Moto Racer PS1 Review

Moto Racer is a fun arcade motorbike racing game that originally saw a release on the PlayStation one back in 1997 and this game later did get released on the likes of windows PC. 

Straight away from the get-go the one thing that really is noticeable about this game is its visual representation and the overall quality. For a game that was released in 1997 the graphics are quite groundbreaking and also breathtaking in terms of the visual quality that's on screen. 

You have access to different game modes from time trial to multiplayer, even with a championship but where this game really stands out is its gameplay modes and style that's on offer because it's not just one style of game technically it's two games in one as you have access to superbike racing throughout the championships but then you also have access to motocross style events where you can go off-road on different types of off-road style tracks and environments. 

So with the likes of the super bike modes you race very high powered spikes that can go super fast and the off-road segments you race as scramblers although they are fast but they wouldn't be as fast as the superbikes but again they allow you to go over different types of terrain and to do massive high jumps and you can pull off stunts along the way. 

One of the really unique aspects about this game is the fact that the sheer sense of speed that the game offers on top of that the unique visual style and the gameplay never really slows down. 

The frame rates pretty much stay consistent throughout and there is a little bit of pop-up but it's not severe compared to other types of racing games on the PlayStation One. 

So for a 1997 game, this is quite incredible in terms of what it was able to offer but even with the gameplay it has great handling physics although can take a little bit of getting used to especially when you first start playing the game as the handling can be quite twitchy on the bikes that you're using but after a while once you've put in a few races and a bit of time you will get used to the tracks and you get used to the feel of the vehicles themselves. 

You do have access to a number of different bikes both with the superbike category and the motocross bikes in terms of the handling characteristics. 

Some can have better acceleration while others can have less handling or less grip per se and they can all influence your gameplay style so there's definitely something there unique for everybody. 

Now if you're more of a conservative or cautious type of gamer you will opt more or less for the bike that has a good consistent flow in terms of top speed, acceleration and handling and traction so that's usually the type that i would go for with these type of games and it would be consistent from my personal playstyle but there is enough unique gameplay elements with the bikes in the game that will cater for all your individual needs. 

But it's just the visual, graphical style of the game is just mind blown of what is offered. 

The fact is that the game can run at the speed that it's at and it doesn't really dip in performance at all and still looks as well even today going back to play it as it's ever done that's what's quite incredible about it and it is one of those unique pick up and play racers even after a few minutes even after myself having not played it for quite a number of years going back to play this it was like a breath of fresh air. 

I forgotten how good the game really is and it was only bettered essentially by a sequel moto racer 2 which again did offer a lot more in terms of modes and more tracks to play on as with the championship in moto racer you have essentially a mix championship where each race transitions from one mode to the next. 

You will start off with a superbike race then you will go into a motocross race then back to superbike races again and it just continues throughout the entirety of the championship so what will happen is you'll have 8 general races in total varying from different locations from like Scotland to likes of even spain or France or the USA and once you complete that variation of the championship then you will play through it again but in turn will play it in reverse mode so you'll play all the tracks again but you'll be going the opposite way instead. 

So that just increases the longevity of the campaign itself but you do need to play through those modes in order to fully complete the entirety of the championship itself so you'll be playing it for a good hour or more just to get through everything that the game has to offer. 

Now it is quite short in most respects but you will have a blast doing it as again the gameplay is very fun, fast-paced, it's frantic it will take a few tries to get used to everything when you're first starting out but once you get familiar with the controls you'll master it and you'll have such a blast playing it. 

Coupled with that with the likes of the unique gameplay the fast-paced nature and it even does have a good soundtrack that also does reflect that of the gameplay but it's really just the visuals that really steal the show in the game. 

It is definitely one of the most visually impressive racing games on the PS1 hands down and for a game that was released even before the days of gran turismo it really showcased essentially what the PS1 was all about and it showed that the PlayStation 1 had a lot more to offer than what we initially thought at that time. 

So it's definitely one of those unique arcade experiences that i highly recommend you try out. 

I remember going back my first experience with this game and it was actually on one of the monthly demo discs that came with the UK PlayStation magazine and i thought it was brilliant, i couldn't get over how good the game looked and it was just so fast-paced and was frantic and i remember playing that demo quite a bit at that time because it was just so different to everything that was available then but that's why i love the PlayStation so much because the more i played it the more games i got to experience even through the demos. 

The more you got to see what was on offer but each new experience brought about something new. 

It left you with something pretty much in your imagination or ingrained in your brain that you would never forget. It was such a unique time for experimentation within games and for me that's why it is my favourite console because it really does have something for everybody, good and bad there was something there that would appeal to all different types of audiences young and old and this is no exception. 

So even coming back to playing moto racer all these years later what do i think of it now is it still as good as i remember and honestly in my own personal opinion yeah it is. It's definitely one of the best style of racers of its kind on the PlayStation hands down but it's also one of the best arcade-style racers on the ps1. 

That's one of the greatest things about it, not only does it have a great visual style but the thing it captures the most is the arcade quality of everything that the game has to offer. 

It really does it so well, so if you really are looking for an arcade-style racer on a console platform you won't go wrong with the early moto racer series, especially the first two games. 

So i highly recommend that you do go and check them out, you won't be disappointed they're really fun games to play and there's definitely enough elements in them to keep you playing for quite a while and i would love to know your thoughts on moto racer for the ps1 if you have played it yourself back in the day? 

What stories or experiences do you have to share with the game? 

Did you enjoy these games equally as much as i did and do you enjoy arcade-style racers or games of this type of quality? 

I'd love to hear what ideas you have in the game so be sure to share it in the comments below and be sure to keep watching to see more content on other games similar to Moto Racer, you can check out the blog where we will be diving into the iconic elements of these classic video games and as always keep those gaming memories alive...