VR Sports Powerboat Racing
{{Redirect|Powerboat Racing|the sport|Boat racing#Motorboat racing}}
{{Short description|1998 video game}}
{{Infobox VG
| title = VR Sports Powerboat Racing
| image = VR Sports Powerboat Racing cover.jpg
| developer = Promethean Designs Ltd.
| publisher = Interplay Productions
| platforms = PlayStation, Microsoft Windows
| released = {{vgrelease|EU|March 1998 (PS)|NA|April 9, 1998{{cite web |last=Johnston |first=Chris |date=April 9, 1998 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/powerboat-racing-drifts-onto-shelves/1100-2463467/ |title=Powerboat Racing Drifts Onto Shelves |website=GameSpot |publisher=Fandom |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001007035549/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_04/09_powervg/index.html |archive-date=October 7, 2000 |url-status=live |access-date=July 2, 2023}}{{cite web |last=Ocampo |first=Jason |date=April 9, 1998 |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/011/052/powerboat_racing_to_shelves.html |title=VR Sports takes to the water |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus |publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030529160739/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/011/052/powerboat_racing_to_shelves.html |archive-date=May 29, 2003 |access-date=October 19, 2020}}}}
| genre = Racing (Powerboating)
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
|caption =
|alt =
}}
VR Sports Powerboat Racing is a racing game developed by British studio Promethean Designs Ltd. and published by Interplay Productions division VR Sports in North America in 1998. Game Boy Color and Nintendo 64 ports were planned for release in the 2000s, but were later canceled.{{cite web |author=IGN staff |date=February 8, 2001 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/02/09/two-more-bite-the-dust |title=Two More Bite the Dust |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206174956/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/02/09/two-more-bite-the-dust |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |url-status=live |access-date=July 2, 2023}}
Gameplay
VR Sports Powerboat Racing is a racing game where players choose from 16 craft with different engine sizes and handling.{{cite magazine |author=Dr. Zombie |url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_111_Volume_09_Number_12_1997-12_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n99/mode/2up |title=Powerboat Racing (Preview) |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG |issue=111 |date=December 1997 |page=99 |access-date=July 2, 2023}} The game utilizes water physics, causing the boats' handling to be affected by turbulence and other boats' wakes.{{cite magazine |author=Air Hendrix |title=Powerboat Racing|magazine=GamePro|issue=115|publisher=IDG |date=April 1998|page=56}} Up to four players are supported via a split screen.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| align = left
| PC = true
| PS = true
| na = true
| Allgame_PS = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |last=Kanarick |first=Mark |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12781&tab=review |title=VR Sports Powerboat Racing (PS) - Review |website=AllGame |publisher=All Media Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115180434/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12781&tab=review |archive-date=November 15, 2014 |access-date=October 19, 2020}}
| CNG_PC = 7/10{{cite web |last=Goble |first=Gordon |date=May 5, 1998 |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0%2C6%2C0-1678%2C00.html |title=[VR Sports] Powerboat Racing (PC) |website=Gamecenter |publisher=CNET |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816101603/http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-1678,00.html |archive-date=August 16, 2000 |access-date=July 2, 2023}}
| EGM_PS = 3.625/10{{cite magazine |last1=Davison |first1=John |last2=Rickards |first2=Kelly |last3=Ricciardi |first3=John |last4=Williams |first4=Ken "Sushi-X" |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/1/1f/EGM_US_107.pdf |title=Review Crew: Powerboat Racing |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=107 |date=June 1998 |page=116 |access-date=July 2, 2023}}{{efn|In Electronic Gaming Monthly{{'}}s review of the PlayStation version, one critic gave it 2/10, another gave it 4.5/10, and the rest gave it each a score of 4/10.}}
