BC Racers(NA)

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Overview

  • Full Name: BC Racers
  • Code:
  • Type: Racing
  • Developer: Core Design
  • Publisher: Goldstar(LG)
  • Language: English
  • Release Date: 1995
  • Region: NA
  • Barcode: 0 48231 07206 9
  • Local Title:
  • Rarity: 1
  • Notes:

Overview

BC Racers is a racing video game released by Core Design in 1994 for the Sega CD, and in 1995 for the Sega 32X, the 3DO, and the PC. It was the third game released in the Chuck Rock series (even though the Chuck Rock connection is not as prominent in this game). The game was designed by Toby Gard, who later created Lara Croft. BC Racers tries to create a racing simulation by mixing the usual elements of games of this genre with the "prehistoric" theme. Particularly, the game takes place in the world of one of Core's iconic characters, Chuck Rock.

Plot

The millionaire playboy caveman Millstone Rockafella has organized a BC bike race, the winner of which will receive the Ultimate Boulderdash Bike. Six groups of riders -one driving, one deploying weapons from the sidecar- from all around the prehistoric world will use their rock-powered sidecars to compete for this prize.

Gameplay

BC Racers has four difficulty settings: Easy, Medium, Hard and Rockhard. Each of the settings has eight different circuits, making a total of 32 circuits in the game. There are also eight themes, from desert wastes to active volcanoes and massive jungles. The tracks need four laps to complete, and feature many special elements specific to the circuit's setting. Unusually for a game of this type, there are no power-ups, except for a "turbo" that the bikes can trigger every few seconds.

Both of the bikes' riders can use physical attacks to injure other drivers. If the bike gets beaten enough, it crashes out, giving the player extra points. The same thing can happen to the player's bike.

Some ports of the game include a split-screen two player mode. The Sega CD version instead has a two-player cooperative mode (one of the players controls the driver, while the other controls the fighting, steering and turbo).

Some of the riders in BC Racers come from other famous Core Design games, such as Chuck Rock and Chuck Rock Junior. Others are obvious references to several real-world characters, such as Brick Jagger, Sid Viscous and Jimi Handtrix (referencing Mick Jagger, Sid Vicious and Jimi Hendrix).

Development

Jeremy Smith of Core Design said the original Sega CD version took "eight or nine months" to develop. Its working title was "Chuck Rally".

Receptions

Name Date Region Rating Notes
GameFan Magazine* Dec 95
67% When I first heard about BC Racers, I was really interested. Oh my, was I disappointed. Static backgrounds that are bad limitations of The Flintstones and major slow down destroy what should have been a fun 3DO game. The theme and characters showed a great deal of promise, but somehow it just wasn't executed the way it should have been. What a shame.
3DO Magazine Apr 96
20% A prehistoric race game in every sense of the word. A multitude of tracks, a splitscreen two-player mode and cartoon graphics can't disguise appalling playability.
Next Generation Apr 96
1/5 It is the worst racing game on the 3DO to date, lack of depth to the car handling, the ugly-looking courses, and overall outdated feel of the game.
  • - Need review page

Other Versions

Sega CD was the original version, with additional ports to the 32X and PC

Credits

  • Programmed by: Daniel Scott
  • Graphic Artist: Toby Gard
  • Game Design: Toby Gard, Guy Miller, Daniel Scott
  • Produced by: Jeremy Heath-Smith
  • Addition Design Support: Simon Phipps
  • Original Concept: Jason Gee, Jon Hilliard
  • Music and SFX: Martin Iveson
  • Storyboard: Guy Miller
  • Animated Introduction: Billy Allison
  • Graphics Support: Stuart Atkinson
  • Product Support: Troy Horton, Jamie Morton, Darren Price, Adrian Smith, David Ward
  • Athletic Support: Jack Strapp
  • Creative Manager: Guy Miller

Linked Titles

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