Published by Ratalaika Games for the modern games, Moto Roader MC was originally developed by Masaya Games back in 1992. It is a top-down racing game with retro visuals and challenging gameplay. Moto Roader MC was certainly a title that was way ahead of its time when it launched with its over-the-top racing action and multiple race modes including a Rocket League-style football mode. This is our review of the Nintendo Switch version of Moto Roader MC in which we play a retro Rocket League and try not to confuse our car with our opponent’s.
You have three modes to choose from. You have your classic race where you must try to come first in a variety of tracks. Then you have your Time Attack where you must try to set the fastest time and finally, you have your bonus Omake mode which is actually car football. Looks like Rocket League was not the first game with this concept. Omake offers three variants for a football field where you must try to score more goals than your opponent and you can also fire rockets to move the ball or stop your opponent. It is pretty cool and highly addictive. All three modes are unlocked right from the start so you can jump in anyone that you fancy.
The game also allows five players to jump in the game for ultimate frenzy as well. This is not possible with the default controller layout so you will need five different JoyCons connected to the Nintendo Switch system at the same time for it to work. If not, you can jump with fewer players or just solo and the players will be replaced by AI who are even crazier since they are almost perfect, and it is extremely challenging to beat them. For me, the hardest part was to keep track of the car and where you need to go in the track next.
The track design is really cool as well. You can either choose a single track or go for one of the selections preset in the game which is a collection of various tracks that you can race in a sequence without having to return to the mains screen. Each track is colorful and designed with various obstacles in mind that could potentially throw you off-guard while racing. These include boost pads, missiles, or other weapons that you can use or by the AI as well, jumps tricky corners, and many others. Each track brings its own challenge to the table and you will have to master them all in order to come first since the AI rarely makes mistakes in the game.
Since the whole track is visible at the same time, you have to glance ahead sometimes to see where the track is going next and when you try to find your car again, you will most likely miss it and in finding it, you will be at the last position again. The gameplay is really fast in the game as well, so you have to focus really well on the game as well to keep everything in front of your eyes. One mistake and you will be at the last and taking the track design into consideration, it is not that hard to make a mistake in the game.
Apart from this, there are small details in the game as well for example you do not get a specific screen to choose a different car however while playing, if you press L3, you can change the shape of your car to a new shell. All of the shells are just visual and perform exactly the same but if you prefer a different look such as a sports car or a spaceship, you can do that on the go. Apart from changing the shape of the car, you can also press Y to opt for a different car control method as well. You have the one where the car moves in the direction where you push the left stick, but you can also go for the one where pushing the left stick rotates the car. If one style does not suit your style, you can change it on the go as well.
Similar to most classic ports, Moto Roader MC runs inside the emulator as well, so you get all the classic goodies with the game. You can set various aspects of your gameplay experience before starting the actual game such as classic CRT filters, Scaling, Display settings, custom controls, Load State, and even Save State if you are currently in the game. You can press the ‘+’ key at any time to access this emulator menu and change the settings on the go as well. If you mess something up, you can instantly rewind the game and retry from that point as well.
While the game is certainly tough, you will need plenty of time to get used to either control styles or the top-down view becomes confusing sometimes. However, we can expect such challenges from classic titles since most of the new racing games are not that hard now anymore and the controls are extremely refined. Another issue with the port is that I could not figure out any way to get back to the menu while in a game. You can just pause the gameplay but there is no menu for returning to the selection screen. You just must wait and let the game end or let the timer end if you are playing a timed event. This was a common feature in many classic titles so I cannot really be picky.
Final Verdict:
Moto Roader MC is a tough racing game and sits exceptionally well on the Nintendo Switch. With tons of classics launching on Nintendo Switch, classic racing game fans will certainly love Moto Roader MC with its pixelated visuals and tough-as-nails gameplay. It certainly offers hours and hours of fun as your initial hours will be spent just to get used to the gameplay style. However, once you have mastered it, you are in for a treat. It is a great opportunity for you to check out this classic title on a modern console so if you love racing games and want to see how the early titles played like, Moto Roader MC is the perfect title to experience hardcore, top-down racing. With different modes, challenging gameplay, and cool little cars, it is a must-buy for all retro lovers.
Final Score: 9.0/10
