The Cycles: International Grand Prix Racing
The Cycles, Developed by Distinctive Software and published by Accolade in 1989.
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Player's Review
"RACE ON THE THE EDGE. Don't say we didn't warn you. The Cycles: International Grand Prix Racing wraps you around the chassis of the fastest bikes ever built as you compete in the International Grand Prix of motorcycle racing. Laguna Seca. Le Mans. Salzburg. Crisscross the globe to do battle with the world's greatest racers in the sport's premiere events. Who's got the guts? Who wants the glory? Who'll hoist the trophy of world champion?
The only motorcycle game with a first-person perspective. True racing realism. Look over the handlebars and see the pavement disappear under your wheels. Sense the undeniable rush of full-throttle speed. Race on 15 authentic Grand Prix courses. Tracks like Suzuka in Japan put a premium on handling and acceleration. From Australia to Brazil, you'll file down the foot pegs on the most gruelling layouts in motorsports. Choose from 5 different skill levels: Will the racer in front of you blast into the lead or dump his bike trying? Each skill level alters the racing ability of the competition. (Nothing quite like wiping out at 90 mph. How do you say "ouch" in Italian?) Race in 3 different performance classes. Ride a bullet or a bumble bee. Choose either 500cc, 250cc or 125cc class races. Compete against 9 of the circuit's best Grand Prix riders. Don't look behind you now, but there's a pack of hungry road warriors right on your tail. These guys chew asphalt for breakfast and burp exhaust. Better eat your Wheaties."
The forth and final game in the Accolade racing series by Distinctive Software. This time on motor bikes and seemingly the same racing environment as Grand prix Circuit. Being a game developed in the US i have opted to play in 60 fps ntsc not that it does much for the framerate running on an Amiga 500. I'm not much good with motorbike racing games as you will see especially these older ones and worse still with those that require mouse control. Not that I'm any better with modern games the last good one being Drive club bikes. I cant even get through the training races in Ride 4.
The Cycles offers the option off three bikes each with different speed and handling abilities although you need the fast bike to get up front. You can select difficulty across five levels with one being auto gears, no engine overheat and can crash into the other bikes. Five being manual gears, no crashes and easy to blow the engine. I keep with the default three laps and max difficulty. There is no fuel to worry about, weather or any need for pit stops making the game a bit boring.
The longplays shows going through all fifteen tracks each with a qualifying lap before a three lap race. The low framerate can make for difficult control and corners suddenly appearing can get you into a muddle with gearing and the other bikers are never too far away making mistakes costly. At the end of the game I show a quick race with a bike crash which will always end the race followed by blowing the engine up.
Overall the game isn't great. I think they tried to redress Grand Prix with a Superbike theme but took out some of the challenge and whilst this has more tracks, it ends up being more of a grind with not a whole lot of variation between races.
00:00:00 Titles
00:01:35 Japan
00:09:14 Australia
00:15:45 USA
00:21:12 Spain
00:27:40 Italy
00:32:53 W. Germany
00:39:52 Austria
00:45:05 Yugoslavia
00:50:32 Holland
00:58:00 Belgium
01:05:46 France
01:12:00 England
01:17:54 Sweden
01:23:52 Czech
01:31:19 Brazil
------------------------------
01:38:32 Austria (Bike Crash / Engine Overheat)
The only motorcycle game with a first-person perspective. True racing realism. Look over the handlebars and see the pavement disappear under your wheels. Sense the undeniable rush of full-throttle speed. Race on 15 authentic Grand Prix courses. Tracks like Suzuka in Japan put a premium on handling and acceleration. From Australia to Brazil, you'll file down the foot pegs on the most gruelling layouts in motorsports. Choose from 5 different skill levels: Will the racer in front of you blast into the lead or dump his bike trying? Each skill level alters the racing ability of the competition. (Nothing quite like wiping out at 90 mph. How do you say "ouch" in Italian?) Race in 3 different performance classes. Ride a bullet or a bumble bee. Choose either 500cc, 250cc or 125cc class races. Compete against 9 of the circuit's best Grand Prix riders. Don't look behind you now, but there's a pack of hungry road warriors right on your tail. These guys chew asphalt for breakfast and burp exhaust. Better eat your Wheaties."
The forth and final game in the Accolade racing series by Distinctive Software. This time on motor bikes and seemingly the same racing environment as Grand prix Circuit. Being a game developed in the US i have opted to play in 60 fps ntsc not that it does much for the framerate running on an Amiga 500. I'm not much good with motorbike racing games as you will see especially these older ones and worse still with those that require mouse control. Not that I'm any better with modern games the last good one being Drive club bikes. I cant even get through the training races in Ride 4.
The Cycles offers the option off three bikes each with different speed and handling abilities although you need the fast bike to get up front. You can select difficulty across five levels with one being auto gears, no engine overheat and can crash into the other bikes. Five being manual gears, no crashes and easy to blow the engine. I keep with the default three laps and max difficulty. There is no fuel to worry about, weather or any need for pit stops making the game a bit boring.
The longplays shows going through all fifteen tracks each with a qualifying lap before a three lap race. The low framerate can make for difficult control and corners suddenly appearing can get you into a muddle with gearing and the other bikers are never too far away making mistakes costly. At the end of the game I show a quick race with a bike crash which will always end the race followed by blowing the engine up.
Overall the game isn't great. I think they tried to redress Grand Prix with a Superbike theme but took out some of the challenge and whilst this has more tracks, it ends up being more of a grind with not a whole lot of variation between races.
00:00:00 Titles
00:01:35 Japan
00:09:14 Australia
00:15:45 USA
00:21:12 Spain
00:27:40 Italy
00:32:53 W. Germany
00:39:52 Austria
00:45:05 Yugoslavia
00:50:32 Holland
00:58:00 Belgium
01:05:46 France
01:12:00 England
01:17:54 Sweden
01:23:52 Czech
01:31:19 Brazil
------------------------------
01:38:32 Austria (Bike Crash / Engine Overheat)
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