Gale Racer

From Sega Retro

n/a

GaleRacer Saturn JP Title.png

Gale Racer
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (16 tracks)
Peripherals supported: Arcade Racer
Genre: Racing[4][5]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP
¥6,8006,800 GS-9003
Sega Rating: All Ages

Gale Racer (ゲイルレーサー) is a Sega Saturn driving game developed by System Sacom[1][2] and published by Sega. A port of the 1991 Sega System 32 arcade game Rad Mobile, it was released exclusively in Japan in December 1994, and is the first driving game released for the Sega Saturn.

Gameplay

Gale Racer shares similar gameplay to Rad Mobile, with the player driving eastwards across America against rival cars against a strict time limit. There are, however, a number of graphical and technical changes to better suit the Saturn's hardware, and rather than one continuous journey, "areas" are split up by loading screens. There are also 23 rival cars, as opposed to the arcade's 14.

Gale Racer has the player drive a completely different vehicle to Rad Mobile, and renders all the rivals as polygons, rather than resized sprites. Similarly to Rad Mobile, a Sonic the Hedgehog "mascot" hangs from the car's ceiling (resembling his look in Sonic the Hedgehog 3), however others from the Sonic series are available, including the first home sightings of Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel.

However, despite being a port of a then-three-year-old game (for arcade hardware that had been retired), Gale Racer is noticeably scaled back over its arcade counterpart, running at half the frame rate with lower draw distances, and less detailed "textures" for the road and scenery. The breaking up of areas means stage transitions no longer exist, and the road is always the same colour. The physics of the mascot are also simplified, always swinging and rotating at the same rate regardless of what is happening in-game.

There are also no exploding police officers when the player finishes first.

Production credits

Source:
In-game credits
Galeracer Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
[6]

Magazine articles

Main article: Gale Racer/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
60 Sega Saturn Tsūshin, p7
Sega Saturn
60
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Consoles + (FR) NTSC-J
85
[7]
Computer & Video Games (UK) NTSC-J
17
[8]
Excalibur (CZ) NTSC-J
23
[9]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
53
[10]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
35
[11]
MAN!AC (DE) NTSC-J
42
[12]
Mega Force (FR) NTSC-J
70
[13]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-J
35
[14]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
65
[15]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
64
[16]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
54
[17]
Ultimate Future Games (UK) NTSC-J
30
[18]
Última Generación (ES)
40
[19]
Sega Saturn
47
Based on
13 reviews

Gale Racer

Saturn, JP
Galeracer sat jp backcover.jpgGaleracer sat jp frontcover.jpg
Cover
Gale Racer Saturn JP SpineCard.jpg
Spinecard
Galeracer sat jp disc.png
Disc
RadMobile SS jp manual.pdf
Manual

Technical information

Main article: Gale Racer/Technical information.

External links

  • Sega of Japan catalogue page (Japanese): Saturn

References


Gale Racer

GaleRacer Saturn JP Title.png

Main page | Comparisons | Development | Magazine articles | Reception | Technical information


Music: Rad Mobile Original Soundtrack (2011)

No results