Road Runner (video game): Difference between revisions

Road Runner
Road Runner
	Arcade flyer
Developer(s)	Atari Games; Beam Software (NES)
Publisher(s)	Atari Games; Atari Corporation (2600); Tengen (NES); US Gold (ST)
Director(s)	Mike Hally
Producer(s)	Norm Avellar; Greg Rivera
Programmer(s)	Norm Avellar; Greg Rivera
Artist(s)	Susan McBride; Sam Comstock; Mark West
Composer(s)	Arcade; Hal Canon; Earl Vickers; NES; Gavan Anderson; Tania Smith
Platform(s)	Arcade, Amstrad CPC, Atari 2600, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum, NES
Release	1985: Arcade; 1989: 2600, NES
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Up to 2 Players
Arcade system	Atari System 1

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Road Runner is a racing video game based on the Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts. It was released in arcades by Atari Games in 1985.

Gameplay

The player controls Road Runner, who is chased by Wile E. Coyote. In order to escape, Road Runner runs endlessly to the left. While avoiding Wile E. Coyote, the player must pick up bird seeds on the street, avoid obstacles like cars, and get through mazes. Most of the time Wile E. Coyote will just run after the Road Runner, but he occasionally uses tools like rockets, roller skates, and pogo sticks.

Development

Originally, the game was set to be released as a LaserDisc game, with the game's graphics being overlaid over video footage showing the road and background scenery. Whenever the player managed to outwit the Coyote - such as tricking him into running off a cliff - a sequence from one of the original Road Runner shorts showing that exact situation would be played.

The game was going to be released in 1984, but Atari decided to cancel the game. In 1985, the game was released by Atari Games as a traditional video game. In the released game, all of the original LaserDisc-based elements were either removed or replaced with computer-generated graphics.

One prototype cabinet of this original LaserDisc version is known to still exist, and occasionally appears at arcade collector's conventions such as California Extreme.

Music

The background music during attract mode and 4th level is "Sabre Dance" from Gayane by Aram Khachaturian, the 1st level music is "William Tell Overture" by Gioachino Rossini, 2nd level music is "Flight of the Bumblebee" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and 3rd level is "Trepak" from The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Ports

Road Runner was ported to the Amstrad CPC, Atari 2600, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum, and Nintendo Entertainment System. The Atari 2600 port was one of Atari Corporation's last games for the system, being released in 1989.^[1]

Like other NES games released by Tengen, Road Runner was unlicensed by Nintendo itself, released as an unlicensed cartridge avoiding Nintendo's protections. It was planning on to be released in a licensed version by Mindscape, but it was scrapped in the fall of 1989.

Reception

The game was reviewed in 1988 in Dragon #140 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 3 out of 5 stars.^[2] The game went to number 2 in the UK sales charts, behind Exolon.^[3]

Reviews

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (Sep, 1987)^[4]
Computer and Video Games (CVG) (Oct, 1987)^[5]
Commodore User (Feb, 1987)^[6]
Génération 4 (1987)^[7]
ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (Nov, 1989)^[8]
Zzap! (Sep, 1987)^[9]
ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (Sep, 1987)^[10]
Happy Computer (1986)^[11]
Happy Computer (Jul, 1987)^[12]
Commodore User (Aug, 1987)^[13]
Commodore Force (Aug, 1993)^[14]

References

^ ^a ^b "Atari 2600 VCS Road Runner". Atari Mania.
^ Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (December 1988). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (140): 74–79.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-06-17. Retrieved 2014-06-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "CVG Magazine Issue 071". September 1987.
^ "CVG Magazine Issue 072". October 1987.
^ "Commodore User Magazine Issue 41". February 1987.
^ http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Generation%204/generation4_numero001/Generation4%20001%20-%20Page%20020%20(1987-Q4).jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}
^ "ACE Magazine Issue 26". November 1989.
^ "Zzap! 64 Issue 029 (HQ)".
^ "Aktueller Software Markt (ASM) Magazine (October 1987)". October 1987.
^ "Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Happy Computer Spielesonderheft 4 (1986)".
^ http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=1779 ^{[bare URL]}
^ "Commodore User Magazine Issue 47". August 1987.
^ "Redirecting".

