Game Review: Rollcage (PS1)

Sharing much in common with the Wipeout series. The main difference here is that you’re controlling a four-wheeled vehicle that can drive on any surface possible. This makes for many a frantic, fun but frustrating race. As your car flips around the track and you desperately wrestle with regaining control.

If you’ve ever played with one of those remote-controlled cars with an identical top and bottom and over-sized wheels you’ll know what to expect with the vehicles in Rollcage. They can flip, bounce and spin and all you need to take off racing again is traction for the wheels.

However, to add even more chaos to the races you can also ram almost anything that gets in your way. Smash through barricades, signs, the starting grid lights or even columns that hold up buildings bringing them crashing down behind you. Handy to stop your opponents gaining on you. It is a race after all!

Not only that but like all good arcade racers, Rollcage comes with a selection of weapons at your disposal. These range from missiles, speed boosts and the ‘blue shell’ from Mario Kart!

It’s arcade racing at (almost) its finest. However, those hoping for a detailed story regarding the racers and futuristic world will be left disappointed. You race to win, it is as simple as that.

Rollcage offers some decent variety in races with the League making up the majority of gameplay. Score points by placing high in races to win the cup. Extras are unlocked should you manage to finish first in every race. Then we have time attack which simply lets you try to set your own personal best on any track. With of course, split screen multi-player which can get as wild as you imagine.

That wildness is present throughout the game no matter what mode you play on. Though it’s also the drawback with the game. Races can change in an instant as you’re hit by a missile which sees you flipping over and over again desperately hoping to land as you watch every other racer fly past you. Even taking a corner poorly can see you spinning out of control resulting in much frustration and temptation to just give up. Perceiver though as when you do win, it is very satisfying and there are multiple difficulties to match most players abilities.

It’s a mayhem filled game and looks the part too. Visually the stages all have plenty to see but considering you’ll be flying around them at a break-neck speed you’ll hardly have time to admire them.