Gunning and Racing
Road Blasters is an arcade conversion by US Gold that attempts to recreate the speed and thrills of the original. Imagine a Bullrun Rally event through 50 overcrowded highways. You must win each to progress on to the next. Yep, nothing new, but I'm sure you already know that this is going to be tons of fun, right?
What makes this game different from many racers is a combination of driving and shooting. This means your gleaming red sports car has a mounted machine gun. The easiest targets are the yellow cars, which are a quick kill, but the motorbikes are a pest because of their tiny size. Occasionally, several jeeps will swarm around you like something from a Mad Max movie. React viciously; take no prisoners. Oh, yeah!!
It's time to break up the reading with a screenshot. And I want one with a green blob...
Bubble City sounds like a cool place - I must drive there!
Carmageddon!
Watch out for hazards like oil spills, roadside turrets, bullet-proof purple cars and those darn proximity mines. Fortunately, you do seem to have friends. A futuristic aircraft frequently flies by, dropping power-ups such as speed boosts, extra weapons, and shields. However, it takes a lot of practice to collect these goodies precisely!
At your disposal is a limitless supply of replacement cars, but they are all fuel-greedy, so if you run dry, then it's game over. Luckily, fuel pods are available to collect by driving through them for a top-up. Your car is equipped with a reserve fuel tank, which should only be relied upon as a last resort, but the good news is that it's replenished at the end of each race. Well, depending on your performance. So keep practising!
Oh, it sounds very exciting, doesn't it? Well, I think it's time for another screenshot...
Fast cars and guns. What more could you ever desire?
Input & Output!
The controls are sharp with responsive steering that retains the arcade feel. Well, as much as possible, using the joystick. No complaints as I found the car handled excellently and instantly took to it.
Visually, this is an older-generation racer on the Atari ST, more like Crazy Cars 2, if that makes sense. So I never expected arcade-quality visuals, but it retains a good feeling of the original, whilst not being the best you'll get from your lovely computer. It's colourful but needed more decor, but for an older racer, I like it. The sound effects are good and better than those of Lotus Turbo. I enjoyed the excellent music. Nuff said.
Almost there, so it's time for the last screenshot...
Now is the time to drive like Knight Ride to collect those goodies from above!
The CryptO'pinion?
Technically, it's far from being the best racer, but I love this speedster. And we're armed, so that's basically one hell of a bonus (since when has adding a gun not been a good idea!). A much-underrated game that deserves more attention because it's fast, thrilling, and the car is weaponised. A perfect combination!
Technically, it's far from being the best racer, but I love this speedster. And we're armed, so that's basically one hell of a bonus (since when has adding a gun not been a good idea!). A much-underrated game that deserves more attention because it's fast, thrilling, and the car is weaponised. A perfect combination!
Racing with guns - what more could you want? Yup, this is an absolutely superb game.
