Demolition Racer
{{Short description|1999 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Demolition Racer
| image = Demonlition Racer (video game).jpg
| caption =
| developer = Pitbull Syndicate
| publisher = Infogrames North America
| platforms = PlayStation, Windows, Dreamcast
| producer = Chris Downend
| programmer = John Blackburne
| artist = Darren Abbott
| composer = W. Scott Snyder
| released = PlayStation
{{vgrelease|NA|28 September 1999{{cite web |last=Sato |first=Yoshiyuki Ike |date=28 September 1999 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/demolition-racer-ps-shipped/1100-2450241/ |title=Demolition Racer PS shipped [date mislabeled as "April 27, 2000"] |website=GameSpot |publisher=Red Ventures |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000307225308/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_09/28_vg_demorace/index.html |archive-date=7 March 2000 |url-status=live |access-date=21 February 2021}}|UK|19 November 1999{{Cite web |title=Demolition Racer |url=http://chipsworld.co.uk/detProd.asp?ProductCode=1255 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020106075135/http://chipsworld.co.uk/detProd.asp?ProductCode=1255 |archive-date=6 January 2002 |access-date=21 July 2024 |website=Chipsworld}}}}Windows
{{vgrelease|NA|19 October 1999{{Cite web |date=19 August 2000|title=INA Press Release |url=http://www.infogrames.net/corporate/press_archive/101999_drpcships.asp |access-date=2023-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000819015609/http://www.infogrames.net/corporate/press_archive/101999_drpcships.asp |archive-date=2000-08-19 }}|EU|1 February 2000{{cite web |last1=Wagner |first1=Harald |title=Demolition Racer |url=https://www.pcgames.de/Demolition-Racer-Spiel-21157/Tests/Keine-Ruecksicht-5191/ |website=PC Games |publisher=Computec Media GmbH |access-date=24 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051228172735/http://www.pcgames.de/?article_id=5191 |language=German |archive-date=28 December 2005 |date=7 March 2001 |url-status=live}}}}Dreamcast
{{vgrelease|NA|25 October 2000{{Cite magazine |date=2000-12-16 |title=GameInformer - Your Source for Gaming News |magazine=Game Informer |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/news/news_story.cfm?NEWS_ID=3739 |access-date=2023-04-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001216034200/http://www.gameinformer.com/news/news_story.cfm?NEWS_ID=3739 |archive-date=2000-12-16 }}}}
| genre = Vehicular combat, racing
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
}}
Demolition Racer is a 1999 vehicular combat racing video game for the PlayStation, Dreamcast, and Microsoft Windows, developed by British studio Pitbull Syndicate and published by Infogrames North America.
Gameplay
File:Demolition Racer gameplay.jpg
The game combines destruction and driving tactics in a fast-paced racing environment. It is very similar to the Destruction Derby series.
Races are won not solely by coming first in the race but by gaining the most points during the course of the event, with points being awarded for crashing into the competitors cars, breaking points boxes scattered on the track, and lastly by placing high, which delivers a points multiplier. The player must be careful of the condition of his own car as if it takes too much damage the race will end with a disqualification. Boxes are also scattered across the track that repair the players car when run over.
The PC version contained slightly better in-game graphics than the PlayStation version, and included varied weather and times of day. Drivers are given (optional) wacky portraits which displayed on the side of the screen in a race, showing who's ahead of who.
