Road Rash 64 Review

Fast Framerate
No Lag Times While Fighting
Great Control
Hilarious Wipeouts (When Asphalt Attacks!)

Distant Fog
Music Underwhelming

I don't want to be the first to mention it, but after playing this game I'm beginning to think that bikers are trouble. I mean, sure there's the organized crime, the drug running, the prostitution, the bombings, contract killings, the not showering for weeks at a time and the hordes of fat chicks without teeth, but I think we have come to expect all of that. I mean, who else has time for all of those underworld activities that bikers orchestrate, except seniors and maybe the boy scouts? Let the bikers do what they do best; I'm not worried about all of that petty nonsense. It's all of this fighting on our highways and on the Main streets of our towns that has me in a tizzy. Can't the cops see that they aren't wearing helmets? Why isn't anyone stopping the insanity?

As the manual actually states, "If you don't know what Road Rash is all about, then obviously you've been living in an isolation tank these past five years." In a nutshell, you drive a motorcycle while using weapons, feet and fists to ensure your first place victory. If you place in the top three you win cash which can be used towards upgrading your hog (that word "hog" refers to your motorcycle not your leather clad wench). While you are racing you'll deal with rival gangs, motorcycle cops, pedestrians, wildlife and traffic. How you dispose of the obstacles is up to you. Let us count the ways: Perhaps a well-timed punch in the face, a good kick to the gas tank, a smack with a baseball bat to the cranium, you could force them into oncoming traffic or stick your weapon into their spokes. Needless to say the Church of Latter Day Saints won't be endorsing this game anytime soon.

This game is broken down into a few modes: Thrash, Big Game & Multiplayer. Thrash is a great way to hit the road without any commitments. Only single races are possible here, so it's a great way to train before heading to the Big Game. The Big Game mode features back to back races that take place over the games impressive 300 square kilometers. For those who don't know the diff between kilometers and miles, here it is: The word mile has 4 letters and kilometer has 9 letters. It is interesting to note that the word mile, is actually contained in the word kILoMEter, albeit scrambled to even heighten the mystery. Strange but true. The Big Game rewards the top three winners of each race with cash for not only placing but with combat bonuses as well, so keep throwing those punches! Once the entire level you are racing is completed (many feature over 8+ races) you can spend that hard earned dough on a new bike or pay the entrance fee to join a new bike gang, who will protect you on the mean streets. Multiplayer mode is chock filled with vile mayhem that will entertain the kids for hours at a crack. You and 3 pals can enjoy Multiplayer Thrash (like single player game), 1, 3 & 7 Laps (special arena tracks), Deathmatch (the first player with 7 points wins), Tag (crash the player who is "It" to earn a point: 3 points wins) and Ped Hunt (run down those pedestrians; highest number at the end of the race, wins!).

Graphically RR is a little dull, even in high res mode. But keeping all that action moving on the screen at that framerate is going to cost something right? After the first few races you won't care about the scenery or the looming fog in the distance anymore anyway. Comparing this game to Road Rash 3D for the PlayStation (which I found sluggish), I can tell you that this game does not suffer from serious lag times while fighting and driving. It's all pretty natural feeling and anybody will be able to pick up and play this game. Controlling your cycle (especially the more expensive ones that have better handling) is great. Doing three or four things at once in a Road Rash game is the norm and luckily it's not a problem in RR 64. You'll be able to negotiate turns and avoid traffic while putting the boots to some poor guy while at the same time avoiding the cops. Of course if you aren't careful, you just might crash which would be a bad thing if the crashes weren't so painful looking. The animations of the wipeouts are hilariously brutal and luckily there are literally a ton of them to see. They may not be at all realistic but you'll find yourself literally trying to think of new ways to give yourself road rash. Thankfully even a few wicked wipeouts per race aren't enough to spoil your chances for first place, as the game "catches you up" to the pack after a nasty spill.

For those into Multiplayer, you'll find a lot to like in RR's 4 player games. Sure the fog is more intense and as usual it's hard for me to keep my attention span on my ¼ sized screen, but it's no less fun and that's what counts. To hear the voice of today's generation, I loaned this game out to a bunch of teens and they came back after playing Multiplayer and informed me with glowing enthusiasm that they loved it. They had a particular soft spot in their hearts for Ped Hunt. And if that doesn't cast a shadow on our society's future then I don't know what does.

Although I wasn't all that enthused about playing another Road Rash game, I really got into this version which surprised me. It took me about halfway through level 2 to realize "Hey, I'm really enjoying this." I can tell you that if I enjoyed it, the target audience of this game is going to love it, especially those N64 owners who have always wanted a version of this game. I'm happy to report that this game is one of the best Road Rash incarnations that I've played. Definitely worth the trip.

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