A Bit Of A Drag

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When I received US Drag Racing, the first thing I noticed was the poor packaging. Disc users are given a 40/80 track disc with no sleeve, in a flimsy card walley, with a cassette inlay for instructions!

The object of the game, as you may have guessed, is to beat the computer controlled car. This may appear easy, but pressing '<' and '>' alternately to go faster than the computer can be very awkward - especially as you have to hold the Space bar down to change gear.

The computer has five cars and drivers' names that come up to Revs standard. When you beat the current car you go on to the next more powerful car, these are described very imaginatively on the inlay.

As mentioned, to make your car go faster you have to bash your keyboard harder (or was it faster?). This is not really an idea I fully agree with but, as yet, no one has come up with a better solution. When you do get going, a quarter of a mile is a long way (it seems like about 10,000 key presses!). A nice touch at the end is the automatic ejection of your parachute.

Overall, I give US Drag Racing the thumbs down. Even though the graphics are fairly impressive, a 3D scrolling screen would be much better than a stationary car and flashing bars to show mvement down the track. As far as the sound goes, there is plenty of room for improvement, and that goes for everything else about this program. Come on Tynesoft, pull your finger out and keep those standards up!

Richard Bellis