Hard Drivin'
Simple, retro 3D racer
Although I have the feeling that Hard Drivin' was meant to be a fast racer, and with an edge, given its age, and the fact that it stuck to the 3D guns, even if it came in 89, it ends up with a build and a construction that is really interesting, and unlike many other retro or otherwise games. For starters the tracks have a very weird feel about them; they combine sprite based graphics but they also have a true 3D set of graphics, underlying the game's basic engine. The other cool thing is that the feeling of depth, of seeing a lot in front of you gives this a laid back feel and build and is very stress releasing! So, if you want a retro game, that tried its hand at 3D, yet could only get so far, yet is a good game, Hard Drivin' is going to offer you satisfaction! The tracks and cars are in good amounts, yet they are not too many, so, best to play this one sporadically. Oh, and for a cool, somewhat similar game have Lotus in your collection as well, which is a rather modern sprite based racer, yet a very fun and also relaxed/relaxing one.
With practise Hard Drivin' is very enjoyable
Hard Drivin' was a great driving simulator for the time. Right off the bat it makes you turn the key to start the car, a lot of driving games miss that even today. The term "hard" is used rather well, this game is very difficult as it's a very short game so it's "Nintendo hard" to prolong it's length. Although there are no real set goals for the game or unlocks, your aim is to beat the set time and then beat your own record again and again, and again. The graphics are rather detailed, for one it's in 3D (it was a big thing at the time), with crashable objects and fairly good hit detection. There's two tracks Speedway and Stunt; With speedway it's fairly simple loop with a few bumps in the road, great to test your corning skills, and trust me - you're going to need them! Stunt has a lot of thrills mixed into the track, watch your landing though you'll crash! With practise Hard Drivin' is very enjoyable it's all about practise and eventually you'll be able to complete any track including the "stunt track" not that it's easy to do stunts or anything...
