Super Hang-On

The PC (MS-DOS) version was released by Data East in 1988. You race a motorbike through four continents - Africa, Asia, America and Europe. Each is divided into timed stages and failing to complete a stage in the required time, the game is over. Each stage gives you 32 seconds to complete, and any time left from the previous stage, is added to the newly 32 seconds. The standard acceleration control can be held down for most of the race, but for really tricky bends you will have to resort to the brake. The change in speed affects the radius of your turn, which may easily drop you onto road signs or road lights... What is really exciting on this game is that when you gain enough speed your speedo will turn red signifying you can activate your boost which is not limited at all! As long as you hold it down you will keep boosting which gives a real rush as your engine screams out higher and higher pitched the longer you boost! Ok, the computer and consoles versions are not the same as on the arcade game, mainly because there were different versions in the arcades. Those differences though rely only on the position and the type of the (original) bends. Super Hang-On was a tried and true formula like any other great arcade bike (and car) racer released. Especially the original (arcades) version in which the player played it on a full-scaled motorbike model was an enormous experience back to the days!

The game runs fast and smooth. In fact, it runs too fast when played on an Intel 286 or equivalent back to the days. Technically the game cannot compare by any means to the Amiga and Atari ST ports though. Most of the original graphics detail is missing here, which is rather normal for a 1988 DOS game that runs only on EGA or CGA graphics mode. Motorbikes are nicely designed having some impressive animation touches taken from the original (i.e. when crashing, the bike rolls over the air etc). Graphics are overall ok and change in appearance, colors and background as you progress through each chekpoint which gives seamless nonstop progression through the game. Other objects such as road signs, lights, trees etc are also nicely drawn and keep (along with the static backdrops) presentation in good standards.
Soundwise, the PC (MS-DOS) version supports AdLib sound hardware offering non-sampled in-game SFX (engine roaring, tires gripping, and the turbo boost sound). Music is missing though during gameplay and found only on the Amiga and ST versions.