"Zippy Race" - NES/Famicom

AKA - "MotoRace USA", as an arcade game / "Traverse USA"

Zippy Race is an arcade game released by Irem in 1983, but here we have the 1985 Famicom port. Considering how quickly most arcade ports were being released around this time (as we've seen), this is somewhat of a gap. The English Wikipedia really doesn't have much to offer aside from a description of the game, so let's check the Japanese Wiki as usual.

Apparently, using a DIP switch on the board, the title of the game in the arcade version can be changed between Zippy Race and Traverse USA which is pretty neat. Also, the Japanese wiki says that this is Irem's first NES game, but I swear I've written their name on this blog before... did I make a mistake somewhere...? Unthinkable.

One interesting fact about the game for Famicom that I found was that apparently some versions of the cartridge had an LED on the front of it, which you'd be able to see in the top-loader Famicom. That's pretty cool if completely pointless.

But I like to think I'm both of those things, myself.

Family Computer Magazine's "all cartridge catalog," published in 1991, rated the game as being good for beginners, but with the design being a little "one pattern," which apparently means something like stuck in a rut, or having a one-track mind.

I guess I'll be the judge of that, with all of my immense gaming clout:

The rework of the cancelled project Zipping Race, which involved unzipping your pants faster than anyone else.

----- Playthrough -----

In Zippy Race, you're on a motorcycle trip from LA to NY, and in your way are some of the angriest drivers you've ever seen. They very aggressively swerve left and right trying to fishtail their way in-front of you just to be a dick I guess-- though the game seems to imply this is a 100 car race to 1st place across the US, so maybe that's why they're being so aggressive... but why am I the only one on a motorcycle...?

This seems somehow dangerous.

As you go up the ranks in place (denoted on the side bar, for instance "79th" in the above screenshot), the car colors you see will change. I couldn't really tell if the behavior of the cars changed, but it seems like they did a little. Mostly how you deal with any car is to get as close to their bumper as you can and then very rapidly go around them. If you're too far away they'll simply follow you in front and you'll ram right into them.

I'm admittedly disappointed that the motorcycle doesn't instantly explode like other games.

Once you get about 2/3rds of the way to your goal, you'll be thrown into an over-the-shoulder camera mode where the bike will accelerate automatically and you'll only have to steer left and right to dodge the incoming cars. A good general strategy I found here was to just go to one side and wait for them to inevitably try to run over you, and swerve to the other side of the road to avoid them.

You'll narrowly make it pretty much every time but I guess that's the name of the game...
Actually, I guess the name is Zippy Race.

If you somehow manage to make it to the end of the first level, you'll be awarded back a measly amount of fuel and some points (it seemed to always be 20,000). I don't know if there's a way to get more fuel back because the amount awarded is so small it seemed kind of useless going into the second level, but anyway--

The second level seems to be driving directly through the desert and crossing rivers over wooden bridges. Or, you know, not crossing them.

[Roundabout plays]

The game gets really hard at this point, as the road is littered with rocks and bushes that come down the screen so quickly it's hard to react, and whenever a bridge comes up it seems to always be when you're trying to cram onto it alongside a car. Throwing on the brakes sometimes lets them get ahead of you, but usually you'll be rammed into from behind if you try this strategy, so I was unable to figure out the best way.

Also because of the small amount of gas you're given back, I usually ran out before reaching halfway in the second stage, so this was as far as I got.

Have I mentioned the difference between passion and talent on this blog before...?

----- Review -----

How long did I play?
15 minutes.

How much did I beat?
Half of level 2.

-----

Intuitive Design: 

How easy is it to intuitively understand the game?

A is gas, B is brake. Go forwards and don't ram into the cars. I think anyone can probably figure it out.

Gameplay / Difficulty: 

How rewarding does playing the game feel?

I don't really find squeezing alongside the cars to be all that fun or rewarding, and especially when the track turns you'll so narrowly make it that it feels like you're constantly making a mistake. You'll be on the edge of your seat about whether you're going to make it past a car every-time because the gap is so narrow.

The game is difficult because of the way the cars just follow you-- I really prefer something like Road Fighter where some cars attempt to follow you and others just mind their own business. At least then every single one isn't a battle for dominance in the worst part of the track possible. All in all I disagree with Family Computer Magazine-- this game is tough.

Depth: 

How deep/long is the game?

Apparently there are 5 stages in the game, but I was unable to get past stage 2 so I have no report for you on whether those stages are any more exciting (I would guess probably not). For the most part it seems that the game revolves around going forwards and not hitting things.

(Edit: Looking at a longplay, it seems the game just alternates between the two level types.)

Sound / Graphics: 

How's the sound? How are the graphics?

There are actually very few car sounds or otherwise in this game (sometimes they will honk at you if approaching from behind, and there's a bong when you pass them) but there is one very repetitive music loop that starts to drive you crazy after a little bit. Watch the longplay linked above to see what I mean.

Personal Chord: 

Does the game have that undefinable "something" for me?

To be honest I really don't like racing games that much in the first place, so there's a negative bias here, but this game really doesn't seem very unique or interesting even in that genre to me.

Should You Play: 

Is there a reason to even bother with this one?

Honestly, probably not. The aforementioned Road Fighter is a more fun implementation of basically the same idea. F-1 Race on Famicom is actually my favorite racing-style game we've played so far as well, and it does the 3D thing better than this game too. You have options.

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