Street Racer
System: Game Boy
Publisher & Developer: Ubi Soft
Released: 1996
Genre: Kart Racing
Capabilities: Game Link Compatible

The Game

In 1994, Ubi Soft released Street Racer for the Super Nintendo. It was a Kart Racing game in my opinion, that demolished Mario Kart. It featured lots of more modes of play plus up to 4 players can join in the fun, now two years later in 1996, Ubi Soft re-released Street Racer for the Playstation and Game Boy. The Game Boy version is a completely different version than the ones on consoles, but with the same characters and modes. Will it succeed like the SNES version? Let’s get onto the review and find out.

Graphics

Now in the Console versions, you had an behind the racer view, much like in the Mario Kart games. That’s the same here, but the road is always slanted at the right for some odd reason. And there really isn’t that much variation of courses, the track is still slanted for all courses, but for some like the Desert course, you see little lines scattered next to the track indicating sand. And maybe you’ll little trees and other objects for other courses. The characters are the exact same from the console versions, but the detail on them are toned down a great deal. Like you can see the beard off the old guy, and other little things that are easy to make out so you can separate the drivers. For animation, there really isn’t that much of it. You can see the track and other objects go by, you can also see your kart and wheels rotate as you make turns. You also see the Kart racers ram objects onto other racers like hammers and axes to slow them down. There is some flickering during game play, but it doesn’t get distracting that much. Overall, the graphics for this Game Boy version, are pretty decent, but nothing spectacular, much like the rest of the Game Boy games at this time.

Sound

You got a nice little tune playing in the background during the races, you got a different one for each track, so at least there is a little variation, but most of the tracks sound pretty bad like most Game Boy games. For sound effects, there’s not much, but what’s there is enough for you in portable racing games. Like you hear tires squeal when you slam on the breaks, and your motor revving up when you step on the acceleration. The sound overall is not the greatest, but you can live with it.

Game play

Controls are pretty much the standard with the rest of the portable racing games at the time. A accelerates, B brakes, and you steer with the control pad. By pressing a certain button combination, you can whack a racer trying to go ahead you in position. Everything controls fine, and runs smoothly, with no choppiness at all. The game has a cast of about 8 characters, all with every single type of gimmick/stereotype out there, like we got an old Grandpa racing, and a really hot chick, and a big sumo guy, and the big muscled hero of the day. Each character has their own array of stats on there Karts to add for extra challenge like speed, handling, and so forth.

For game modes we got just about all the ones from the console version here like, the main cup races. Where you race on a certain number of races in a circuit, and if you finish on top, you unlock more circuits to race on, and more racers and courses as well. You also got regular racing in single racing mode. I think there is a single racer time trials as well. There is also the infamous Rumble mode from the console versions, but completely different from it. In the console versions, all the racers would be one big, 3-D, square, and you would try to bump them off. In here, you just keep on racing and try to bump, or whack an opponent off to the side. It’s a little bit fun to play, but nowhere near as fun as the console versions.

Replay Value

I believe the game is Game Link compatible so you can go at it with a friend in this wacky kart racing. Also the time trials will have you keep racing to beat your old records, and the rumble mode is there for some extra fun and laughs. And you’ll be keeping at it on the circuit mode to beat all the circuits and win all the courses and characters. The one mode missing here from the console versions is the soccer mode, too bad they didn’t have it here, but I guess it’s obvious how it would be hard to program that into this tiny cartridge.

In Brief

+: Plenty of modes, Link Compatibility, only Kart racing game on Game Boy

-: Mediocre visuals and audio, Rumble mode was a letdown, no soccer mode

The Final Ratings Rundown

Graphics: 5.9
Sound: 4.8
Game play: 6.5
Replay Value: 5.6

Overall: 5.7

Rounded to fit GameFAQs Score: 6

Comments

This game is a nice break from the regular racing games out on Game Boy, but not as great as it’s console versions. The game is a tad above average, and if you’re interesting in playing the only Kart racing game for old Game Boy, or you are one of the few die hard Street Racer fans like me then this game is definitely worth the purchase. If you aren’t then just consider this another one of the average racing games and buy it if you are a fan of the genre. I just wish Ubi Soft would release a Game Boy Color/Advanced update of the game, it’s been 5 years since the last Street Racer games.(Hint, Hint)