MAD GEAR (Capcom - 1989)
[download Mad Gear for MAME]

Not one of the most classic or widely known games ever made, my first memories of Mad Gear are from adverts appearing in computer magazines circa 1990 for the conversion to various home computer systems, such as the Amiga and Atari ST.

It wasn't the most striking advert in history but I still wanted to play it nonetheless, suffice to say I never did get a copy. From the screenshots I could see this was a top-down driving game, with what looked like a fair degree of action. Given my love for this genre, probably stemming from my fascination with the 1983 Bally-Midway release 'Spy Hunter', I was delighted to have recently played the game, fulfilling my expectations as to how good it would be.

As with most driving games storyline is thin, in this case consisting of a futuristic race through a futuristic land (ahh, the future). Of course you have your race rival, much like any modern Speed Racer, but he doesn't feature heavily enough to validate his presence in the game.

At the start of the game you get your choice of three different vehicles, from a fast but fragile F1 racer to a slow buy strong truck, similarities with Final Fight end here.

You then race against other cars of the same ilk over roughly eight courses, with the level structure of futuristic overhead freeway, country type level, futuristic overhead freeway, country type level and so on.

The overhead freeways are clearly the main focus of the game, even featuring in the magazine adverts, and also where the player is called upon to exhibit the excellent control and reflexes needed to complete this game. Every now and then (more 'now' in later levels) you will be told to 'Jump' where a section of the road has disappeared. But with the ability to change direction either way in mid-jump the awaiting section of road is not always straight in front. I suppose you could start asking questions are to why or how a car can apparently jump 20 feet on command, but then again no-one seemed to bring the topic up with Michael Knight, so I guess it's ok.

The only thing to watch out for is not to jump as soon as it says to, but instead take it as a warning that you will have to shortly and look out for the break in the road. Jumping when told will only result in you plummeting to the world below, not that this is a great set back. In fact the only real challenge to completing each level is collecting the petrol cans of 'Energy' along the way. However you do feel a real sense of empathy in the "I'm sorry to say but we've run out of energy" comment if you fail.

Mad Gear isn't a very long game, and is complete-able in fewer than 10 credits. But this is a good thing as ridiculously high difficulty curves are always a turn-off, even with the options of infinite credits that arcade emulators give us.

david twomey

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