Extreme-G
Encyclopedia
Extreme-G is a motorcycle racing game
for the Nintendo 64
. It was the first game of the Extreme-G series. It was developed
by Probe Entertainment and published
by Acclaim Entertainment
.
/reverse missiles, magnetic/laser mines, and shield-boosting power-ups. Special weapons can also be found such as invisibility, phosphorus flash and the mighty Wally-Warp which if not avoided, can instantly transport a bike right to the back of the pack.
-powered bikes in an intergalactic Grand Prix at speeds that are over 750 km/h making it the third fastest racing game on the Nintendo 64
, only beaten by F-Zero X
and Star Wars: Episode I Racer
. The emphasis is on speed and creative racetrack design, with tracks looping through like roller coaster
s.
At the beginning of each round, the player is given three "nitro" powerups which provide a temporary speed boost (these powerups cannot be replenished). Also, falling off cliffs or, in some cases, the track itself results in simply losing time rather than losing 'lives'; bikes are teleported back to the track and must rebuild their speed and lost time from a dead standstill. Some parts of many tracks are shown to be hundreds of feet in the air.
This is the only game in the series where a vehicle is unable to reach Mach Speed but nothing is impossible.
The main game mode (Extreme Contest) features three championships: Atomic (four tracks), Critical Mass (eight tracks) and Meltdown (full 12 standard tracks). The player must come first in each championship to progress. Winning championships on the various difficulty levels will open up the hidden bikes, levels and cheats.
Once the levels have been opened they can be used for the additional single and multi-player modes.
The music featured in this game consists of generally fast-paced trance.
Another variable between the bikes is the type of primary weapon the bike has installed. There are three types Pulse, Laser and Excel; again each having its own strengths and weaknesses. With the characteristics varying considerably between vehicles, some will be better than others at reaching specific goals.
There are shortcuts in many of the tracks, but the tracks are very linear. The groupings are: Desert, City, Mines & Canyons and Space Station. In addition there is a "secret" Bonus Track.
gave Extreme-G a good rating of 7.9 out of 10 despite little criticism of the gameplay and the presentation stating the speed was "too fast for its own good" and the "front end [of bikes were] pretty ugly", respectively.
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. It was the first game of the Extreme-G series. It was developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Probe Entertainment and published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
.
Plot
Extreme-G is set in the distant future where Earth is a mere wasteland. From their new found planet the human colonists watch with joy as their remote controlled power-bikes wreak havoc through their ancient cities. There is only one winner, the first to cross the line… or the last to survive.Gameplay
The gameplay of Extreme-G consists mainly of fast-paced racing through an array of futuristic environments. An impressive array of defensive and offensive weapons is available on-track. These include multi-homingGuided Missile
Guided Missile is a London based independent record label set up by Paul Kearney in 1994.Guided Missile has always focused on 'the underground', preferring to put out a steady flow of releases and developing the numerous GM events around London and beyond....
/reverse missiles, magnetic/laser mines, and shield-boosting power-ups. Special weapons can also be found such as invisibility, phosphorus flash and the mighty Wally-Warp which if not avoided, can instantly transport a bike right to the back of the pack.
Overview
As with all Extreme-G games, futuristic racing pilots race plasmaPlasma (physics)
In physics and chemistry, plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms , thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions...
-powered bikes in an intergalactic Grand Prix at speeds that are over 750 km/h making it the third fastest racing game on the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
, only beaten by F-Zero X
F-Zero X
, is a futuristic racing video game for the Nintendo 64 console. Developed by Nintendo's EAD division, it was released in Japan, Europe and North America, in 1998. In 2000, an expansion of the game was exclusively released in Japan providing numerous extra features not in the original game. F-Zero...
and Star Wars: Episode I Racer
Star Wars: Episode I Racer
Star Wars Episode I: Racer is a racing video game based on the pod race featured in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The game features a variety of tracks spanning several different planets and includes all and more of the racers featured in the movie, including Teemto Pagalies, Dud Bolt,...
. The emphasis is on speed and creative racetrack design, with tracks looping through like roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s.
At the beginning of each round, the player is given three "nitro" powerups which provide a temporary speed boost (these powerups cannot be replenished). Also, falling off cliffs or, in some cases, the track itself results in simply losing time rather than losing 'lives'; bikes are teleported back to the track and must rebuild their speed and lost time from a dead standstill. Some parts of many tracks are shown to be hundreds of feet in the air.
This is the only game in the series where a vehicle is unable to reach Mach Speed but nothing is impossible.
Game modes
The single player games come in three difficulty settings: Novice, Intermediate and Extreme.The main game mode (Extreme Contest) features three championships: Atomic (four tracks), Critical Mass (eight tracks) and Meltdown (full 12 standard tracks). The player must come first in each championship to progress. Winning championships on the various difficulty levels will open up the hidden bikes, levels and cheats.
Once the levels have been opened they can be used for the additional single and multi-player modes.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Practice Mode | Single stage race where the player chooses his/her track and difficulty. |
| Time Trials | The player must attempt to break the chosen tracks record. |
| Shoot-Em-Up | The player must drive around the track while shooting down waves of speedy automated drones. |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Cup | Up to 16 players can register for this survival tournament. |
| Head to Head | Up to four players race each other on a chosen track. |
| Flag Game | The player who drives through the most flags wins. |
| Battle Arena | Up to four players can battle each other in these specially designed arenas. |
Audio
One of the defining characteristics of the game is the sound generated by the futuristic plasma engines while running at maximum velocity.The music featured in this game consists of generally fast-paced trance.
Vehicles
Each of the machines has their own strengths and weaknesses. These are decided by the following 5 characteristics:- Accel (acceleration)
- Speed (maximum velocity)
- Turns (handlingCar handlingAutomobile handling and vehicle handling are descriptions of the way wheeled vehicles perform transverse to their direction of motion, particularly during cornering and swerving. It also includes their stability when moving at rest. Handling and braking are the major components of a vehicle's...
) - Shield (electronic armor battery life)
- Weap (primary weapons battery life)
Another variable between the bikes is the type of primary weapon the bike has installed. There are three types Pulse, Laser and Excel; again each having its own strengths and weaknesses. With the characteristics varying considerably between vehicles, some will be better than others at reaching specific goals.
Stages
Players are presented with 4 track groupings. Each has its own unique feel and setting.There are shortcuts in many of the tracks, but the tracks are very linear. The groupings are: Desert, City, Mines & Canyons and Space Station. In addition there is a "secret" Bonus Track.
Legacy
In September 2004, Acclaim Entertainment filed for bankruptcy, registering over $100 million in debt. This meant that the franchises Acclaim had rights to were up for grabs. The Extreme-G franchise was purchased by Throwback Entertainment in July 2006, as seen on Throwback's Official website http://www.throwbackentertainment.com. Throwback has issued word that it will bring its newly acquired franchises to new levels on the next-generation platforms, indicating a strong possibility that the Extreme-G franchise may see the light of day on one of the new next-generation platforms.Reception
IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave Extreme-G a good rating of 7.9 out of 10 despite little criticism of the gameplay and the presentation stating the speed was "too fast for its own good" and the "front end [of bikes were] pretty ugly", respectively.