Thoughts on Air Cars?

[sirlynxalot]

I've heard this game is regarded as not very much fun and not really a high point in the Jag's library.

I have never had the chance to play it, but from looking at youtube videos, it really doesn't look bad at all to me. The framerate looks good and smooth for a 3d game on the jag, the goal of driving around and shooting enemies and enemy buildings doesn't seem any more simple or worse than battlezone or various other 3d vehicle jag games, and the graphics look relatively solid even if they are not texture mapped.

I'm kinda thinking of putting it on my want list based on my impression from youtube vids of how it stacks up next to other similar 3d vehicle games in the jag's library (i war, hoverstrike, cybermorph).

Am I missing something here? Among the 3d vehicle games on the jag, is Air Cars really below average?

Edited June 22, 2014 by sirlynxalot

[+remowilliams]

If you're interested in a tech demo type experience or have a bit of space on a shelf that badly needs to be filled then you might care about Air Cars. If you're looking for a game, it's complete shit.

[kevincal]

Air Cars is really horrible.

[Rick Dangerous]

It might be bad but at least its cheap!

[sirlynxalot]

Carl Forhan thought it was decent in 1997.

http://www.atarihq.com/reviews/jaguar/air_cars.html

What makes it bad? Bad control? Lack of artwork/story text/music to flesh the experience out as a game? Repetitive gameplay?

[Willard]

I thought it was a good game, I completed the original version long before the KA version was discovered, then completed it again on the KA version to compare the differences before it was released.

 

The graphics require some getting used to at first, but otherwise I thought the game gave you a great sense of speed when you're cruising along, and a nice sense of altitude, you can even launch off steep inclines. The game is pretty challenging (especially on the harder difficulty settings), and there are a reasonable assortment of enemies ranging from turrets, to tanks and rival hovercars. It even has end of world bosses.

 

Maybe i'm a little bias because I really like hovercar games, but I never really understood why some people dismiss it so readily other than possibly the graphics. Fwiw I much prefer Aircars to hoverstrike (Jaguar) and many saturn games in the related genre (Machine head, Ghen War .etc).

Edited June 22, 2014 by Willard

[+save2600]

I've always thought of Aircars as more or less a multi-player Combat in 3D. Too simplistic to be much fun IMO. Lots more to do and many more objectives in a game like Cybermorph, Battlemorph, etc.

[Songbird]

Wow, thanks for that reminder on that review. Now for 17 years later...

 

Aircars is an OK game but clearly not in the same class as BattleMorph or Zero 5 or Iron Soldier (either one). I've always felt that Aircars could have been significantly improved with some moderate changes such as:

• Don't allow unlimited lives
• Stronger armor (more health) for the player so you can survive a couple battles
• Bit more variety in audio f/x
• More animation on weapons and environment
• Better level / objective pacing

Would these changes make it a top-10 game for the Jag? No, but I think it could have been a solid game in its own right.

[NeoGeoNinja]

Wow, thanks for that reminder on that review. Now for 17 years later...

 

Aircars is an OK game but clearly not in the same class as BattleMorph or Zero 5 or Iron Soldier (either one). I've always felt that Aircars could have been significantly improved with some moderate changes such as:

• Don't allow unlimited lives
• Stronger armor (more health) for the player so you can survive a couple battles
• Bit more variety in audio f/x
• More animation on weapons and environment
• Better level / objective pacing

Would these changes make it a top-10 game for the Jag? No, but I think it could have been a solid game in its own right.

 

You forgot:

• More appealing and more imaginative software title

 

 

"Aircars"... lol

[+CyranoJ]

I try not to have any thoughts about Aircars as often as I possibly can.

[Paul Westphal]

Your sarcasm never ceases to impress me, CJ.

[+Sauron]

Air Cars often serves as a reminder to the lack of QA that went into Jaguar releases. The only purpose it serves is to act as thread fodder on Jaguar message boards. We inexplicably have at least one active thread on this game in this forum at any one time, and I've never understood why.

[+remowilliams]

Air Cars often serves as a reminder to the lack of QA that went into Jaguar releases. The only purpose it serves is to act as thread fodder on Jaguar message boards. We inexplicably have at least one active thread on this game in this forum at any one time, and I've never understood why.

 

Well you've got to have one other thread besides 'I think Tomb Raider can run on the Jaguar' right?

 

[Prosystemsearch]

Air Cars often serves as a reminder to the lack of QA that went into Jaguar releases. The only purpose it serves is to act as thread fodder on Jaguar message boards. We inexplicably have at least one active thread on this game in this forum at any one time, and I've never understood why.

QA?? What does that stand for o Sauron??

[NeoGeoNinja]

Quality Assurance.

[Gaztee]

Aircars works much better as a multiplayer game imo. I quite like all 3 of the versions out there, having played them all to death!