Rock n' Roll Racing

Imagine a race where it is not just about crossing the line first, but also about shooting your rivals to pieces on the way there to the sound of Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. Rock n' Roll Racing is not a pure racing simulator, it is an isometric brawl on four wheels with rockets, mines and turbo jumps, underscored by catchy rock riffs. And it was precisely this combination that made it a cult title in 1993.

Behind the game is the studio Silicon & Synapse, which later renamed itself Blizzard Entertainment. Rock n' Roll Racing came out on the Super Nintendo (and later on the Mega Drive as well) and was built on an engine related to their earlier game RPM Racing. The isometric view, upgradable vehicles and planets with varying gravity gave the racing unexpected depth.

At the heart of the fun is aggressive combat. You collect money for your placing and for destroying rivals, and buy better cars, armor, weapons and turbo. The commentator Larry Huffman announces the action with the enthusiasm of a sports host, and the game even fit in split-screen for two players. The soundtrack featured adapted versions of tracks like Paranoid or Highway Star, which was an absolute rarity on a console of that time.

Culturally, Rock n' Roll Racing is interesting mainly as an early showcase of the future Blizzard's signature, namely a sense for playability, humor and the polishing of details. For many players it was the first game where real rock classics rang out of the speakers, albeit in a simplified form due to the limitations of the sound chip.

The game received remasters and re-releases, among others as part of the Blizzard Arcade Collection. This only confirms that it is remembered not just by veterans, but that the studio itself considers it worth commemorating.

Why play: The combination of isometric racing, destroying rivals and rock hits makes Rock n' Roll Racing great fun for two players on one couch.