Game Review: BMX Racers (ZX Spectrum, Mastertronic)

BMX Racers, ZX Spectrum, Mastertronic - IS0007
  • 5/10
    Score - 5/10
5/10

Summary

Even though this was based on the first version of BMX Racers, it’s surprisingly the most playable and enjoyable of all four releases of this early Mastertronic title. Most of the flaws from the C64 original have been fixed, and while it won’t be remembered as an all-time classic, it’s a fun endless runner style game that will provide bite-sized enterainment between bigger games.

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BMX Racers, like a few of Mastertronic’s releases, has a strange history behind it. Ported to a few platforms, there were two different versions of Richard and David Darling’s game released for the Commodore 64 and this port released for the ZX Spectrum is based on the original C64 title that was considered by most to be the weaker of the two. So right from the start that didn’t bode well for Spectrum fans…

BMX Racers – A Walk… Err, Ride In The Park

This has to have one of the strangest concepts I’ve come across for any “racing” games on any system. In fact, describing this as racing game is somewhat generous as it’s best described as an endless runner, but I’ll come on to that in a moment. The plot (as if a game like this needs it), sees you riding your bike through a park, being chased by a “maniac on the loose” (according to the manual, at least).

As well as having to avoid this madman on a BMX, you have to avoid oncoming cars, oil slicks, and grannies out to stop you with their walking sticks while trying to stay on the path. Stray from the path too far and you run the risk of colliding with the aforementioned maniac, or any of the trackside obstacles – trees, bushes, animals and so on.

Gameplay

In essence, BMX Racers is an endless runner. You have three lives and simply have to survive on the track as long as possible without colliding with anything. You score points the longer you keep riding and control your cyclist moving left and right using the keyboard or joystick and using forward/backwards to accelerate or slow down. As well as the hazards on the track there are ramps you can use to jump for bonus points.

The track itself is a straight line so its mainly a case of just avoiding everything for as long as you can. If you steer left or right your bike will continue to move in that direction until you push forwards or backwards to straighten your wheels (the controls for which are easier to pick up than it sounds). You can ride off onto the grass at the side of the track but this is where the other cyclist rides so you have to bear this in mind at all times. However, the sides are also where the grannies appear so you run the risk of riding into them as well.

Graphics And Sound

Graphics are fairly simplistic but do the job well enough. Comparisons are obviously going to be made with the original C64 version and I have to say that the Spectrum version works much better. The track is wider so the display doesn’t feel as cramped and while all of the graphics are single colour as you would expect, they are more detailed and easier to make out. Finally, the background graphics are more varied and just makes the game more attractive to look at. Instead of random bushes scattering the background, we not only get a greater variety of bushes, vehicles, animals and more, but many of these are animated.

Sound, as you would expect is limited to a few clips and beeps, although the clattering bike sound as you pedal does change as you speed up and slow down so it works well enough. It does the job, but as someone whose first Spectrum was the +2 I guess I’m spoiled where the sound is concerned!

Playability

For what is essentially quite a basic game, BMX Racers proved to be quite a fun game when played in short bursts. While you need quite precise positioning to make the jumps, its fairly straightforward after a little practice and it’s managed to correct the biggest flaw of the Commodore 64 version by increasing the width of the track. Not to mention the issue of cars driving on the grass which seems to have been rectified as well.

With the randomised placement of all the obstacles throughout, no two games will ever play the same, giving it that all important one-more-go factor. What’s really important is the inclusion of a high score table which gives you that added incentive to keep playing to try to beat your personal best score. While there’s no on-screen score display during play, there is a screen between lives showing your current score and the high score so you can at least gague your progress so far.

Overall

After playing several other versions of BMX Racers I approached this with some trepidation. I needn’t have worried as the ZX Spectrum version turned out to not only be the best version but also a playable, fun game in its own right. Not an earth-shattering release, but definitely didn’t deserve the criticism that was given to the C64 release and this is a lot more fun that I expected.

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