Rad Racer

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Rad Racer was one of Square's early releases for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game is similar to Out Run, in that you drive a car from point A to point B, dodging traffic and roadside obstacles on your way to the finish line.

Two games in the series were released: Rad Racer (1987, published by Nintendo of America), and Rad Racer II (1990, directly published by Square).

Rad Tropes:
  • Alternate Company Equivalent: Often considered to be Nintendo's answer to Out Run, even though it wasn't developed by them.
  • Made of Iron: Your car. Instead of exploding after a crash like in Pole Position, you'll either flip in the air (first game) or spin out of control (second) and have to work your way back up to top speed, often from an undesirable position on the road.
  • Market-Based Title: The first game was known as Highway Star in Japan. The second game isn't known as anything there since it was never released there.
  • Nitro Boost: Rad Racer II had this feature, allowing you to reach top speed from a starting position after charging the boost for about three seconds.