External links

Road Runner at the Killer List of Videogames
Road Runner at the Arcade History database
Road Runner at the Arcade Flyer Archive
Road Runner at Atari Mania
Road Runner at SpectrumComputing.co.uk

[mania2600-1] "Atari 2600 VCS Road Runner". Atari Mania.

[Dragon140-2] Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (December 1988). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (140): 74–79.

[3] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-06-17. Retrieved 2014-06-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[4] "CVG Magazine Issue 071". September 1987.

[5] "CVG Magazine Issue 072". October 1987.

[6] "Commodore User Magazine Issue 41". February 1987.

[7] ttp://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Generation%204/generation4_numero001/Generation4%20001%20-%20Page%20020%20(1987-Q4).jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}

[8] "ACE Magazine Issue 26". November 1989.

[9] "Zzap! 64 Issue 029 (HQ)".

[10] "Aktueller Software Markt (ASM) Magazine (October 1987)". October 1987.

[11] "Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Happy Computer Spielesonderheft 4 (1986)".

[12] ttp://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=1779 ^{[bare URL]}

[13] "Commodore User Magazine Issue 47". August 1987.

[14] "Redirecting".

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|1985 video game}}
 {{Infobox video game
-|title  = Road Runner
+| title = Road Runner
-|image = RoadRunner arcadeflyer.png
+| image = RoadRunner arcadeflyer.png
-|caption = Arcade flyer of ''Road Runner''.
+| caption = Arcade flyer
-|developer = [[Atari Games]]
+| developer = [[Atari Games]]<br />[[Beam Software]] (NES)
-|publisher = [[Atari Games]]<br>[[Atari Corporation]] (2600)<br>[[Tengen (company)|Tengen]] (NES)<br>[[US Gold]] (ST)
+| publisher = Atari Games<br />[[Atari Corporation]] (2600)<br />[[Tengen (company)|Tengen]] (NES)<br />[[US Gold]] (ST)
-|released = 1985: Arcade<br>1989: 2600<ref name="mania2600"/>
+| released = '''1985:''' Arcade<br />'''1989:''' 2600,<ref name="mania2600"/> NES
+| director = Mike Hally
-|composer = '''Arcade:'''<br>Hal Canon<br>Earl Vickers<br>'''NES:'''<br>Gavan Anderson<br>Tania Smith
+| producer = Norm Avellar<br />Greg Rivera
-|genre = [[Racing game|Racing]]
+| programmer = Norm Avellar<br />Greg Rivera
-|modes = Up to 2 Players
+| artist = Susan McBride<br />Sam Comstock<br />Mark West
-|platforms = [[Arcade game|Arcade]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Atari 2600]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 64]], [[MS-DOS]], [[ZX Spectrum|Sinclair ZX Spectrum]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
+| composer = '''Arcade'''<br />Hal Canon<br />Earl Vickers<br />'''NES'''<br />Gavan Anderson<br />Tania Smith
-|arcade system = [[Atari System 1]]
-|cpu = [[68010]]
+| genre = [[Racing game|Racing]]
+| modes = Up to 2 Players
-|sound = [[MOS Technology 6502|6502A]] (main sound)<br>[[YM2151]] (FM stereo sound)
+| platforms = [[Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Atari 2600]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 64]], [[MS-DOS]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
-|display = [[Raster graphics|Raster]], 336 x 240, horizontal orientation
+| arcade system = [[Atari System 1]]
 }}
-'''''Road Runner''''' a racing game based on the [[Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner|Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts]]. It was released by [[Atari Games]] in 1985.
+'''''Road Runner''''' is a racing video game based on the [[Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner|Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts]]. It was released in arcades by [[Atari Games]] in 1985.
 ==Gameplay==
+[[File:ARC Road Runner.png|thumb|left|upright|Arcade screenshot]]
-The player controls Road Runner, who is chased by Wile E. Coyote. In order to escape, Road Runner runs endlessly to the left. While avoiding Wile E. Coyote, the player must pick up bird seeds on the street, avoid obstacles like cars, and get through mazes. Sometimes Wile E. Coyote will just run after the Road Runner, but he occasionally uses tools like rockets, roller skates, and pogo-sticks.
