Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge Longplay (C64) [QHD]
97Game Info
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Developer: Gremlin Graphics
Publisher: Gremlin Graphics
Year of Release: 1990
Game Review & Impressions
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The Lotus trilogy of games pretty much defined racing games on the Commodore Amiga, all of which I hold in high regard for their production values, sense of speed, and all round quality gameplay.
While the Amiga versions lapped up the glory, Gremlin Graphics also commissioned and published a version of the original game in the series, Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge, for the C64. The rolling, non-playable demo which included on the Power Pack tape adorning the January 1991 issue of Commodore Format magazine was my first exposure to the franchise, although how any gamer was supposed to derive any kind impression from something they couldn't play seems faintly ridiculous, so I never gave it much attention. By the time the budget re-release shipped in 1992, I'd already moved on to the Amiga, and the full fat 16-bit version of the game and it's much lauded sequel.
This is a long and protracted way of saying I'd never played the C64 version of the game before recording this longplay. Although the game scored highly in both Commodore Format and Zzap!64 magazines, both of which awarded the game 90%, I wasn't convinced it would hold a candle to the original Amiga version. I was, therefore, suprised to discover this is an excellent conversion of the game, one which, dare I say it, is actually more fun than the Amiga.
The C64 port retains all the features gameplay from the Amiga version, boasting 30 races set across 3 different difficult levels where players compete in track-based races, aiming to beat the pack of the CPU controlled cars (and each other in 2-player mode) to finish the race in first place. Tracks occasionally contain obstacles like barriers, rocks, patrches of ice and oil slicks, and the game retains the same pitting and refuelling mechanic where players must stop to fill up on gas on longer races, lest they crawl to a stop when tanks run dry.
One of the criticisms I have of the Amiga version is it can be brutally difficult at times, especially on stages where the track is littered with rocks and crash barriers. The CPU cars don't have AI as such, simply weaving back and forth across the road, crashing into the player's vehicle without any ill effects, and aren't subject to the same fuel restrictions the player is. The Commodore 64 version is more lenient, punishing the player less for making mistakes and at least giving them a fighting chance to claw their way back into the race. Some of this is down to the simplified handling model and collision routines, but it ends up a more enjoyable experience as a result, and I came away from Lotus thoroughly impressed. The fact there's now a fan-made cartridge version of the game available makes this one of the finest driving games you can play for the C64, one I can thoroughly recommend.
Chapters
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00:00 Title credits and music
01:50 Easy championship
24:12 Medium championship
58:52 Hard championship