CRAZEE RIDER – THE REMAKE
This game originally appeared on The Acorn Electron in 1987. It’s a
motorbike racing sim, in which you race against computer opponents
around famous circuits. The Electron was the first computer I ever
owned, and this was one of my favourite games on it, even though I
never made it past the 5th track. The game is not as famous as many
of the old 8-bit titles, so I will mention some of the ways in which
my remake is faithful to the original, and those in which it differs.
Similarities
————
* Your Bike starts from P1, but has much slower acceleration than the
others. This means that by the time you are up to speed you will be near
to the back of the pack. However, your higher top speed allows you the
possibility of coming away with victory in the end.
* The original only used three colours (Red, White, Green) and my version
is largely the same. The riders closely resemble their electron counterparts,
which didn’t tax my (admittedly rubbish) graphics skills too much.
* Collisions between you and other riders. As before there are 3 types of
collision. If you are in front, you knock the opponent back and also earn
a token (these tokens are converted into points at the end of the race).
However, if you are level you lose some speed, and if you are behind you
come to a virtual standstill, making it hard to get back in the race.
* The circuits are based on real tracks from around the world. These are
exactly the ones that appeared in the original, starting with Le Mans.
* The sound effects. I’ve tried to replicate the classic beepy style of
the electron game, by altering the pitch of a wav file.
* Scoring. You score points as you travel around the circuit, with bonuses
being awarded at the end of each race. If you’ve achieved a good enough
score you can enter it on the board.
Differences
———–
* Laps. In the original each round consisted of only one lap, but in my
version it’s a 2,3 or 4 lap race, depending on the length of the circuit.
I decided on this because a single lap seemed too short and uneventful.
If you are not in the top 50 after the end of any lap, you are retired.
* Track Graphics. The Track looks more 3D than in did in the original.
This means that you may be able to see sections of track that you are
not currently racing on.
* Cornering. In the original the corners came in two styles, requiring
you to decelerate to a preset speed in order to grip the surface. I’ve
dispensed with this in favour of a more natural approach to cornering.
This means that you can also go on the grass, rather than hitting the
edge of the track. If you stay on the grass for too long or go too far
out, your bike will be placed back on the track. Also you lose a lot of
speed on the grass.
* The top 40 riders are named and their names flash up when a collision
takes place. The current top 6 are also listed when the game is paused.
* There are some extra secret tracks which provide a further challenge.
Controls
——–
Up Arrow – Accelerate
Left Arrow – Turn Left
Right Arrow – Turn Right
A – Brake
Q – Pause / Unpause
(If the Up Arrow is not held down you will decelerate slowly)
On the Menu
———–
SPACE BAR – Begins a game on Track 1
Number Keys (1-7) – Begin a game on Track (1-7)
(you must have passed all previous tracks at least once)
High Scores – Use Backspace or Delete to remove characters
Press Enter when you are finished with name entry
NB – If you complete Track 7 you will return to track 1, for the
opportunity to rack up even more points.
Another thing that really makes Crazee Rider – The Remake enjoyable for me is how it manages to stay interesting even after playing it multiple times. Many games feel repetitive after a while, but here, the experience still feels fresh because of the small details and different ways you can approach the gameplay. As you continue playing, you naturally start improving and understanding the mechanics better, which makes everything feel more rewarding. I also appreciate the balance the game maintains—it’s not too difficult, but it’s not too easy either. You can play it casually for a short break or spend longer sessions without getting bored. That flexibility is one of the biggest reasons why I keep coming back to Crazee Rider – The Remake. Overall, it’s the kind of game that doesn’t just entertain you for a moment, but actually gives you a consistently enjoyable experience every time you play.
