Super Off Road on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive

Super Off Road was one of my favourite racers from back in the day. Used to play the game a lot on the Commodore Amiga. That version had a license on it for Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart'. Was very interested to see how the game played on the Sega Mega Drive in comparison.

Super Off Road is a racing game published by Virgin in 1992 and based on the arcade coin-op from Leland Corporation in 1989.

How does this one play then?

Well, I'm pleased to say it plays wonderfully. This version is a bit different from the Amiga version I was previously used to and you can sort of look at this as an enhanced arcade version. Very pleasing indeed!

You control a small red car in this oblique top down racing game. It's kind of like a dirt-version of Super Sprint. You race three other opponents and the aim is to progress to as many different courses as possible without getting knocked out.

Prize money is awarded depending on your finishing position which you can use to upgrade your car. Upgrades available are Nitros, Acceleration, Tyres, Speed and Shocks. All are vital to ensure your successful progress. Finishing fourth means no prize money at all meaning you can't upgrade your car for the next race... when this happens a few times in a row you know GAME OVER is imminent.

It seems there are a lot more courses available here than on the Arcade and Amiga versions which is fantastic. The game play is very welcoming for the beginner new to the game, but can rank up quite quickly due to a kind of in-built rubber-banding system.

After each race, you hopefully see yourself on the podium with scantily clad bikini girls. Erm yes... this was probably okay for 1992, but nowadays the Political Correctness police would be heavily on your case. Grid Girls being no longer used in Formula One of course. Changing times. When looking at Retro Games, you have to take yourself back to the era they were originally produced.

Super Off Road is a magnificently fun game. Would highly recommend this version for people both new to the game and those who only had other versions such as myself. It's like a Super Off Road Enhanced Edition!

Check out the Youtube video review above!!

Nick :o)

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Road Rash 3 on the Sega Genesis / Megadrive

Road Rash 3, you won't be surprised to hear, was the third instalment of the Road Rash Series which began on the system in 1991. Road Rash II arrived in 1993, then this third game in 1995. All were published by Electronic Arts.

The first game was outstanding, the second built off the same gaming engine and gave us tougher opponents and more bikes, so what does the third give us? Is it any better? Below is the Youtube video review.

Road Rash games consist of racing with a difference. That difference being comical violence. It's all clean fun. No pixels get injured... I think.

Simply, you start on a Skill Level of 1, must finish in the top 3 on each of the tracks to increasingly level up and face better and stronger AI opponents. It's racing meets fighting. Ace! You have the ability to punch fellow riders off their bikes, club them, hit them with chains, anything to hinder them finishing in front of you. Seems fair.

Road Rash 3 again builds on the greatness of the previous games to offer us slightly more.

You start off with quite a weedy bike, a leaf blower, but by completing races and earning money, you can eventually upgrade. So a bit of grinding. Continuous play will be rewarded. There are three Bike Classes with the highest one being Super Bikes which we must all aspire to. This is where the addictiveness builds. The game is already heaps of fun, but you just want to get enough money for the next bike upgrade. Just one more race...

This time you are racing through 5 different countries. Oncoming traffic in each is not always on the same side of the road which means you have to adjust your tactics a bit depending on where you are. Those evil crossroads are still in place.

The sprites of the rider have been updated from the first two games which isn't a bad thing. The playability is still there. It's still Road Rash. It's manic racing fighting action all the way !!

Overall, I'd rate in on Parr with Road Rash II. It offers a bit more, but not a massive amount. If you enjoyed the first two games, you will absolutely love this one. I sure did!

Nick :o)

Please share and spread the word on social media platforms!  :)   #njenkin

Road Rash II on the Sega Genesis / Megadrive - a great sequel ?

A short while ago we looked at Road Rash on the Sega Mega Drive and the verdict was, it was pretty awesome. I enjoyed playing it so much. This ground-breaking racing/fighting game was released by EA in 1991. Knowing there was also two sequels, it seemed only right, I'd get to those also. Sensed there was lot more fun yet to be had with this adventure.

This time it was the turn of Road Rash II published two years after the original game, hitting the shelves in 1993. The game was also published by EA.
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Hopes were high after the success of the first one. I was hyped to maximum which isn't always a good thing. Sets you up for disappointment. Remember the Star Wars Phantom Menace movie? Ok, sorry if you'd blocked that film out your memory. Bits of it are okay right? The Podrace... the Darth Maul fight scenes. Think I'm going off on a tangent...

Erm anyway, is the second Road Rash game as good as the first, better or worse?

