There are times where I think the Saturn could do so much more then what its games showed, but then I picked up Manx TT Super BIke. Despite the generic title, I was wondering on how a motorcycle game held up on the Saturn. Turns out this is a perfect showcase for what the Saturn hardware could really do. It also provides pure arcade racing fun. Something that Sega is great at doing.
Gameplay B: The gameplay is solid, especially for a Saturn 3D racing game. It plays like an arcade game where you have to race through tracks and reach checkpoints to keep your time going. You have 7 other racers to go against, and they are pretty relentless. It seems as though their bikes are faster then yours and they even have analog steering. You can have analog steering too if you have a Saturn 3D controller. I don't have one, but from what I heard it works better then using the D-pad. Which is what I had to use to play the game. When steering with the D-pad, the controls are twitchy and its easy to over-steer. However if you are in first person mode this removes the issue. The game is challenging, and very addicting. Just like an arcade style game should. I spent hours shaving seconds off my best time. That's saying something there.
Graphics A-: The Saturn was very weak for 3D games, but Manx TT Super Bike is one of the best looking Saturn games I have ever seen. The framerate is smooth as butter, and the sunny enviroments and detailed graphics really show what the Saturn can do. This is due to the amount of sprites used instead of polygons. They are mixed so well that sometimes you can't tell the difference. All you can do is stare at the beautiful scenery. Of course to obtain a smooth framerate you must sacrifice SOMETHING. Well there is pop up, but its very well hidden, and it doesn't look nearly as bad as Daytona USA, or other earlier Saturn games.
Sound B-: The sound is good for the most part. The announcer sounds happy to be existing in the game, and the music is catchy and memorable. The sound effects are typical, with engine noises, and the clashing of riders.
Depth D: Could Sega be any lazier for adding content to this game. There are only 2 tracks, and 2 mirrored variations. I know this was once an arcade game, but Sega could have added more tracks. There are 4 modes. There is arcade mode, which is just a single race, with only one motorcycle available. There's Saturn mode, which is a circuit mode with several bikes to choose from. Next there is time trial mode where you simply race alone to beat your best times. Finally you have 2 player mode, which is self explanatory. Nothing special in terms of content, but the addictive gameplay bypasses this.
OVERALL RATING B
There are times where I think the Saturn could do so much more then what its games showed, but then I picked up Manx TT Super BIke. Despite the generic title, I was wondering on how a motorcycle game held up on the Saturn. Turns out this is a perfect showcase for what the Saturn hardware could really do. It also provides pure arcade racing fun. Something that Sega is great at doing.
Gameplay B: The gameplay is solid, especially for a Saturn 3D racing game. It plays like an arcade game where you have to race through tracks and reach checkpoints to keep your time going. You have 7 other racers to go against, and they are pretty relentless. It seems as though their bikes are faster then yours and they even have analog steering. You can have analog steering too if you have a Saturn 3D controller. I don't have one, but from what I heard it works better then using the D-pad. Which is what I had to use to play the game. When steering with the D-pad, the controls are twitchy and its easy to over-steer. However if you are in first person mode this removes the issue. The game is challenging, and very addicting. Just like an arcade style game should. I spent hours shaving seconds off my best time. That's saying something there.
Graphics A-: The Saturn was very weak for 3D games, but Manx TT Super Bike is one of the best looking Saturn games I have ever seen. The framerate is smooth as butter, and the sunny enviroments and detailed graphics really show what the Saturn can do. This is due to the amount of sprites used instead of polygons. They are mixed so well that sometimes you can't tell the difference. All you can do is stare at the beautiful scenery. Of course to obtain a smooth framerate you must sacrifice SOMETHING. Well there is pop up, but its very well hidden, and it doesn't look nearly as bad as Daytona USA, or other earlier Saturn games.
Sound B-: The sound is good for the most part. The announcer sounds happy to be existing in the game, and the music is catchy and memorable. The sound effects are typical, with engine noises, and the clashing of riders.
Depth D: Could Sega be any lazier for adding content to this game. There are only 2 tracks, and 2 mirrored variations. I know this was once an arcade game, but Sega could have added more tracks. There are 4 modes. There is arcade mode, which is just a single race, with only one motorcycle available. There's Saturn mode, which is a circuit mode with several bikes to choose from. Next there is time trial mode where you simply race alone to beat your best times. Finally you have 2 player mode, which is self explanatory. Nothing special in terms of content, but the addictive gameplay bypasses this.
OVERALL RATING B