Ludography
Crazee Rider cover

1987 · Racing

Crazee Rider

Crazee Rider is the spiritual successor to Superior Software's Overdrive. Originally envisioned as a car racing game it was turned into a motorcycle racer during development. Players need to race opponents over different tracks, starting out at the 60th position. To progress the player has to end in the top six of the pack in a single lap. Compared to Overdrive there are more opportunities to avoid opponents and tracks also have bends.

Released
1987
Platforms
Acorn ElectronBBC Microcomputer System
Genres
Racing
Developers
—
Publishers
Superior Software
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Third person
Themes
Action
Country
United Kingdom

About

Crazee Rider is a motorbike racing video game created by Kevin Edwards and published by Superior Software in 1987. It was released for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro with an enhanced version for the BBC Master. The game was particularly well received for the Electron as it was the first 3D racing game with corners for that machine.

Keywords

  • motorcycle
  • driving

Media

Crazee Rider screenshot 1

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The player competes as one of sixty riders in a series of motorbike races held on the real life race circuits Le Mans, Anderstorp, Paul Ricard, Brands Hatch, Misano, Silverstone and the Nürburgring. The player must finish in the top six in order to qualify for the next race.

As the race begins, the player's bike is slow to accelerate so the rest of the field speed past. The player must attempt to catch and pass the other racers. The player may also gain bonus points by knocking the other racers off their bikes by side swiping them when the player is slightly in front. If the computer controlled racer is slightly in front when the bikes clash, it will cause the player to slow down. If the player hits the back of another bike, their bike is disabled for a short time.

Development

The game was originally conceived as an Acorn Electron car racing game as a follow-up to the hugely successful Overdrive. That game was the only 3D racing game available for the Electron so despite only having straight tracks, became Superior Software's biggest selling game. In late 1986, Superior reissued Acornsoft's BBC Micro only racing simulation Revs and were also working on the Grand Prix Construction Set, set for release in 1987. Neither of these games were able to be converted for the Electron.

After completing the shoot 'em up Galaforce, Superior asked Kevin Edwards if he would be interested in writing an Electron racing game. During development, it was decided to change the game to a motorbike racer and to also release it on the BBC Micro.

Reception

Electron User called the game "superb", giving an overall score of 9/10 (with 10/10 for both playability and value for money) with reviewer Joanne Hutcheson concluding "Crazee Rider is an exciting game - it's fast, challenging and there's plenty to keep you entertained". A&B Computing, who concentrated on the BBC Micro, were less impressed, awarding only 7/10. Reviewer Dave Reeder claimed: "There is nothing here that marks bold new steps into unknown programming areas - the game is solidly put together but is not up to the usual high standard of Superior releases for the Beeb". He did however concede that "The Electron version is what counts and here, I'm told, it does things at great speed to amaze Electron owners".

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
BBC Microcomputer System31 December 1987Worldwide

Games like this

Collections2 collections

Platform libraries

Genres

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.