Superbike World Championship offers realism
by Alan Zisman (c)
1999.
First
published by Vancouver Computes,
May
1999
EA Sports Superbike World Championship
Windows 95 Pentium 166, 16 megs, 144 drive space
About $60
www.easports.com
Despite bearing the EA Sports label, Superbike World
Championship is
actually one of the rare British games to have hit these shores, being
designed by Intense Entertainment Interactive. It?s not EA?s only
bike-racing
game?Electronic Arts (without the hyphen-Sports) offers Moto Racer 2,
but
while that product lets users build their own 3D tracks (shades of the
old DOS-classic Stunt Driver), Superbike World Championship keeps both
wheels firmly planted in the real world?at least the real world of SBK
motorbike championship motorcycle racing.
The game succeeds by offering new levels of realism,
from the bikes
themselves (you can adjust tires, gears, and suspension) to the race
courses
on the Superbike circuit (the game holds the official SBK license). EA
claims that even the trees alongside the tracks have been realistically
modelled. Five models of racing bikes are included: Ducati 916, Honda
RC45,
Kawasaki ZX7R, Yamaha YZF, and Suzuki GSXR, along with real
championship
riders and teams.
And where would bike racing be without crashes? The
programmers devoted
a lot of time to lovingly recreate the physics of crashing bikes?bikes
and riders each go their own way, and the TV-style replay lets you get
all the details. Of course, realism may prove to be more than you
bargained
for?15-year old game tester Joey found he had all he could handle
trying
to get his bike around curves at anything resembling respectable
speeds?all
too often, he was the rider wiping out on the instant replay.
Players can race a whole season, travelling to 12
international courses,
or just dive right in for a quick race whenever the feeling strikes.
Either
way, the computer-generated competition is tough?be prepared to get run
off the road by the other racers!
The game supports 3D accelerator cards and force
feedback game controllers.
We tested it using Microsoft?s Sidewinder Force Feedback steering
wheel,
and it rumbled and shook as advertised, adding a new dimension of
realism
to the gameplay. Up to eight players can connect to race over local
area
network, modem, or serial port connection, but there?s no provision for
Internet connection.
A playable demo is available as a 26 meg download from
the company?s
website. Joey rated the game a solid eight out of a possible ten,
praising
its realistic look, feel, and sound.
If only it had a ?training wheels? mode, where new
riders could stay
upright a little longer!