Editorial Review: Road Rash is a game series that's been around since the Sega Genesis, but this is its first incarnation on the Nintendo 64. For its part, THQ has done a smashing job of bringing the brawling motorcycle game into the world of 3-D.
The game lacks much visual detail, but that lack allows a frame rate that never slows down, even when 10 or more bikers are on the road, hacking at each other and vying for the pole position. Like its ancestors, Road Rash 64 presents two goals--winning road races, and abusing other riders, including cops in pursuit. The crashes are spectacular. Sparks fly as bikes scrape along the pavement, and riders perform aerial acrobatics as they fly off their hogs. Text messages also appear onscreen to notify players of who caused whom to crash--a nice touch that is reminiscent of online multiplayer PC games.
The game has two major classes of motorcycles: cruisers that are durable and fast on straightaways, and sport bikes that are aerodynamic and nimble around turns. As players progress through a one-player game, they will be invited to join one of two bike-centric gangs, supplying relative immunity from their brethren during gameplay--unless you hit one of them first!
The multiplayer mode offers a number of different options, including lap races, death match, tag, and pedestrian hunting. While the single-player game is pure adrenaline fun, Road Rash 64 with four players is an experience not to be missed.
In addition to thrilling sound effects, Road Rash 64 has some very noisy, and very appropriate, musical accompaniment from real recording artists such as Sugar Ray and the Mermen. --Jeff Young
Pros:
Excellent in-game music
Great control and fluid action
A cathartic, high-energy experience, especially in multiplayer mode
Cons:
Graphics don't feature very detailed textures, even with expansion pack support
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - KINDA LACKLUSTER 7.75 OUT OF 10
I remember spending hours playing this game when I was younger, however some of that fun has worn off because of better options that have come out over the years. Still, it's always fun to bash an opponent or a friend off their motorcycle with a bat, a chain whip, taser, or whatever you have at your disposal. It's still fun to jump over cars by popping a wheelie or to watch someone hit a car or another object causing themselves to crash, or to hit innocent bystanders. The motorcycles are still cool looking along with the characters, but the character models are recycled along with your environments. The graphics look bland and too blocky by today's standards as well. But it never really gets old to hop on your motorcycle and bash an opponent off their motorcycle.
Rating: - Mario Kart for Adults (A.K.A. Cop Party)
(...) I originally bought this on the bargain rack to sell but I couldn't stop playing it!!! This game ROCKS!!! It is SO MUCH FUN it's just unreal!!!
Everything about this game is well done. Somehow, there are lots of music and lots of tracks and lots of scenary and lots of action. So, why aren't ALL THE OTHER N64 games like THIS ONE??? The biker humor is right on. Consolation prize for almost winning: bar of hotel soap! The wrecks are U-N-R-E-A-L. Head-on with fast moving cars and trucks hauling timber,etc. I think it's one of those physics-deals again. The wrecks are so natural I think they programmed the laws of physics into the game, they must have. At slower speeds, you might not flip, but you might "almost" flip. Your rear tire starts to pop up but you didn't go over. I love the road - so pleasing to watch it flying by, DOESN'T give me a headache, very smooth! Looks just like real macadam - different textures, etc. Anyway, totally smooth motions, very satisfying racing feel, SO FUN!, never the same action twice I guarantee it. The bikes are so totally different, too. The pocket rocket and the chrome street bikes ride totally different. The motors sound completely diferent. Great AI. Awesome songs! A must-try N64 game!!!
Rating: - Road Rash on 64
I immediatly was hooked from the first time I played it. The N64 version of "ROAD RASH" is simply extreme compared to other versions I have played in the past. It incorporates new weapons and attacks with varying effects. Motorcycle "gangs" are now more of an issue, you can join them depending on the bike you buy. Difficulty ranges from very easy to impossbile. The cheat codes are interesting too. Using codes you can play as a cop busting rashers or the other extreme, racing cheesy (and very slow) motorscooters. The controls are very responsive, the music is excellent and the sound effects are great. There are flaws though. The graphics have the 3-D look but with little detail in textures, this could have been much better done in my opinion. It is really dissapointing when you think how much better it could be with the expansion pack and realize there is little to no noticable difference. Another thing that may bother some gamers is the slim pickings of bikes, only four per level to choose from. The frustration factor can set in near the last couple levels, but it isn't nearly as bad as some games. Other than the graphics I would highly recommend this game to Road Rash fans as well as racing fans in general.
Rating: - Graphics are O.k., but the game itself is Awesome!
Road Rash 64, the continuance of the very popular biker, beat em up game of the early 90's is a very good game. I will admit that the graphics are sub par. They're not as textured and vibrant as the Playstation version (even with the Expansion Pack) but this is all about the game play.
It's your basic racing game but you get to beat upthose road hogs and sunday bikers. Don't you wish you could do that during rush hour? Along the way you get some pretty cool weapons like a chain, nunchucks, a kendo stick and a pipe wrench. Very cool and makes the game that much more fun.
The game unfortunately goes a little too fast but it's still worth it. I'd pick this one up because if there were any really good combat racing games, this was one of the good ones.
- Mario Kart for Adults (A.K.A. Cop Party)
- metro