The sequel is instantly recognisable as Road Rash. They don't drift a huge distance from the winning formula. The game admittedly uses a lot of the original sprites and is clearly based off the same gaming engine. Thankfully it does build from the impressive first outing and offers more.

There are a numerous bikes to save up for by earning cash from races. These gradually increase in horsepower through Classes ranging from Light to Super bikes. You just know as a kid you would have played and played to get the money for the fastest bike in town.

There's a new set of tracks, more aggressive opponents and a variety of weapons to upset your fellow competitors with. Nothing can beat the fun of leaping fifty feet into the air, landing on the road and hitting another rider over the head perfectly with a big chain. The chain is my personal favourite.

It's all clean fun. Kind of. The occasional police officer on the road won't find it very amusing and try to bust you. The aim is to finish in the top through on every track to progress to the next difficulty level. Your bike can get wrecked along the way or you can end up in the hospital if you're not too careful. These are mean streets. Funny though!

This worthy sequel maintains the enjoyment and addictiveness of the first game and adds yet another superb layer. A really really enjoyable game. Shear brilliance !!!

Have a watch of the video review hosted on the channel via Youtube.

Will have to look at Road Rash 3 very soon. What a series so far !!

Nick :o)

ROAD RASH on the Sega Genesis / Sega Mega Drive

Recently reviewed this wonderful motorcycle racer on the Channel.  I found it to be awfully good fun indeed. Road Rash was published on the Sega Mega Drive by EA in 1991 and was an instant winner. It was to spawn further games in the series. Check out the Youtube review on below.

What separates Road Rash from other cycle racers?

Well, you can brutally punch opponents from their bike whilst overtaking and this ramps the fun up to ridiculous levels. It's not strictly gentlemanly behaviour, but this is all-out arcade action. Take no prisoners !!!

Oncoming traffic, crossroads and some ludicrous jumps add to the excitement.

Frame rate could be slightly better, but the playability is there. Like all good games, the difficulty learning curve is perfect. Your first time round the various circuits your opponents won't attack, allowing you to get used to racing.

Later however, they're  a lot more aggressive, but you'll be more than ready for them by this point.
An excellent game all round. I look forward to reviewing future games in the series. Highly Recommended!

Nick  :o)

Sonic the Hedgehog - Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection

Look Nick, you can't run a Retro Gaming channel without reviewing Sonic the Hedhehog at least once !!!

Well yes. Ok. I suppose that is true. Growing up, the main computers I owned were the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore Amiga. Unfortunately Sonic never featured on those. Apparently US Gold had the license, but the games never materialised. This is just as well really as some of US Gold's conversions were absolutely awful. Their Amiga conversion of Outrun was so bad, I think somebody should have been sent to prison for a very long time.

Sonic the Hedgehog then! I did eventually own this on the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection on the PS3 which we are gradually reviewing our way through. There are a lot of Sonic games on this collection, but it seems logical to start with the first one.

Originally released on the Sega Mega Drive in 1991, this PS3 collection came out in 2009. Playing like a complete newbie, I was immediately impressed. If you're unaware, Sonic is a platform game where you have to complete each stage as fast as you can and collect as many gold rings as possible along the way. You need some skills to get the best out of it, but the gameplay is very welcoming indeed. And the speed is amazing. Music is brilliant. I certainly missed out not owning this game back in the day and I look forward to reviewing all the sequels.

In terms of classic retro games, this one is huge! Below is my full gameplay review on njenkin with dubious commentary as per usual. Hooray!

 Thanks for visiting this blog or watching the video. If you'd like to support the growth of the channel, you can by subscribing to it on Youtube at njenkin. Every Sub helps!

Take good care of yourself, and til next time, a very fond, Goodbye !!!!

Nick :o)

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle

SEGA Megadrive Ultimate Collection on the PS3

I never owned a Sega Mega Drive back in the day. I started in the eighties with a ZX Spectrum then later the Commodore Amiga in this era and the Sega Mega Drive sadly passed me by. Being a big fan of Retro Gaming I was later pleased to get hold of the Sega Megadrive Ultimate Collection on the Playstation 3 so I could try out all these great classic games I had missed.

 There are a number of absolute gems on this collection. I've already covered some on my Youtube Channel njenkin for you to take a look at. These include the amazing Golden Axe and Streets of Rage trilogies which are definitely worth a watch for nostalgia alone. This week I played and reviewed another classic, Alex Kid in the Enchanted Castle. A cute platformer released on the Mega Drive back in 1989.

Did you own it? Did you play it? Have any good memories? Let me know what you think.

Nick :o)