Extreme-G

Extreme-G

Extreme-G is a motorcycle racing game for the Nintendo 64. It was the first game of the Extreme-G series. It was developed by Probe Entertainment and published by Acclaim Entertainment. As with all Extreme-G games, futuristic racing pilots race plasma-powered bikes in an intergalactic Grand Prix at speeds that are over 750 km/h making it the third fastest racing game on the Nintendo 64, only beaten by F-Zero X and Star Wars: Episode I Racer. The emphasis is on speed and creative racetrack design, with tracks looping through like roller coasters.

Features

The single player games come in three difficulty settings: Novice, Intermediate and Extreme. The main game mode (Extreme Contest) features three championships: Atomic (four tracks), Critical Mass (eight tracks) and Meltdown (full 12 standard tracks). The player must come first in each championship to progress. Winning championships on the various difficulty levels will open up the hidden bikes, levels and cheats. Once the levels have been opened they can be used for the additional single and multi-player modes. At the beginning of each round, the player is given three "nitro" powerups which provide a temporary speed boost (these powerups cannot be replenished). Also, falling off cliffs results in simply just losing time rather than losing ‘lives’. It is also possible for players to fall off the tracks, which are shown to be several miles up in the air. Each of the machines has their own strengths and weaknesses. These are decided by the following 5 characteristics is Accel (acceleration), Speed (maximum velocity), Turns (handling), Shield (electronic armor battery life), Weap (primary weapons battery life). Another variable between the bikes is the type of primary weapon the bike has installed. There are three types Pulse, Laser and Excel; again each having its own strengths and weaknesses. With the characteristics varying considerably between vehicles, some will be better than others at reaching specific goals.