Developer: Ratalaika Games, NCSOFT
Publisher: Ratalaika Games
Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Moto Roader MC – Review
Remakes of older games have been a popular thing for quite some time now. It seems to be the hype of the late 2010s and early 2020s, and many of these remakes or remasters are well-received by the community. While some popular titles get reworked to great success like Spyro, Ratchet & Clank, and Mafia, there are other releases that just try to cash in on this current trend, such as the initial botched release of the GTA Collection. Luckily for the fans, a lot of love and effort have been put into Moto Roader MC. Originally this game came out in 1992 and three decades later it sees new life on the current generation of consoles.
Story
Moto Roader MC is an arcade game in heart and soul, therefore it comes without any story but it allows the players to immediately jump into action. You just name your racer and do your best on track to go home with a shiny trophy. When you finish a championship series, there is a little ending credits sequence, but nothing all too fancy.
Graphics
Basically, all racing games in the early 90s were 2D. Some did play around with the visuals to give you the sense of a more 3D environment but this was still only two-dimensional. Moto Roader MC is viewed from a top-down perspective and gives the player a perfect oversight over the whole track. Each racer has its own color and you can select a different vehicle in the options menu. The original graphics have received some upscaling work, so it looks amazing on large modern screens.
Sound
Just like the graphics, the sounds are all retro-inspired sounds, which some can lead to small annoyances at times. The engines sound like an old chip going on the fritz and playing this game with people sleeping in the near vicinity can lead to some complaints as the buzzing is pretty high pitched so you’ll have to turn your TV down or fiddle around in the settings. The other sound effects, from the cars crashing and firing their weapons to the fast-paced background music, all sound like they have been carefully remade to sound like their original counterparts.
Gameplay
Moto Roader MC is an arcade racing game where you must battle it out with others to finish in the first place. The game offers a few different modes but it is a title that you will probably play for a few races in-between more serious gaming sessions. The game is best played with friends for some laughs, or maybe thanks to the Switch version, during commutes. For solo players, there are only two modes: Championship and Time Trial. In Championship, you select a course package from the elaborate list of tracks and race for GP points. The racer who has the most points wins the Championship. Time Trial on other hand is there to hone your skills and to have you try to beat your own record.
If you have some friends nearby then you can embark on a game of soccer or the five-player battle arena, once you have unlocked it through Championship mode. In soccer, it is either 1v1 or 2v2 as you try to score a goal, but watch out, it is easy to score in your own goal as well. In the battle arena, you must survive the longest as the floor slowly disappears. Will you lure your friend into a trap or will you just ram them off the platform? The game only features local modes, so you’ll have to have some players nearby to actually delve into the multiplayer content.
Racing is pretty simple: you steer your vehicle and try to wipe out others with the use of rockets and pipe bombs. These items will stun your opponent for a second, but watch out, as you can be on the receiving end of them as well. The game allows the player to swap between control schemes on the fly, so you can either play with traditional controls, where steering left or right is always left or right from the perspective of your vehicle but you also have the option to choose a control scheme that follows the controls of a 360 shooter, where the direction you wish to steer to is actually the direction on the screen. This is a fun inclusion and it adds an extra level of comfort to the experience. Keep in mind though, accidentally pressing the button to swap controls schemes mid-race can also lead to frustration. You will only need a few buttons to move around in the game, but as the gas and brake commands are placed differently than in most games, it could take a few races to get used to the button layout.
Conclusion
Moto Roader MC is a simple small title that takes you back to the early 90s. As it was made just like its original, players will enjoy the nostalgic feeling of simplicity, while enjoying the game on a large screen. The music and sound effects are nice but the engine sounds can be annoying. There are a lot of tracks to race on and with the local mode, you and your friends can have some fun from the comfort of your own couch.
Moto Roader MC – Review,
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