Super Sprint
Encyclopedia
Super Sprint is a 1986 arcade game
by Atari Games
. The player drives a Formula One
-like car on a circuit that is viewed from above.
. Up to three players drive simultaneously on a circuit against opponents controlled by the computer. The circuits are viewed from above and always fit on the screen, so the game never scrolls
. After three laps the winner advances to the next circuit. There are 8 circuits in total, but the game only ends if gamers can get to race 85 where the bonus Super Speedway circuit is played. As the player goes to higher levels, more and more obstacles appear on the track, like oil puddles and tiny moving tornadoes. If the car touches them, the player loses control over the car for a short time while it is sliding and spinning. Driving into a wall with high speed or falling from one of the bridges destroys the car, but a helicopter will appear to replace it.
The car can be customized by collecting wrenches that lie on the track. The player can exchange three of them for improved traction, better acceleration or higher top speed.
and the Sprint
series, which were black-and-white games with very primitive graphics from the 1970s. Later in 1986 Championship Sprint
was released which is almost identical, but with different tracks, and with a standard-size two-player cabinet instead of Super Sprint's wide 3P cabinet.
Because Super Sprint was so simple and this type of game is relatively easy to create, it inspired many similar games, mostly from hobbyists. However some published games contain a tribute with similar mini games including Jet Force Gemini
and The Simpsons Hit & Run
. The Skidmarks series of games for the Amiga
and Mega Drive/Genesis also shows a strong Super Sprint influence in terms of gameplay and graphics, as does the Super Off Road
arcade game.
s and video game console
s:
Super Sprint was also released on the arcade collection game, Midway Arcade Treasures
, for the Nintendo GameCube
, the PlayStation 2
, and the Xbox
systems plus for the PC
. Its sequel game, Championship Sprint
, was also released for the same systems on Midway Arcade Treasures 2
, and as a downloadable game for the PlayStation 3 available from the PlayStation Store.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
by Atari Games
Atari Games
Atari Games Corporation was an American producer of arcade games, and originally part of Atari, Inc..-History:When, in 1984, Warner Communications sold the Atari Consumer division of Atari Inc...
. The player drives a Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
-like car on a circuit that is viewed from above.
Gameplay
Super Sprint is a simple racing gameRacing 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...
. Up to three players drive simultaneously on a circuit against opponents controlled by the computer. The circuits are viewed from above and always fit on the screen, so the game never scrolls
Scrolling
In computer graphics, filmmaking, television production, and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display. "Scrolling", as such, does not change the layout of the text or pictures, or but incrementally moves the user's view across what is...
. After three laps the winner advances to the next circuit. There are 8 circuits in total, but the game only ends if gamers can get to race 85 where the bonus Super Speedway circuit is played. As the player goes to higher levels, more and more obstacles appear on the track, like oil puddles and tiny moving tornadoes. If the car touches them, the player loses control over the car for a short time while it is sliding and spinning. Driving into a wall with high speed or falling from one of the bridges destroys the car, but a helicopter will appear to replace it.
The car can be customized by collecting wrenches that lie on the track. The player can exchange three of them for improved traction, better acceleration or higher top speed.
Legacy
The game is a successor to Gran Trak 10Gran Trak 10
Gran Trak 10 was a single-player racing arcade game released by Atari in 1974. The player raced against the clock, accumulating as many points as possible....
and the Sprint
Sprint 2
Sprint 2 is a 2 player overhead-view arcade racer released in 1976 by Kee Games, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atari.-Technology:Sprint 2 evolved from Gran Trak 10 and Gran Trak 20, but included a microprocessor , a first for racing games. This allowed Sprint 2 to include two computer-controlled...
series, which were black-and-white games with very primitive graphics from the 1970s. Later in 1986 Championship Sprint
Championship Sprint
Championship Sprint is an arcade game that was released in 1986 and was the sequel to Super Sprint. It was later ported to ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64...
was released which is almost identical, but with different tracks, and with a standard-size two-player cabinet instead of Super Sprint's wide 3P cabinet.
Because Super Sprint was so simple and this type of game is relatively easy to create, it inspired many similar games, mostly from hobbyists. However some published games contain a tribute with similar mini games including Jet Force Gemini
Jet Force Gemini
Jet Force Gemini is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by Rare. It was exclusively released for the Nintendo 64 in late 1999 in North America, Europe and Japan...
and The Simpsons Hit & Run
The Simpsons Hit & Run
The Simpsons Hit & Run is an action-adventure video game based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons. It was released for the GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Windows in North America on September 16, 2003, In Europe and Australia on October 31, 2003 and in Japan on December 25, 2003...
. The Skidmarks series of games for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
and Mega Drive/Genesis also shows a strong Super Sprint influence in terms of gameplay and graphics, as does the Super Off Road
Super Off Road
Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road is an arcade video game released in 1989 by Leland Corporation. Virgin Games produced several home versions in 1990...
arcade game.
Ports
Super Sprint has been ported to the following home computerHome computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
s and video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
s:
- Amstrad CPCAmstrad CPCThe Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
- Atari STAtari STThe Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
- Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
- ZX SpectrumZX SpectrumThe ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
- Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
- PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
(part of the Arcade Party PakArcade Party PakArcade Party Pak is a PlayStation compilation of six Atari Games , Midway, and Williams arcade titles: 720°, Klax, Rampage, Smash TV, Super Sprint, and Toobin...
) - Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
(released along with Spy HunterSpy HunterSpy Hunter is a 1983 arcade game developed and released by Bally Midway. It has also been ported to various home computers and video game systems....
in a dual-game pack in 2005 by Destination Software, Inc.)
Super Sprint was also released on the arcade collection game, Midway Arcade Treasures
Midway Arcade Treasures
Midway Arcade Treasures is a collection of 24 arcade games developed by Digital Eclipse and released by Midway for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC....
, for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
systems plus for the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. Its sequel game, Championship Sprint
Championship Sprint
Championship Sprint is an arcade game that was released in 1986 and was the sequel to Super Sprint. It was later ported to ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64...
, was also released for the same systems on Midway Arcade Treasures 2
Midway Arcade Treasures 2
Midway Arcade Treasures 2 is the second collection of classic arcade games published by Midway for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. This compilation includes 20 games that were not in the 2003 release of Midway Arcade Treasures or the 2005 release of Midway Arcade Treasures 3.The game plays...
, and as a downloadable game for the PlayStation 3 available from the PlayStation Store.
External links
- The Atari ST Port
- NES Super Sprint World Records at Twin GalaxiesTwin GalaxiesTwin Galaxies is an American organization that tracks video game world records and conducts a program of electronic-gaming promotions. It operates the Twin Galaxies website and publishes the Twin Galaxies' Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records, with the Arcade Volume released on June...