Rock n' Roll Racing

Rock n' Roll Racing is one of the titles that helped the small studio Silicon & Synapse later become famous under the name Blizzard Entertainment. It's a top-down racer combined with combat-arcade elements — players pick one of several futuristic drivers and their vehicle, then head out onto tracks full of shortcuts and jumps, firing rockets, mines, and electric weapons at each other along the way.

Between races, the player invests earned money into upgrading their car — a stronger engine, armor, or more powerful weaponry — gradually building a machine tailored to their driving style. Alongside the classic story mode, the game also offers simultaneous two-player split-screen multiplayer, which made it a popular choice for competitive game nights back in the day. A significant part of the atmosphere comes from the soundtrack made up of rock cover versions, which gave the game its English-language name as well.

The career mode takes the player across several planets with distinctly different track designs and rival racers, so the collection of vehicles and upgrades gradually grows to include more exotic variants. Rock n' Roll Racing became one of its studio's most commercially successful titles before Blizzard was formed, and it's still remembered as a significant contribution to the combat-racing genre alongside rival series like Super Off-Road. Its brisk pace and sense of humor make it a favorite even among players who otherwise don't seek out traditional racing games. The isometric view of the tracks also demands a different sense of distance than a classic behind-the-car view, giving the game a distinctive driving feel that still stands out today.

Why play it: It's a fast, funny, and addictive combination of racing and shooting, backed by an excellent cooperative multiplayer mode.