| GI_PS = 6/10{{cite magazine |last1=McNamara |first1=Andy |last2=Reiner |first2=Andrew |last3=Storm |first3=Jon |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=psx&path=apr98&doc=pbr |title=[VR Sports] Powerboat Racing (PS) |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=FuncoLand |issue=60 |date=April 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990909225253/http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=psx&path=apr98&doc=pbr |archive-date=September 9, 1999 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 19, 2020}}
| GameFan_PS = 78%{{cite magazine |last1=Higgins |first1=Geoff "El Nino" |last2=Mowatt |first2=Todd "Video Cowboy" |url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_6_Issue_05/page/n55/mode/2up |title=VR [Sports] Powerboat [Racing] |magazine=GameFan |publisher=Metropolis Media |volume=6 |issue=5 |date=May 1998 |page=54 |access-date=October 19, 2020}}{{efn|In GameFan{{'}}s viewpoint of the PlayStation version, one critic gave it a score of 83, and the other 73.}}
| GameRev_PC = B−{{cite web |last=Garcia |first=Thomas |date=June 1998 |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33154-powerboat-racing-review |title=Powerboat Racing Review (PC) |website=GameRevolution |publisher=CraveOnline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040220185103/http://www.game-revolution.com/games/pc/sports/powerboat.htm |archive-date=February 20, 2004 |url-status=live |access-date=October 19, 2020}}
| NGen_PS = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_42/page/n145/mode/2up |title=Powerboat Racing |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=42 |date=June 1998 |page=142 |access-date=October 19, 2020}}
| OPM_PS = {{Rating|1|5}}{{cite magazine |title=VR Sports Powerboat Racing |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis |volume=1 |issue=10 |date=July 1998}}
| PCGUS_PC = 41%{{cite magazine |title=VR [Sports] Powerboat Racing |magazine=PC Gamer |publisher=Imagine Media |year=1998}}
}}
VR Sports Powerboat Racing met with mostly negative reviews. The PlayStation version held a 41% on the review aggregation website GameRankings based on five reviews. Critics razed the visuals for the cheap-looking water spray effects, dramatic pop-up which makes obstacles and even walls invisible until the player is too close to avoid them, and most especially the upward-angled camera view, which causes the bulk of the screen to be occupied with blue sky and leaves the player little view of the actual course. Next Generation speculated, "If only the game had more control over camera placement, it might have earned an extra star."
Other common criticisms included oversensitive controls and an annoying voice-over commentator. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly unanimously considered the game atrocious, with John Davison stating that it "takes the term 'bad' to completely new and previously uncharted territory." GameSpot were also firmly negative in their assessment, summing up, "There simply isn't a good side to this title." While sharing some of their criticisms, GamePro saw more of a bright side, offering praise for the selection of play modes and the intensity of the races. They concluded, "All told, Powerboat works fine as a poor man's Wave Race [64] for PlayStation gamers. It's plenty fun at first, but [it] wears thin because of the flaws in graphics and controls. We're talking rental all the way here."{{cite magazine |author=Air Hendrix |url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_106_May_1998/page/n93/mode/2up |title=PlayStation ProReview: Powerboat Racing |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG |issue=116 |date=May 1998 |page=92 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050121000649/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/193.shtml |archive-date=January 21, 2005 |url-status=live |access-date=October 19, 2020}}{{efn|GamePro gave the PlayStation version three 3.5/5 scores for graphics, control, and fun factor, and 2.0/5 for sound.}}
Reviewing the Windows version, GameSpot further criticized that of the four controller options, a steering wheel is the only one which works even mildly well, and ridiculed the fact that name entry is done using a scrolling alphabet despite keyboards being a standard accessory on PCs. The reviewer concluded that even playing a car racing game and pretending it is taking place on water would be a better option for a boat racing game than VR Sports Powerboat Racing.
{{clear}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/5141/vr-sports-powerboat-racing/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:VR Sports Powerboat Racing}}
Category:Cancelled Game Boy Color games
Category:Cancelled Nintendo 64 games
Category:Motorboat racing video games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:PlayStation (console) games
Category:Promethean Designs games