Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road

[7800Lover]

Remember this title from 1989? Ironman Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road was a racing game made by Leland. I spotted this game often in those days, usually in its three-player mode. I don't think I encountered a one-player or two-player edition.

 

 

Anyway, in this racing game, you controlled one of three trucks from an overhead/isometric view - blue, red, or yellow. The fourth one, a white truck, was controlled by the computer...or more precisely, the title character Ivan Stewart himself. You had to race around eight different tracks. If you beat the other computer controlled trucks, you won and got another race. If even one of the computer opponents crossed the finish line first, it was game over but buy-in was allowed to continue. Depending on whether you grabbed money bags on the tracks or what place you won, you received money which could be used in between the races to buy nitro boosts (for temporary extra speed) or enhancements to your truck.

 

I played this title both in the arcades and for the NES. It was okay - but I preferred some of the racing games involving a first person perspective either from behind the car (Pole Position, STUN Runner) or from inside the car (Hard Drivin). There was one thing though I absolutely enjoyed about the game....

 

 

The gratuitious fanservice in the form of gorgeous ladies pictured in skimpy dresses or better yet, tiny bikinis. When the races ended, you got treated to a picture of your racer alongside and/or being kissed by said bikini girl.

 

Anyone play this game? How did you like it compared to other racing titles?

[Rex Dart]

The local Wal-Mart had this in their entrance area back in the early 90's, three players like you described. I played it a few times, really liked it, but I wasn't very good at it. I wasn't into racing games back then (because most on the NES blew), but I seem to remember renting a home version at least once. Cool game.

[AtariBrian]

have it for the nes... one of my favs overall

[SoulBlazer]

Great game, I was first exposed to it on the NES. Thought it was allright, but later found and bought the SNES port, which is VERY arcade close.

[Austin]

At the local RC car track where my Dad and I would go on the weekends, they had a few of these kinds of games--Super Sprint, Badlands, and Super Off-Road. All fun games, but I think I like Super Off-Road the most.

 

Does anyone know if the SNES port goes on forever? It seemed like it to me. The NES felt the same way, but it at least ends after 100 stages.

[Mxyzptlk]

I owned one for 10 years or so and sold it off last year. I liked it, but never loved it. I really despised after winning one or two races that the A.I. ramped up so much that it was practically impossible to win, so.... you keep on having to depress the coin mech trip doo dad.

[pce_collector]

Great game. If you liked Super Off-Road, I'd suggest

.

[Cynicaster]

Wasn't this one of the few games on NES that used the 4-player peripheral?

 

I liked this game when I was a kid but I was playing it a few weeks ago and it hasn't aged well. For one, there's no real "merit system" or score that measures how you do overall on a credit. So what am I playing for....? Also, as mentioned, it gets stupid difficult/unfair very quickly. This is one of those games best relegated to memory, IMO.

[7800Lover]

Wasn't this one of the few games on NES that used the 4-player peripheral?

 

I liked this game when I was a kid but I was playing it a few weeks ago and it hasn't aged well. For one, there's no real "merit system" or score that measures how you do overall on a credit. So what am I playing for....? Also, as mentioned, it gets stupid difficult/unfair very quickly. This is one of those games best relegated to memory, IMO.

 

Yes, it was. I remember a neighbor bringing it by and hooking up an NES Four Score so that we could all play.

[BillyHW]

Oh yea, I've seen the arcade game quite a bit. Off-Road, Super Off-Road, Sprint and Super Sprint were all pretty popular and had a wide distribution.

 

I think I played it on NES and/or SNES as well. Was there even an SMS version? I think I played that too.

Edited June 30, 2012 by BillyHW

[Austin]

For one, there's no real "merit system" or score that measures how you do overall on a credit. So what am I playing for....?

 

Survival. Seeing how far you can take that one credit.

[cparsley]

Off-Road was great (both 2 and 3 player versions were available here locally), both with and without the "Track pack" which basically switched out the races for different ones to keep the game fresh. While I saw that one repeatively, I never saw the Indy-car version released at the same time using the same engine.

 

As for gameplay, it was a fun quick romp for both players and operators, who were then looking for games that the player could have fun on, but could also dump many more quarters in to increase operator profit due to declining arcades at that time due to NES, etc taking a bite from the market.

[cparsley]

Off-Road was great (both 2 and 3 player versions were available here locally), both with and without the "Track pack" which basically switched out the races for different ones to keep the game fresh. While I saw that one repeatively, I never saw the Indy-car version released at the same time using the same engine.

 

As for gameplay, it was a fun quick romp for both players and operators, who were then looking for games that the player could have fun on, but could also dump many more quarters in to increase operator profit due to declining arcades at that time due to NES, etc taking a bite from the market.

[Ryanw]

This was a fun game! It was at the local ice cream shop until the mid 2000s

[jhd]

I'm not much of a fan of racing games generally, but I really like this game.

 

The local Greyhound bus depot had the three-player version until just a few years ago. I developed a strategy of carefully using the nitros boost that allowed me to get quite far into the game.

 

It is available on the Midway Arcade Treasures: Vol. 3 compliation for the PS 2; that includes the track packs. It is just not the same without the arcade controls, however.

[Kombalar]

There was an excellent PC version of this title available (back in the day). I played it to death... love it.

 

I've been playing the arcade version on MAME recently.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Kombalar

[BillyHW]

I'm not much of a fan of racing games generally, but I really like this game.

 

The local Greyhound bus depot had the three-player version until just a few years ago. I developed a strategy of carefully using the nitros boost that allowed me to get quite far into the game.

 

It is available on the Midway Arcade Treasures: Vol. 3 compliation for the PS 2; that includes the track packs. It is just not the same without the arcade controls, however.

 

So what's the strategy?

[BillyHW]

There was an excellent PC version of this title available (back in the day). I played it to death... love it.

 

I've been playing the arcade version on MAME recently.

 

I put in a request for it in the MAME HSC.

[jhd]

It's been years since I played the game, but as best I recall, I would follow the computer-controlled car as closely as possible. I'd hit the nitro just before reaching the finish line, shooting me into first place.

[shining slade]

I used to love that game! Back around 1990 when it was in the arcades, I was dating a girl that worked at Aladdin's Castle & she used to load it up with credits after closing & I played it while she cleaned up! That & Pigskin 621 A.D. Football which I now own! I also agree that after you won the first few races Ivan became a prick & kicked your ass every race!! I used to come in 2nd all the time & just dumped my winnings into Nitrous just to keep up with him!!

[R.O.T.S]

Yeah i love this game and it has been ported well on other systems and i think it is the best of the miniature top down racing games, I do own the arcade board and would love to get in a jamma cab but after making an adaptor for it but i have been told that Off Road may use a different type of sync than usual which would explain the problems i am seeing with it.

[+Ryeguy1977]

Man I loved just spinning that wheel super fast to make tight turns. I played it on an emulator but it isn't the same without the slick steering wheel in the Arcade.