Commodore User


Continental Circus

Categories: Review: Software
Author: Tony Dillon
Publisher: Virgin Games
Machine: Amiga 500

 
Published in Commodore User #73

Continental Circus

Or should it be called Continental Circuit? One of the most impressively boxed coin-ops of 1988 now appears with slightly less glamourous trappings but with its gameplay still intact.

If you remember, Continental Circus was the world's first 'true' 3D driving game. The elaborate console consisted of a pair of glasses, with special filter lenses that alternated black and transparent, and you could only see through one lens at a time. The screen would be showing what you would theoretically be seeing through that eye at the time. Obviously this all happened amazingly quickly, far too quickly for the old Amiga, and so in their infinite wisdom, Sales Curve have decided to drop any thoughts of copying the system across and have opted for a more conventional race game. And what a race game!

Race around eight famous courses of the world. Of course, you have to prove that you're good enough to race them, and this is done simply enough by a ranking system. On each course you have to attain a certain rank before you are allowed to move. For example, you can't move onto track two until you have (a) finished track one and (b) achieved a rank of 80 or lower.

Continental Circus

Controls are simple as simple can be. And when you've got a game as fast as this one, they need to be. No Hard Drivin'/Vette controls to be found here, just old-fashioned four way joystick controls and fire to change gear.

Graphically, it's about as close to the coin-op as you're going to get. The update of the road is incredibly fast and smooth, as is the update of all of the sprites.

Speaking of the sprites, they're among some of the best ever to be seen in a driving game. Large and crisp, they really add to the feeling of 'being there'.

Continental Circus

The sound is pretty basic however, even though it is a fair copy of the original. A throbbing engine noise and a whoosh from the passing of cars are all that you're likely to hear, aside from the intro tune.

Response time is fast, and indeed it needs to be. Overtaking takes quite a bit of practice, as it has to be done quickly and in one motion, else you'll find yourself billowing smoke from a damaged engine, or, even worse, spinning off the track and exploding.

An excellent conversion and a brilliant driving game with enough variation between tracks to keep you playing for ages. Go go go!

Tony Dillon

Other Reviews Of Continental Circus For The Amiga 500


Continental Circus (Virgin)
A review

Continental Circus (Virgin Games)
A review

Continental Circus (Virgin/Mastertronic)
A review by Gordon Houghton (C&VG)