DESCRIPTION

The one-player Speed Racer was published in 1983. It places the user in the overhead position centered on a racecar speeding down a motorway. The user controls the speed of the vehicle by accelerating or decelerating. Moving left or right steers the vehicle amongst the obstacles found on the five-lane highway. Among the obstacles are other vehicles, which when struck, cause the player's car to explode. There are also people walking across the road who, if hit, will be reduced to blood patches.

The user is given three lives with which to race. Lives are lost when the player strikes other traffic or obstacles which cease the vehicle's forward momentum. Also, the player is given 100 time units to complete each 100 miles of the race. If the player is unable to complete 100 miles before the time units are depleted, the user will lose a life.

The game also calculates so-called "Devilish Points" and "Heavenly Points." For every pedestrian that is not hit, the player earns a heavenly point; for every pedestrian that is run down, the player earns a devilish point. The only purpose of the points is to increase your score, so the type of points received holds no bearing on the gameplay. ~ Ryan Glover, All Game Guide