Development
On 15 March 1999, the game was announced by Accolade.{{cite web |author=IGN staff |date=15 March 1999 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/03/16/accolade-announces-smashing-new-title |title=Accolade Announces 'Smashing' New Title |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=21 December 2021 |archive-date=21 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221022334/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/03/16/accolade-announces-smashing-new-title |url-status=live }} it was developed by UK company Pitbull Syndicate as a spiritual sequel to their earlier Destruction Derby series, a series which many of the Pitball staff had previously worked on when at their prior employment at Reflections.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| SDC = true
| PC = true
| PS = true
| na = true
| GR_SDC = 76%{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/255838-demolition-racer-no-exit/index.html |title=Demolition Racer: No Exit for Dreamcast |website=GameRankings |publisher=CBS Interactive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402033035/https://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/255838-demolition-racer-no-exit/index.html |archive-date=2 April 2019 |url-status=dead |access-date=21 February 2021}}
| MC_SDC = 77/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/demolition-racer/critic-reviews/?platform=dreamcast |title=Demolition Racer: No Exit for Dreamcast Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=14 November 2013 |archive-date=15 January 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250115003621/https://www.metacritic.com/game/demolition-racer/critic-reviews/?platform=dreamcast |url-status=live }}
| Allgame_PC = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Cal |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19058&tab=review |title=Demolition Racer (PC) - Review |website=AllGame |publisher=All Media Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115033914/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19058&tab=review |archive-date=15 November 2014 |url-status=dead |access-date=2 April 2019}}
| CNG_PC = 8/10{{cite web |last=Goble |first=Gordon |date=11 November 1999 |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-3391,00.html |title=Demolition Racer (PC) |website=Gamecenter |publisher=CNET |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816094518/http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-3391,00.html |archive-date=16 August 2000 |url-status=dead |access-date=21 February 2021}}
| CGSP_PC = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web |last=Bauman |first=Steve |date=4 November 1999 |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/024/019/demolitionr_review.html |title=Demolition Racer |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus |publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030710205555/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/024/019/demolitionr_review.html |archive-date=10 July 2003 |url-status=dead |access-date=2 April 2019}}
| EGM_PS = 6.75/10{{cite magazine |author=EGM staff |title=Demolition Racer (PS) |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=124 |date=November 1999}}
| GameFan_SDC = 70%{{cite magazine |title=REVIEW for Demolition Racer - No Exit |magazine=GameFan |publisher=Shinno Media |date=3 November 2000}}
| GI_SDC = 8/10{{cite magazine |title=Demolition Racer: No Exit |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=FuncoLand |issue=91 |date=November 2000}}
| GamePro_SDC = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine |author=The D-Pad Destroyer |date=3 November 2000 |url=http://www.gamepro.com/sega/dreamcast/games/reviews/7251.shtml |title=Demolition Racer: No Exit Review for Dreamcast on GamePro.com |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG Entertainment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050113220316/http://www.gamepro.com/sega/dreamcast/games/reviews/7251.shtml |archive-date=13 January 2005 |url-status=dead |access-date=2 April 2019}}
| GameRev_SDC = B+{{cite web |last=Sparks |first=Shawn |date=December 2000 |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32273-demolition-racer-no-exit-review |title=Demolition Racer: No Exit Review |website=GameRevolution |publisher=CraveOnline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228092936/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/demolition-racer-no-exit |archive-date=28 February 2014 |url-status=live |access-date=2 April 2019}}
| NGen_SDC = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Lundrigan |first=Jeff |url=https://archive.org/details/NextGen71Nov2000/page/n125/mode/2up |title=Demolition Racer: No Exit |magazine=NextGen |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=71 |date=November 2000 |page=124 |access-date=21 February 2021}}
| OPM_PS = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Kujawa |first=Kraig |url=https://archive.org/details/Official_US_PlayStation_Magazine_Volume_3_Issue_2_1999-11_Ziff_Davis_US/page/n141 |title=Demolition Racer |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis |volume=3 |issue=2 |date=November 1999 |page=142 |access-date=2 April 2019}}
| PCA_PC = 5/10{{cite magazine |last=Kramer |first=Chris |url=https://archive.org/details/PCXL17Jan2000/page/n83/mode/2up |title=Demolition Racer |magazine=PC Accelerator |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=17 |date=January 2000 |page=85 |access-date=21 February 2021}}
}}
Demolition Racer: No Exit received "generally favourable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen said of the PlayStation version in its November 1999 issue, "Although this game has some 'modern' enhancements like shortcuts (which seem sort of pasted in), the game mechanics might as well have been transplanted whole and bleeding from Destruction Derby," and warned the reader to "Steer clear of this smoking wreck." A year later, however, he wrote that No Exit "still isn't living up to its potential, but it's a fun title nonetheless."
{{Clear}}
Sequel
A sequel was released for the Dreamcast called Demolition Racer: No Exit, which featured updated graphics, new ambient sound effect, new tracks, new cars, unlockable mini games, and an additional mode called "No Exit", which plays the same as Last Man Standing in earlier games.
{{clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20021207104316/http://www.pitbull.co.uk/v1/cheats_dr.html Pitbull Syndicate page]
- {{moby game|id=/demolition-racer}}
- {{moby game|id=/dreamcast/demolition-racer-no-exit|name=Demolition Racer: No Exit}}
Category:Midway Studios Newcastle games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:PlayStation (console) games
Category:Vehicular combat games