Beetle Adventure Racing

Beetle Adventure Racing is a racing game released for the Nintendo 64 made by EA Games. Originally, EA had planned to create a racing game in the form of its popular Need for Speed series on the N64 before deciding on Beetle Adventure Racing. The game features 1970's dialoge and style music. This is a different kind of racing game as all of the vehicles are Volkswagen New Beetles, which were released the previous year. Paradigm Entertainment, which previously worked on a flight-simulator for the N64, was able to get heretofore unseen draw distances on the N64, and otherwise left Beetle Adventure Racing as one of the better looking games on the N64. Despite the use of real vehicles, the gameplay is much more in line with San Francisco Rush than it is with Gran Turismo, with an emphasis on shortcuts. The game was later released in Australia as HSV Adventure Racing, using Holden Special Vehicles cars in place of the Beetles.

Beetle Adventure Racing also supports up to four players. Two player races can be held in any of the tracks, provided they have been unlocked in the single player championship. Sadly, there is no two-player Championship mode. Two-to-Four players can take part in its "Beetle Battle" mode, in which players compete to collect six differently colored ladybugs, attempt to destroy the other competitors, and race for the exit once all the ladybugs are collected.

Tracks

Beetle Adventure Racing had six tracks. All of each huge and taking at least six or seven minutes to complete. Each one is detailed and featured several alternate paths to the finish line.

Coventry Cove

The easiest track in the game, and unlockable at the start. Tour the country side in this course. Drive by Hot-air baloons, Waterfalls, Towns, Shipping Docks, Trains, Barns, Stonehenge, Mines and Castles.

Mount Mayhem

Easy. A chilly race down the side of a mountain. Pass Ski Resorts, Ski Jumps, Crystal Caves, Alien Spaceships, and ice caverns in this snowy level.

Inferno Isle

Medium. Start your race on a beach but quickly move inward as you discover a sea side town, erupting volcano, burning village, pirates attacking a fort, and a T-Rex waiting to take a bite out of you.

Sunset Sands

Medium. Begin at an oasis but quickly enter the harsh desert and discover a pyramid. Then burst out into an abandoned town and more ancient statues. But remember, "Good things come to those who wait."

Metro Madness

Hard. Start out on a highway crusing through barricades and rolling into town. Then bust into a movie theatre, a train station, a casino, a gas station and a hotel before reaching the industral section. Where there, you will encounter contruction sites, burning buildings, and parking garages.

Wicked Woods

Hard. Begin your frightning task of exploring a dark night's findings. Go over bridges, through windmills, churches, and towns. Drive into caves filled with gold and graveyards filled with ghosts. Then blast through an old mansion to complete your trip.

HSV Adventure Racing

HSV Adventure Racing! is a remake or clone of Paradigm's Beetle Adventure Racing. The game was released though Electronic Arts exclusively to Australia, replacing the beetles of the first game with Holden Special Vehicles or HSV, to commemorate the Holden's sports series of cars.

Music

The music in BAR is a groovy, breakbeat soundtrack with loud drums, organs, and guitars. Many consider it one of the better game soundtracks on the Nintendo 64. The music was composed by Phil Western, Scott Blackwood and Brenden Tennant. Scott Blackwood also served as Producer for BAR.

Nintendo 64 games | Racing computer games | Electronic Arts games | 1999 computer and video games