California Speed

• Release Date: March 01, 1999
• Genre: Racing
• Style: Sports Car Racing
• Similar Games: Cruis'n USA (Nintendo 64), San Francisco Rush Extreme Racing (Nintendo 64), Off-Road Challenge (Nintendo 64), Cruis'n World (Nintendo 64), Cruis'n World (Arcade), Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA (Nintendo 64), Cruis'n USA (Arcade), Off-Road Challenge (Arcade), Off-Road Challenge (Nintendo 64), Cruis'n USA (Nintendo 64)

Game Description

Based on Atari Games' 1998 arcade game of the same name, California Speed has you racing across eleven courses inspired by the Golden State. Players can initially choose from ten vehicles (including a golf cart!) divided into three classes: light, heavy or sport. While there are three different game modes available, each involves trying to reach the finish line as quickly as possible.

Practice lets you drive for 999 seconds to get a feel for a particular track's layout, while Single Race has you challenging up to seven computer opponents on your choice of courses. As with most arcade racing games, checkpoints must be crossed within the allotted time in order to keep playing. The heart of the game is the Series mode, forcing you to race each track three separate times in four assorted competitions: Light, Heavy, Sport and the California Cup. A fifth competition, State, only requires you to race each course once.

Points are awarded for the top three finishers of each race, and the player with the highest total after the series ends is considered the winner. Win each Series competition and you'll also unlock the five hidden courses! Besides keeping an eye on their opponents, players will have to avoid oncoming traffic and endure different weather conditions as they progress from race to race. The eleven featured courses are: Central Valley, Highway 1, Los Angeles, Mojave, Monterey, Mount Shasta, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Silicon Valley and Yosemite.

Courses differ from those found in typical racing games in that you'll drive through "fantasy" elements such as a shopping mall, inside a computer or even atop a roller coaster! California Speed supports the Controller Pak to save best times as well as the Rumble Pak for vibration feedback while driving. Players can also race on mirror tracks, set the amount of traffic (light, normal, heavy or none), adjust the number of computer drones (from one to seven), switch between multiple camera views, and race a friend on a horizontally-split screen.

Roots & Influences

California Speed for the Nintendo 64 is a translation of Atari Games' 1998 arcade game of the same name, which featured authentic locales from the state of California along with some fantasy elements. The arcade title also allowed players the chance to race through the state at speeds of up to 145 mph, hence the name. According to California Speed's producers, the arcade game was designed to appeal to casual drivers both young and old, emphasizing fun over realism. The cartridge port uses a modified engine from 1998's San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing (minus the explosions) and includes a new series mode to expand on the replay value.

Review: Overall

California Speed is a racing game that relies heavily on flooring the gas pedal and zooming through scenic locales rather than offering the precise handling and intense competition expected in a simulation. Players won't have to worry about customizing their car, participating in grueling laps around closed circuit courses, or realistic physics and car damage. It is an Arcade game, meant to deliver fast-paced thrills with enough furious action and pretty graphics to keep you coming back for more.

There's only one small problem: the speed is conspicuously absent. This is a feature that's not only part of the title, but the most important element for fans of the Arcade version. While the speedometer says you're going over 150 miles per hour, it feels more like you're taking a leisurely drive on the open road. There is no exciting rush of adrenaline as found in racers like Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit or Top Gear Overdrive, which is this title's biggest fault. Without the high-speed thrills to take your mind off the simplistic nature of game, its flaws become much more apparent.

The game is also very forgiving when it comes to slamming into signs or even oncoming traffic, so your car will continue to motor along as if nothing happened. This was obviously designed to keep the game moving at a fluid pace, but the lack of danger associated with hitting obstacles means the action becomes tiresome after a few courses. Since the game allows drivers to continue accelerating through the entire race, it's hard not to finish within the top three positions on a consistent basis.

The graphics aren't likely to make you forgive some of the shortcomings, either. While the game is colorful, the visuals aren't as crisp or vibrant as the Arcade version, suffering from the same fuzziness associated with the system's earlier games. The background has some fog (although it's pushed far enough back so you can see in front of you), scenery pop-up is evident and the textures are lacking in detail. The fantasy elements are the best part of the visuals, since you can drive through such areas as the innards of a computer in Silicon Valley (a tunnel with pulsating circuits and bright lights) or along the Golden Gate Bridge's suspension cables high above traffic.

While the graphics and speed have taken noticeable hits from the Arcade version, these won't be serious issues if you simply want to drive around without feeling frustrated. On that note, the game succeeds. California Speed is a game where braking is optional and the cars all essentially handle the same. It is a game where there are no tricks, stunts or crashes to worry about, and it is a game best suited for younger audiences based on the simple play mechanics and forgiving courses. Needless to say, seasoned racing vets will want to pull off this road at the nearest exit.

Review: Enjoyment

If you couldn't get enough of Cruis'n USA or Cruis'n World, then you'll probably enjoy this game as well. The basic nature of gameplay and lack of variety in play modes are major deterrents.

Review: Graphics

The graphics are colorful and there are several different cars to choose from, including a golf cart, forklift, camper and a semi! The courses are above average, but the blurriness and pop-up hurt the overall score.

Review: Sound

The sound effects are merely average, but the music is varied enough to keep your foot tapping.

Review: Replay Value

Once you've blasted through the fourteen courses, there's not much left under the hood. The assortment of cars is there, but the lack of speed is a big disappointment. The ordinary two-player mode is not enough to save the game in this area.

Review: Documentation

No complaints here. The manual is clear, colorful and explains everything you need to know.

Production Credits

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