NES Game Reviews #44 – Ivan “Ironman” Stewarts: Super Off Road
What an absolute legend! I’m sure that’s what anyone who has a clue who Ivan “Ironman” Stewart is would say about him, unfortunately I’m in the clueless group.
Ivan Stewart’s Off Road racing has you take control of what appears to be a pickup truck with a nitrous tank installed. There’s very little in the way of story. You enter a name and select a country then it’s straight onto the racing. Each race has you pitted against 3 opponents, the courses vary from squares, figure of eights and even some multi- track crossings. Many races simply reverse the tracks giving the illusion of fresh terrain.
To say this game has dated is an understatement! The whole track is limited to just the one screen. Once you account for the large area lost to the HUB, you’re not left with a great deal of screen to fit the action on. The result is microscopic racing. Ironically Micro-Machines has considerably larger sprites!
Graphics aside, there are more issues here. The AI is some of the most random I’ve seen on any game thus far. Some races the computer just decides Ivan is going to win and there’s very little you can do. You’ll drain all your turbo boosts trying to keep up with Ivan’s car, and he’ll just keep on storming ahead without using any of his. Other times, all you need is a boost at the start and you can drive the rest of the race in a leisurely fashion as if you were taxiing your grandmother and no one will even remotely challenge you.
After each race, money is awarded based on your finishing position. You can upgrade your vehicle in the usual fashion, and top up turbo boosts. Fairly soon you’ll find you’ve maxed out the upgrades on your car, from then on the prize money simply becomes a turbo fund. You’ll waste turbos if used when touching cars or other obstacles, you must have clear track. It pays to save them for race winning moments. It’s easy to drain your entire reserves on one race trying, mostly in vain to catch up with Ivan!
After 40 races a quick scoreboard flashes up then it’s back to the title screen? I can only assume that’s the end. I can find nothing for ablut this online.
Not a system highlight. Maybe more fun multiplayer?