Release Date: 23/02/2016
Played On: Win
Available On: Lin / Mac / Win
Time Played: 2h 42m
Progress: Completed all tracks at least once
Developer: Neko Works
Publisher: Neko Works
At some point when arcade games were losing their audience to home consoles and computers, we lost a whole lot of fun genres. Of course, we can't all have a light-gun setup at home, or a full sized motorbike to sit on and race, because it's just not practical. Even with the return of peripherals like plastic guitars and skate boards, we still couldn't replicate the arcade experience all that well.
Now, you might be thinking "yeah, but arcades still exist", and you'd be correct. However, I don't have an arcade in my home, the nearest one is half an hour away, and I'm not a millionaire. The expense and sparsity of arcades is enough to relegate them to a rare bit of fun, instead of a regular source of gaming.
Thankfully though, there's been a resurgence in popularity for all things retro, and that extends to retro gaming. I would guess that it's becoming easier for small teams of one or two people to make games inspired by the old classics. After all, they were simple back in the day because of hardware limitations, but modern hardware and software is opening it up again. It's like the return of synth-wave music, which was cutting edge a few decades ago, but has become accessible through audio software and digital distribution.
Don't get me wrong though, there are plenty of disastrous examples of people cashing in on the return of trends. I suppose it's an argument for another day, but whenever I see pre-ripped jeans for sale in a clothing store, I have to wonder why anyone would buy such an obvious cash-in on "cool". Then I see people wearing said jeans and… that's an argument for another day.
Although the same is true for games, as we've seen a litany of retro-themed cash-ins churned out and sold for pennies. I enjoy the fact that more people are able to exercise their creativity, but sometimes you have to wonder at the intentions behind some of these games. Is it there to make a quick buck, or is there a genuine passion for whatever classic genre it's based on.
Super Night Riders is a modern take on classic racing games like Pole Position, Out Run, and Hang On. It's about racing your motorbike through a short list of different environments, while dodging other racers and navigating tight turns. The mechanics are as simple as accelerating and moving from side to side. You can brake if you want to, but most of the time you'll be going as fast as you can to beat the clock.
In fact, this is simultaneously the biggest pro and the harshest con of Super Night Riders, as there really isn't a lot going on. The goal is to beat a time limit, instead of racing for position, but that's how it was in other classics. There are only six different environments to race through, each with night and day variants, but again that's in line with the genre. You can choose one track at a time, or take them all on in a tournament, but ultimately it makes little difference. There really isn't much else happening; so why don't I hate it?
Well, it's simple, because I wanted something to feed that nostalgia of classic arcade racing games, and I go that and more. One thing that many modern throw-backs forget, is that even though we like the memory of an old genre, we might not enjoy playing it again. Graphics and especially control schemes have come a long way, and more often than not it's for the better. To ignore these improvements and favour the same clunky systems as the classics, is to miss a golden trick and turn gamers like me off completely.
Balancing it all must be tricky though, as so many manage to mess it up. How far can you change and improve the graphics, until it stops being identifiable as an improved classic? How much can you improve the overall game feel before you lose the essence of the original? It's a delicate balance of recognisable elements bring dragged into a more sophisticated era.
Super Night Riders has all the trappings of classic arcade racing games, but it feels and looks like a modern game. The classic identity is maintained through the rolling roads, simplistic gameplay, and lack of any fancy physics or complex engine-driven realism. However, the controls are responsive and precise, allowing for finer movements and greater depth of skill.
Graphically it's easy to see the retro influence, but it offers a modern fidelity that's beautiful when the game is in motion. Small additions like reflections, lighting states, and other effects like the leaves falling off a tree, all add up to a good looking little game. What's more, the sense of speed is unavoidable with sixty frames a second and the smooth flow through each track.
This is where Super Night Riders really achieves a hint of greatness, as it's undeniably a throw-back, but modernised with responsive controls and beautiful graphics. Of course, we could argue about where improvements could be made, but overall I found it satisfying enough to be worth my time.
Sure the riders look like blank pegs on bikes, and the limited tracks get a bit repetitive. It might have been nice to see the title screen characters rendered on a bike, with hair flowing in the wind. It would be cool to have a more in-depth racing structure with more track variety and skilled AI opponents. That would be cool, but I think it would lose its identity and become a modern racer that looks a little retro. By keeping things simple, Super Night Riders manages to feel just as good (and arguably bad) as the classics it tried to emulate.
Even though I really like this game, I doubt it would appeal to gamers without any nostalgia for classic arcade racing games. I've disliked other games because I haven't bought into the nostalgia, so it would be silly to deny it as a factor this time. However, if you have a few bucks and an interest in messing around with a fun take on a retro classic, you could do a lot worse.
It works, it feels great to play, and it looks even better. Super Night Riders should be held up as an example of "how to do retro well".