SNES Game Review: Top Gear

The second game of my video game collection that I completed was Top Gear (Chrono Trigger was the first) and it is a racing game.  It is centered around a bunch of different countries, relating from North America, Asia, South America and Europe.  You can play multi-player or against a computer.  Either way, you have a split-screen to know where you are in relation to either your friend or the computer. With that, here are the pros and cons to the game.

Pros:

1. This game is very fluid, quick paced.  You can probably, assuming you get through all the courses and countries, finish the game in two hours.  Of course, if you don't make it it will take longer.  For me, it was right around two hours that I finished up the game after going through all the countries and courses.
2. Drive ability of the cars: This is key to Top Gear.  You can choose one of four styles of car, but you have to still be able to know how to adapt to its speed and maneuvering of the courses.  I went with a car that didn't have great top speed, but had great fuel mileage and tire wear.  That way I didn't burn the fuel on a lot of longer tracks and therefore I could make a whole race when others had to pit.
3. Variety of courses.  You would think initially a racing game would be all ovals to turn left (see NASCAR games) or all road courses (See F1 games) but Top Gear does it with a variety of courses.  They do ovals, long road courses that are very easy to navigate and also tricky, winding road courses that are much more of a challenge.  They also throw different things like gravel/road combinations, off-road, water, night, snow/ice as well to the courses independently.  This adds a lot to the game in the sense of this was the first great all-around game.
4. Great Frame rate.. when you are driving yourself.  This is both a pro and a con later on.  But when you are driving by yourself and no computer is driving when in the pits, the frame rate and overall play is smoother.
5. Nitro is in the game as an added option if you want to use it.  If not, you'll likely be fine.

Cons:

1. The split-screen when playing with just a computer is quite the.. deterrent to an otherwise solid game.  The reasons for the split-screen being overdone are this.  First, you don't need to know where the computer is really.  So long as you are Top 5 of 20 cars in the race, you move on.  Second, it slows the frame rate dramatically and at times makes the game very choppy.  If you are a simplistic person, then this can be overlooked.  But if you are an observant person, this can frustrate you a lot as you play especially if you are in contention.  Otherwise this is the main downside, as there aren't any others.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing Top Gear. I think it is the top racing game on the SNES.  

Final Score: 8/10.  I wouldn't put it in the Top 50 of the greatest SNES games.  I would put it in the upper echelon of 51-100.  I would probably rate it around 60th.  In my honest thought, the split-screen is a plus/minus that probably goes more for the minus side and deducts the game being overall in the top 50.  That and it is a racing game so it is not likely to reach Top 50 on the greatest games lists.  However, being in the second half of 50 games for all the games that the SNES offered that were great does not go wrong here.  I would highly recommend it if you are a racing/retro gaming fan.