C&VG


Speed King

Publisher: Mastertronic
Machine: Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #49

Speed King

Vrooom! Slip into your leathers, grab your skid lid and prepare for a real blast!

Speed King does for the Commodore what Full Throttle did for the Spectrum. Which is not surprising as Mervyn Escourt wrote both games! It brings the thrills of pro-motorcycle racing to the small screen.

You have all the power of a 500cc racing bike at your fingertips in a Pole Position style race game.

Speed King

You can choose to race on any one of ten world famous circuits - and there are three skill levels too.

The animation of your bike racer is really nice. He leans into corners and crouches over the tank of his machine in true racing fashion. Like many racing games, you can't really tell if the tracks are any difference - but at least in this one the scenery does change slightly when you choose a different track to compete on.

The other riders are prone to bumping you from behind. That's if you manage to overtake many of them that is! It's essential to learn the circuit before you start racing so you know the right line to ride in order to get a good finishing position.

Speed King

It's also essential to learn how to use the gears effectively. There are six on your high-powered bike. You have to take your finger off the accelerator to change up or down - which often causes problems, especially if you are being chased by a bunch of other bikes.

Overtaking is very tricky - but not impossible. It just takes practice! But even if you don't win there's always the joy of setting a new lap record. At the finish of each race - which can last anything from just two to six laps - you get a nice display which details your race performance.

Speed King is well presented and fun to play. Recommended.