Underplayed Gems

Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge (1990)

Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge cover
Developer
Magnetic Fields
Publisher
Gremlin Graphics
Platforms
Commodore C64/128/MAX, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Atari ST/STE, Amiga, Amstrad CPC
Genres
Racing
Rating
3.8 of 5, 19 player ratings

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The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Endorsed by Lotus, this arcade racer sends you through 32 tracks worldwide against cheeky pun-named rivals.

fast-pacedcompetitivearcade-styleclassicracingchallenging

About

The first in a series of 3 racing games endorsed by the legendary car company, which is now a part of Proton. The game features a total of 32 fictitious racetracks from around the world, split into 3 difficulty levels. There are 19 computer opponents (15 on the 8-bit versions) and you have to finish in the top 10 (top 8 on the 8-bits) to progress. The higher you finish in one race, the lower down the grid you start for the next race. The opposition drivers have pun names based on the F1 drivers of the day - examples include Ricardo Pastry and Crashhard Banger. You can choose between sound effects or one of a variety of music pieces. The game features a simultaneous 2-player mode, but the 1-player mode only uses half the screen, a simple animation filling the other half. In most races you will have to make a pitstop for fuel in order to reach the finish. The tracks include features such as oil slicks, roadworks, boulders and rivers - contact with these (or the other cars) will slow you, but there is no car damage model.

Screenshots

Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge screenshot 1Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge screenshot 2Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge screenshot 3Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge screenshot 4

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More by Magnetic Fields

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.