Wheels Runner Longplay (Arcade Game)
3- Wheels Runner Longplay (Arcade Game) -
When it comes to unfairly overlooked and underrated games, Wheels Runner stands out as a perfect example. It remains a mystery why this game didn't achieve arcade hit status. While I label it as merely an excellent rip-off of Super Sprint—out of respect for the undisputed king of arcade racers from the '80s—the International Games title undeniably offers good gameplay, decent mechanics, charming graphics, and an enjoyable experience.
Similar to the iconic Atari release, Wheels Runner pits you against three other cars on a series of tracks (eight in this title, compared to Super Sprint's nine). The key condition for progress is emerging victorious in every race. Upon conquering all the tracks, the game resets with increased difficulty. What sets this game apart is that heightened difficulty doesn't translate solely to faster opponents; rather, they become more skillful at driving, presenting a progressively challenging task of surpassing them.
With each successive track, you become acutely aware that committing driving errors doesn't merely hinder your progress because your opponents gain an unrecoverable advantage. While you can catch up to them, the real challenge lies in attempting to overtake once you've fallen behind. They prove adept at defending their positions, making it exceptionally difficult to surpass them.
Although some might find this aspect frustrating, I find strategically planning moves beyond sheer speed to outsmart my opponents highly stimulating.
In essence, Wheels Runner is a gem of an arcade racing game inexplicably relegated to obscurity, never receiving the recognition it truly deserved.
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