into other cars or walls. Tires wear out as you skid around corners. If any of these meters falls to zero, it’s an immediate game over.
After each race, you’re going to want to stop into the garage. This is where you pay to refill those four meters and you don’t want to forget to do that. There are also a handful of upgrades that increase the capabilities of your car. A few races have a lot of consecutive turns, which benefit from the power steering upgrade. If you know there are long straightaways, buy the high speed kit. There are even missiles you can shoot from ahead or behind, though I didn’t get use from them.
As you save up money, you can buy better cars. It took me awhile to move up to the next vehicle, but it did maneuver better. Maneuvering is important when you find oil slicks or patches of water on the road. These are placed randomly, so where it is in one play through isn’t necessarily where it will be in another. This is definitely a long haul game, and you get a password every time you complete the nine track circuit, so you don’t have to do it all in one sitting.
Graphics: 2.5
The overhead view doesn’t allow for much detail, but it looks pretty good overall.
Sound: 3.0
I think the music is awesome and I like it a lot, though the sound effects leave much to be desired.
Gameplay: 1.5
Steering is a bit of a pain without powerups and having to manage the four meters after every race is annoying.
Difficulty: 1.5
The AI loves to stick in the middle of the road and always be in your way, finishing outside of the top three or a drained meter is a game over.
Fun Factor: 2.0
It’s not a very exciting game, but it’s not a bad time.
Overall Rating: 2.1
Super Cars earns a C. Not the best racing game, not the worst. I probably would have played through the whole thing as a kid.