+The player controls Road Runner, who is chased by Wile E. Coyote. In order to escape, Road Runner runs endlessly to the left. While avoiding Wile E. Coyote, the player must pick up bird seeds on the street, avoid obstacles like cars, and get through mazes. Most of the time Wile E. Coyote will just run after the Road Runner, but he occasionally uses tools like rockets, roller skates, and [[pogo stick]]s.
-[[Image:Arcade-atari-road-runner1.png|thumb|left|Screenshot of ''Road Runner'' (arcade version).]]
+{{Clear left}}
+==Development==
+Originally, the game was set to be released as a [[Interactive film|LaserDisc game]], with the game's graphics being overlaid over video footage showing the road and background scenery. Whenever the player managed to outwit the Coyote - such as tricking him into running off a cliff - a sequence from one of the original ''Road Runner'' shorts showing that exact situation would be played.
+The game was going to be released in 1984, but Atari decided to cancel the game. In 1985, the game was released by [[Atari Games]] as a traditional video game. In the released game, all of the original LaserDisc-based elements were either removed or replaced with computer-generated graphics.
+One prototype cabinet of this original LaserDisc version is known to still exist, and occasionally appears at arcade collector's conventions such as California Extreme.
+==Music==
+The background music during attract mode and 4th level is "[[Sabre Dance]]" from ''[[Gayane (ballet)|Gayane]]'' by [[Aram Khachaturian]], the 1st level music is "[[William Tell Overture]]" by [[Gioachino Rossini]], 2nd level music is "[[Flight of the Bumblebee]]" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and 3rd level is "[[Trepak (The Nutcracker)|Trepak]]" from ''[[The Nutcracker]]'' by [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]].
 ==Ports==
-[[File:Road Runner Atari cover.jpg|thumb|right|Front cover of [[Atari ST]] version.]]
+[[File:Road Runner Atari cover.jpg|thumb|right|Atari ST box cover]]
-''Road Runner'' was ported to the [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Atari 2600]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 64]], [[MS-DOS]], [[ZX Spectrum|Sinclair ZX Spectrum]], and [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]. The Atari 2600 port was one [[Atari Corporation]]'s last games for the system, being released in 1989.<ref name="mania2600">{{cite web |title=Atari 2600 VCS Road Runner |url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-road-runner_7457.html |website=Atari Mania}}</ref>
+''Road Runner'' was ported to the [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Atari 2600]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 64]], [[MS-DOS]], [[ZX Spectrum]], and [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]. The Atari 2600 port was one of [[Atari Corporation]]'s last games for the system, being released in 1989.<ref name="mania2600">{{cite web |title=Atari 2600 VCS Road Runner |url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-road-runner_7457.html |website=Atari Mania}}</ref>
-Like other NES games released by [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]], ''Road Runner'' was unlicensed by [[Nintendo]] itself, released as an unlicensed cartridge [[CIC (Nintendo)#Nintendo Entertainment System|rounding Nintendo's protections]].
+Like other NES games released by [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]], ''Road Runner'' was unlicensed by [[Nintendo]] itself, released as an unlicensed cartridge [[CIC (Nintendo)#Nintendo Entertainment System|avoiding Nintendo's protections]]. It was planning on to be released in a licensed version by [[Mindscape (company)|Mindscape]], but it was scrapped in the fall of 1989.
 ==Reception==
@@ Line 37: / Line 51: @@
 |date=December 1988
 |pages=74–79}}</ref>
-The game went to number 2 in the UK sales charts, behind ''[[Exolon]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys23.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2014-06-15 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617173750/http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys23.htm |archivedate=2014-06-17 |df= }}</ref>
