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After a hard day filling out prescriptions, most doctors like to relax by risking their lives haring around race tracks on big motorbikes. This game tells the story of sixteen such daredevil docs and their search for glory. The respected tome 'Dead Serious Medical Journal Incorporating Mental Benny Bike Racing Gazette' has organised a tournament between sixteen of the most respected healers, and this is what the game is about.

It's the player's task to drive their motoring medic to victory over the umpteen courses, specially selected from around the world. Management of your bike is almost as important as riding skills, although if you fall off it's unlikely any of your competitors will slow down to patch you up.

There's more to riding bikes than, er, riding them. There's all the maintenance work to be done. All the fun of kitting your bike out is yours for the asking. Players are able to choose between automatic (best for beginners) and Manual (must faster) gears, choose their engine and also select the right tyres for the weather. Learning the best ways to rig your bike for each track soon becomes second nature.

GP Rider allows two people to participate at any one time. The screen is split horizontally, with player one on the bottom screen and player two on the top. If there is no second player, your lead pole position rival computer opponent's race is detailed on the higher screen, allowing you to keep a wary eye on his position.

The small, flickery, barely visible bike sprites wibble and jerk their way around the courses with no respect for how you waggle your joypad.

The bikes slide and slip along regardless of the weather conditions. Yet, despite this, and the ridiculous twistyness of each circuit, GP Rider is actually really easy to beat.

I jest not when I say that you really could complete this game with one hand tied behind your back. Considering the rather splendid World Racing is now available at budget price GP Rider is completely inexcusable trash.

Oooh, I thought as I plugged this in, it looks like a cross between Super Cycle and Pitstop II on the C64 - Hurrah!

Unfortunately, GP Rider is exceptionally sad. The gameplay bears very little resemblance to real racing or the arcade original, and as Rad said, it's about as difficult to complete as reading a Peter and Jane book. Forget it, GP Rider is one of the saddest road racers available for the Master System.

Presentation 87%
Loads of cut screens plus a decent array of options to play with.

Graphics 32%
P. Intermissions are nice...
N. The animation is dire.

Sound 24%
Grating "engine" noise and hideous tunes play throughout.

Playability 39%
N. Slow, uncontrollable, jerky, samey, and completely and utterly dull.

Lastability 33%
Very, very easy to complete, and not good enough to warrant repeated play.

Overall 34%
A tragic, sorry game with no redeeming characteristics.