#23: Bikers (Deluxe) Game - (ZX Spectrum Next)

Bikers is an arcade style motorcycle racing game for the ZX Spectrum next. I take a detailed in-depth analysis of the deluxe version of this game including everything from the packaging and physical elements to game mechanics and user interface.

My summary includes several observations and suggestions for possible modifications that could potentially be improve the overall fun factor of this and other games we develop.

Order the Bikers game here:

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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:18 Wecome & topic summary
01:12 Physical packaging
05:04 The soundtrack CD music
08:44 See the game in a black case
10:30 Checking out the booklet
13:05 Analyzing the controls
15:54 The Atari driving controller
20:45 Playing the game with joystick and gamepads
38:50 Using the Atari driving controller
51:00 My thoughts and suggestions
55:52 Final evaluation
56:35 Thanks for watching!
56:53 Hidden outtake

[Spriteworx]

Website:

Facebook Page (public):

Patreon:

Private facebook group for Patreon subscribers:

Games & Digital Content (as it becomes available):

[MegaRockdemon]

Thanks for the shout-out :)Glad you enjoyed the music!

[gingerhippygaming]

Seen this a few times definitely need to get this game

[Tetlee]

Love the packaging of Bikers and graphically looks superb, I don't think it's my type of game though as all those roadside obstacles would annoy me, I hate keep crashing off the track. My other dislike is it looks more like a Megadrive game to me than a spiritual Spectrum upgrade. I've played a bit of Just A Gal and that one plays really well imo, very impressive and enjoyable to play. Will probably upgrade to the physical release when I get to order a bundle of games from Zosya. Good review.

[Protocultor]

This game is clearly a clone/homage to Super Hang On, where you struggle against the clock mainly, other bikers are there to be dodged only (they probably spawn at random ahead of you) and there are no "looped" tracks, you sprint from point A to point B. Tracking the position of other bikers, or having a championship, in such tracks doesn't make much sense. I don't think comparing it to "Just a Gal" is fair, they're almost in different genres (full arcade vs. "semi-sim").

The S & G letters on the progress bar mean Start and Goal (the previously mentioned points A & B), and its hard to see them because the font used is directly lifted from Super Hang On, where the same progress bar appears.

Something from the Hang On series this game doesn't follow is when you get out of the track. In this game, you almost immediately fall from your bike, while in Hang On you only lose speed, and fall when you crash against a visible obstacle. That's something they should have kept in this game; it damages gameplay in the current state.

About the Atari CX20, it lacks some form of "auto-centering" that most racing wheels have today, so it's left to the player to center the steering manually. The game is not at fault, unless the sensitivity is too low or too high, making control difficult. I'd rather have an actual wheel, but still, it's nice to see any form of "analog steering" in a Spectrum game.

Apart from that, it was a nice analysis, and I agree with most of your points. Deserves a subscription

[Gutarst]

15:53 “What is a CX20 driving controller? I’ve never heard of that” 16:07 “Is this actually an Atari driving controller?”, and you go and grab yours???