Deathtrack Explained

Deathtrack
Developer:Dynamix
Publisher:Activision
Director:Jeffrey Tunnell
Producer:Steven Ackrich
John A. S. Skeel
Designer:Terry Ishida
Dariusz Lukaszuk
Programmer:Dariusz Lukaszuk
Composer:Russell Lieblich
Genre:Racing, vehicular combat
Modes:Single-player
Platforms:MS-DOS

DeathTrack is a first-person, futuristic racing game developed for MS-DOS by Dynamix and published by Activision in 1989.

Gameplay

There are two ways to win a race: be the first to finish the race, or be the only one to finish the race. Based in a futuristic America, the player races on various tracks across the country for money, which can be spent on armor, weapons and other modifications to protect and use against the competition. There are ten tracks in ten cities.[1] The track for each city is unique, as is each opponent's 3D polygonal car.

The player chooses from one of three cars (either "The Hellcat" for high speed, "The Crusher" for high firepower or "The Pitbull" for heavy armor) and begins racing against other drivers. The player starts with $10,000 to spend on weapons, and earns more money by winning races. For each item the player buys, there are three variants: small/ineffective, medium/good and large/best.

Reception

Computer Gaming World called DeathTrack "an outstanding new action game ... gratuitous violence at its therapeutic best", praising the graphics.[2]

In 1996, Computer Gaming World declared Deathtrack the 124th-best computer game ever released.[3]

Legacy

A Game Boy version was in the works by game developer Argonaut Software, but was unreleased.[4]

A sequel, , was released on February 22, 2008, in Russia, then later released in North America and Europe.[5] An Xbox 360 version of the game was expected to be released later in 2009.[6]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ign.com/games/deathtrack/pc-39232 DeathTrack - PC - IGN
  2. Murder on the Backstretch / Activision's "DeathTrack" . Computer Gaming World . February 1990 . Lombardi, Chris A. . 44 . 68.
  3. . 150 Best (and 50 Worst) Games of All Time . . November 1996 . 148 . 63–65, 68, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 84, 88, 90, 94, 98.
  4. Web site: 2011-12-10. Trail Blazer (Death Track) [GameBoy - Cancelled] - Unseen64]. 2022-01-22. Unseen64: Beta, Cancelled & Unseen Videogames!. en-US.
  5. Web site: Review: Death Track: Resurrection Hands-on . . https://web.archive.org/web/20080607103452/http://pc.ign.com/articles/880/880061p1.html . dead . June 7, 2008 . 2008-06-06 . 2009-09-21.
  6. Web site: IGN: Death Track: Resurrection . . 2009-09-21.