Stay chilly, puppy!

Road Rash I and II

In an early January podcast called Deconstructing Comics one commentator thought my Mayfield Eight looked like an old interactive computer game he played called Full Throttle. That got me to thinking about my influences in terms of motorcycles and video games. The first thing that popped up in my head was a classic Sega Genesis game called Road Rash.

Road Rash is a racing/combative game that pits you against a field of 16 racers who are vying for a first place finish on a length of public road. The whole premise is illegal and dangerous, risking your life and the lives of everyone else on the road. Naturally there's heavy Harley Davidson Police Cruiser bikes trying to arrest you. The racers -you included- are capable of hitting or punching each other if they get up close. In Road Rash I getting the club was a bonus -you had to steal it from another rider. In II you could steal a chain which would cause the most damage.

North to Alaska!

It was a lot of fun. Very nerve-wracking to try and stay ahead of the pack. The length of the course in the five individual places would increase with each level increase. In Road Rash II the hardest track was Alaska, with tricky quick turns and unexpected police squad cars blocking the road. Higher bikes that you could purchase would also come with eight nitro bursts, sending you to speeds reaching 280mph!

In the end I had to give it away. Video games were taking too much of my time. I might check out Full Throttle some day.