Top Gear 2 Longplay (SNES) [60 FPS]
374Developed by Gremlin Graphics and published by Kemco in 1993
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For today's video, I decided to check out the second in the trilogy of Top Gear racing games developed by Gremlin Graphics for a range of 16-bit platforms in the early 90's. Although the original game had it's merits, I found it to be a somewhat soulless experience; the question is, would the sequel be any better?
Just as before, the objective of the game is to win races in order to be crowned the Top Gear champion. The tournament is divided into groups of 4 races, each held in a different country. You must earn enough points in each of these races before the next country is unlocked.
Adding some variety to the mix is the car upgrade system, enabling players to purchase upgrades for their car to improve performance, improving chances of success in subsequent races. New toys cost a hefty amount of cash, and, with up to three upgrades available to engine, gearbox and all manner of other gizmos, you'll need pretty deep pockets if you want to pimp your ride.
Cash is earned by completing races, with greater amounts awarded for finishing in higher positions; naturally, you'll want to aim for 1st place, netting yourself a cool $10,000 in the process. It's also possible to earn bonus cash by collecting bonus boxes lying around the track during a race, so you should always keep your eyes peeled.
Just as before, your car is equipped with a nitrous system, providing a temporary (yet significant) boost to your top speed. These are incredibly useful for powering past your opponent, as well as maintaining a decent lead and improving chances of victory. Whilst you start the race with 6 boosts on tap, additional nitrous fuel can be earned by collecting the green 'N' symbols that appear on certain race courses.
Another notable difference that Gremlin made for this sequel is the removal of the pit lanes. This drastically improves the flow of the races since you no longer have to take time out to refuel, but does mean that you have to drive as fast as possible to reach the end of the race before it runs out.
One of my chief criticisms of the first game was the way the underlying mechanics were particularly obtrusive, preventing any real sense of immersion and leaving the player feeling as though they were racing against numbers, not drivers. I'm really pleased to say that Top Gear 2 does not suffer from the same issues, instead delivering a remarkably compelling racing experience.
Another improvement, at least as far as I'm concerned, was the decision to do away with the enforced split-screen view and CPU player during a single player game. Not only does this provide a better overview of the game world and improved visuals, but the overall speed at which the game runs has improved considerably.
The game features some great music and effects with Patrick Phelan (Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge, Zool) and Ashley Bennett replacing Barry Leitch on audio production duties.
Whilst it might not be breaking any new ground, Gremlin's improvements and tweaks resulted in Top Gear 2 being a huge improvement over it's predecessor. If you're a fan of racing games, you should definitely check this one out.
#retrogaming