So, arcade racing fans, is this worth adding to your already large Christmas wishlist? And so it came to pass that Screamer Rally came out. And now, come Christmas, Virgin have decided that they should try and take Sega's rally arcader on its own tracks. They were both pure arcade, beautiful, and a helluva lot of fun to play. Virgin, on the other hand, were producing their own very successful arcade hits, Screamer, soon followed by Screamer 2. The PC version, an enhanced port from the Saturn, is still a joy to see and play. Keep in the elements of fun, coming from the emphasis on quick reflexes, but add an engine that, while still being low on realism (and car damage), takes into account car handling on different surfaces. Sega Championship Rally was one of the best titles of the year, showing how it should be done. It was Sega who first got something truly worthwhile out in this somewhat bizarre computer racing department. Arcade racing games have nothing to do with real life racing, except the way they look.Īrcade Rally racing game: Huh?! Add one drop of realism, two drops of fun.

Requiring fast reflexes only, the engine is simplified to the point where car damage is irrelevant, and the on-screen 'car' behaves like no car in real life would. An on screen 'car' controlled by the player has to complete a set of increasingly difficult tracks under increasingly difficult time constraints. In short, a rally is one of the most difficult, and diverse, racing challenges in the world.Īn arcade racing game: Fun on wheels. Adaptability to changing surfaces and weather conditions is mandatory, as is handling of accumulated car damage. It requires driving, but also physical, talent, and a blind cooperation between driver and navigator.

Rally race: A grueling driving effort, several days long.

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