Sega Genesis Look - Road Rash

Road Rash is still pretty fucking good!

I mean, shit. The year is 2026 and there's probably a hundred dozen games where I could ride a motorcycle and punch people. Maybe they have ragdoll physics, explosions, and decapitations. They could even run at a framerate above 14. I'm not interested in any of them. Road Rash though, I'll fire that up whenever the whim strikes me. Before going any further, I'd like to give a quick shout to the Road Rash Improvement hack. The slight increase in frames actually makes a big difference, allowing me to better appreciate the remarkable handling and satisfying combat. 

What makes this game work? For starters, I don't think it'll ever get enough credit for how easy it is to pick up and play. B accelerates, A brakes, and C attacks. Everything else is learned through experience. The learning curve is generous enough that you earn money as long as you finish a race, and undoing any losses from hospital bills or lawyer fees is as simple as inputting a password. Okay, that part isn't so simple. Still, it's an instant action racer. The closest it gets to having any simulation elements is new bike purchases, and that still operates under the "more expensive = better" rule. 

What really gives it replayability is that it's not afraid to have variables. Normally, variables are something that I'd be opposed to in a racer. Losing a race because some large object managed to sneak its way onto the track at the worst possible moment is ridiculous. It works in Road Rash because you and over a dozen other bikers are doing 160 on roads where the limit is 35. Whatever happens, happens. If you can walk away from it with the trophy (or walk at all), then congrats, maniac. Besides, these variables aren't designed specifically to punish the player. Even if you're not personally swinging on them, the opposition can still crash, lose a staring contest to an automobile, etc. Stick close to your rivals, and you might just get to 1st place while their bikes and bodies tumble on the asphalt. Their imperfect AI is part of what keeps races exciting.

What's up with these Ronald McDonald-looking rivals?

None of this would really matter if players weren't able to escape oblivion themselves. Thankfully, that's not the case here. It might be hard to believe, but in my most recent playthrough, I finally understood the importance of braking. Back in the day, I thought winning was just holding B and hoping for the best, but there's far more to it than that. Turns in this game are dangerous, particularly on tracks like Redwood Forest, where its constant S-curves can send racers through a tree in an instant. Letting off the gas and applying a little brake makes a huge difference. Since tracks run between 5 and 15 miles in length, memorizing layouts is out of the question. However, the player is given plenty of room in order to react to whatever is happening. Given enough time, they'll learn to predict what's coming, and move with just enough restraint to avoid a crash.

Endurance and careful driving become increasingly valuable as progress is made through level. I wasn't quite clear in the last paragraph, but endgame races take over 15 miles to complete. With the best bike, that's just over 6 minutes. Considering all the things that can and will go wrong, this might as well be a century. What keeps the game balanced is that while the rivals get better bikes, they don't get much smarter. If you can get the lead, then you can hold onto it, just don't take unnecessary risks. Freak accidents aren't the end of the race either. I've gotten into massive accidents that sent Flandre flying half a mile and she still didn't lose her lead. Mistakes happen. You get blind-sided by a deer, whatever. They can be recovered from. 

Also, Road Rash is just one of those games that's designed to flick "hell yeah!" switches. There's always joy when you pass by a car and catch a glimpse of them smashing your rival in the rearview mirror. Taking someone down with a well-timed kick is difficult, but that just makes it extra rewarding. Weaving in-between two cars at once is a massive risk for little gain, but the fact that it's doable at all is awesome. Getting launched from a collision and flying through the finish line? It's such a wonderful feeling. 

I can't guarantee a game this old will have the same effect when you play it, but I had to say something about how it still remains enjoyable in the face of countless titles that might run smoother and have more content. Road Rash is a special little slice of heaven that still kicks ass.