Demolition Racer

• Release Date: 1999
• Genre: Racing
• Style: Demolition/Combat
• Similar Games: Daytona USA (Arcade), Destruction Derby (IBM PC Compatible), Destruction Derby 2 (IBM PC Compatible), Daytona USA (Sega Saturn), Destruction Derby (PlayStation), Destruction Derby 2 (PlayStation), Destruction Derby (Arcade), Daytona USA (IBM PC Compatible), Destruction Derby 64 (Nintendo 64), Destruction Derby 64 (Nintendo 64)

Game Description

Demolition Racer features one-player mayhem and two-player split-screen racing demolition action. With action similar to Destruction Derby, it's pure chaos as you race without rules and regulations and with total disregard for another racer's existence. The object of the game is not only to beat your opponents to the finish line but crush them to pieces as many times as it takes, setting their engines on fire in a blaze of glory.

Choose your own name and enter either a single race or the Demolition League. In the latter mode, you must progress by achieving the highest ranking per race in order to access locked-out arenas or cars. You've got the Rookie League, Semi-Pro League, Pro League, Endurance League, and Arena League. Pick one out of eight cars, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Before heading off to the race you can even customize the color of your car, the logo and an optional face to go along with it. With the face option enabled, all cars will have big placards of the faces sitting atop so that you know who's who.

Car selection is based on a set skill-level system. While the Bobcat car lets you play an easy game, the Predator is for those who want to play hard. Other cars, like the Vandal and Widowmaker, are special cars only attainable through league play. They are powerful cars that can either protect you like a road block or destroy just about anything in sight. Put the pedal to the metal as an incremental damage-causing collision system lets car parts and effects fly everywhere. Smoke, fire, shattered glass, flying hoods, and wobbly tires become commonplace. Get into the game with plenty of camera angles including a bird's eye view and then kick back to watch it all again with the replay feature.

Score points for spinning a vehicle 360 degrees or kill your opponents with one shot by landing on top of their roof. Run into destructible barricades, barrels, signposts, and garbage cans. Randomly placed power-ups that can enhance your chances of winning include picking up a repair wrenchs to receiving turbo boosts for extra speed. Win by mauling your 15 opponents and getting across that finish line first. Go the extra mile and challenge yourself with more laps, difficult handling, and wacky tracks. Speaking of tracks, the soundtrack is full of heavy music from original scores to re-mixes by Fear Factory, Junkie XL, Empirion, and Cirrus.

Roots & Influences

Demolition Racer is the first demolition racer to be released by Infogrames, and stands as the third destruction derby title to be released on the PlayStation The influences all point towards Psygnoisis's Destruction Derby, and for good reason too. The popular series has to date (early 2000) hit the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, PC, and Arcade, making demolition derby racing popular for the first time in videogaming history. Other influences include Daytona USA, Need for Speed: V-Rally, Ridge Racer, and other early 32-bit generation arcade/stock car racers.

Production Credits