Super Off Road
Game by Tradewest Sports
Reviewed by Woody
groves3@teleport.com
Size: 1 Megabit
Save: None
Released: 1992
Works with: All Gameboys

Opening Snide Remarks: Wow!  What is this? Super Off Road? Just like I used
to play with my brother in the arcade.  I bet this game will be great! It's
only 10 dollars- this is Fat City, USA.

Gameplay: Well... The gameplay in this game is really, really stupid. You are
in the game, with hard to see sprites (more below) and the goal is to get to
the finish line first.  If you get fourth place you lose a life, of which you
have 3. You can pick up bonuses along the way (nitro packs, not
surprisingly), as well as extra cash.  If you qualify for the next race you
receive prize money and the option to upgrade your car.

A new user would be tempted to spend all the money on nitros, but in the
later races drivers would regret this strategy.  Options you can upgrade
include your acceleration, top speed, tires, and shocks.  Each of these
provides such minimal boost in performance as to be utterly unnoticeable. So,
what happens, you ask, when you max out your car? I don't know!  There are
about eight tracks, which you also race backward (sorry, I wouldn't call this
setup 16 tracks). 

After you race all the tracks - so far as I can tell - you repeat the
process.  I have gotten to race 49 without an end in sight.  I think there
may be no end. And one more thing: this game has no multiplayer! The whole
point of the game in the arcade (remember all those steering wheels) was to
whoop on your pals, not the computer.

Graphics: For this game's age, the tracks themselves look remarkably sharp.
There are potholes that your car will dip in, and there are mounds that your
car (ok, it's a truck darnit) teeters over.  The 3/4s perspective shows
clearly the action on the track.  However, the cars are rendered in a tiny
scale.  They have one-pixel wide frames, and are drawn in many different
degrees (You can easily tell the front of the car from the back, the top from
the bottom, etc).  Also, the splash/cut screens feature the standard
bikini-clad prize woman. These are of average quality.

Sound: The collision sounds sound like the nitro sounds.  The prize sound
seems like 'default sound number 1' in the pre-built gameboy sound library.
Expect nothing from these sounds

Music: It sounds like there is only one song in this whole game.  This is
especially insulting, as it is very cliched game music.  The theme loops over
and over while you race, and later in you head. It is hardly catchy, more
grating than anything else.  Turn off the speaker.

Play Control: Ok, here we go... The play control in this game is almost
horrid.  The cars feel as though they have 1 degree of turn- which both
over-steers and under-steers you consistently.  The 'jumps' provide almost no
air, and when your vehicle hits the dirt it is jolted the opposite direction
(although maybe this is realistic).  And worst of all... When your car and an
opponent's overlap (yes, the cars can completely cover each other) your car
will turn around 180 degrees!

So, as you begin that corner, you are gaining on the computer's tail.  You
get into the straightaway and pump a nitro.  Then you are on top of the
computer, then you are facing the opposite direction.  It is very annoying,
so much so to detract grossly from this game.  

Final Analysis: Very buggy plays control. Graphics too small to be effective
on an original gameboy. One infinitely looping song.  No multiplayer.  For
the love of god- don't spend money on this game.  Go to your local bookstore
and buy a dictionary to memorize before you try this game.

Score
Gameplay: ***
Graphics: ***
Sound: **
Music: **
Play Control: **
Total: 12/25

Final Score: 48%

Currently Known Codes:
Why would one need codes for such a mediocre game? I know of none.