+The game went to number 2 in the UK sales charts, behind ''[[Exolon]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys23.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-06-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617173750/http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys23.htm |archive-date=2014-06-17 }}</ref>
+==Reviews==
+*''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' (CVG) (Sep, 1987)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-071/page/n15/mode/2up | title=CVG Magazine Issue 071 | date=September 1987 }}</ref>
+*''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' (CVG) (Oct, 1987)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-072/page/n83/mode/2up | title=CVG Magazine Issue 072 | date=October 1987 }}</ref>
+*''[[Commodore User]]'' (Feb, 1987)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/commodore-user-magazine-41/page/n89/mode/2up | title=Commodore User Magazine Issue 41 | date=February 1987 }}</ref>
+*''Génération 4'' (1987)<ref>http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Generation%204/generation4_numero001/Generation4%20001%20-%20Page%20020%20(1987-Q4).jpg {{Bare URL image|date=March 2022}}</ref>
+*''[[ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)]]'' (Nov, 1989)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-26/page/n113/mode/2up | title=ACE Magazine Issue 26 | date=November 1989 }}</ref>
+*''[[Zzap!64|Zzap!]]'' (Sep, 1987)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/zzapp_64_issue_029_600dpi/page/n9/mode/2up | title=Zzap! 64 Issue 029 (HQ) }}</ref>
+*''[[ASM (Aktueller Software Markt)]]'' (Sep, 1987)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/asm_magazine-1987-10/page/n53/mode/2up | title=Aktueller Software Markt (ASM) Magazine (October 1987) | date=October 1987 }}</ref>
+*''Happy Computer'' (1986)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_happycomputer_spielesonderheft-4_seite32 | title=Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Happy Computer Spielesonderheft 4 (1986) }}</ref>
+*''Happy Computer'' (Jul, 1987)<ref>http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=1779 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2022}}</ref>
+*''[[Commodore User]]'' (Aug, 1987)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/commodore-user-magazine-47/page/n17/mode/2up | title=Commodore User Magazine Issue 47 | date=August 1987 }}</ref>
+*''[[Commodore Force]]'' (Aug, 1993)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=098&page=019&magazine=zzap | title=Redirecting }}</ref>
 ==References==
@@ Line 46: / Line 73: @@
 *[http://www.arcade-history.com/?page=detail&id=2237 ''Road Runner''] at the Arcade History database
 *[http://www.arcadeflyers.com/index.php?page=flyerdb&subpage=thumbs&id=905 ''Road Runner''] at the Arcade Flyer Archive
+*{{atarimania|id=10406}}
-*[http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-road-runner_10406.html ''Road Runner''] for the Atari ST at Atari Mania
 *{{WoS game|id=0004163|name=Road Runner}}
+{{Atari Games}}
+{{Looney Tunes video games}}
 [[Category:1985 video games]]
 [[Category:Amstrad CPC games]]
-[[Category:Arcade games]]
+[[Category:Arcade video games]]
 [[Category:Atari 2600 games]]
 [[Category:Atari arcade games]]
 [[Category:Atari ST games]]
-[[Category:Cancelled Game Boy Color games]]
 [[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
 [[Category:DOS games]]
-[[Category:Video games based on Looney Tunes]]
+[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
 [[Category:Tengen (company) games]]
-[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]
+[[Category:Unauthorized video games]]
-[[Category:Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner]]
+[[Category:Video games about birds]]
-[[Category:Video games based on films directed by Chuck Jones]]
+[[Category:Video games about coyotes]]
+[[Category:Video games based on Looney Tunes]]
 [[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
+[[Category:Video games scored by Fred Gray]]
+[[Category:Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner]]
+[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]