World Grand Prix

:"This article is about the Sega Game - for darts see World Grand Prix (darts), for volleyball see Volleyball World Grand Prix

platforms=Sega Master System
media=6-megabit Cartridge
requirements=
input= Sega Master System controller

nihongo|"World Grand Prix"|ザ・サーキット|The Circuit [cite web | url = http://www.mobygames.com/game/sega-master-system/world-grand-prix| title = Japanese title | publisher = Moby Games| date = | accessdate = 2008-09-11] is a 1986 Sega Master System video game that is based on the arcade game "Pole Position". During the course of the game, the player uses a Formula One style car. He or she has to drive the car as quickly as possible while navigating through turns and other vehicles on the road. A formal scoring system is not used and players are not ranked by position, unlike most racing games. This kind of timekeeping would not be used in a subsequent video game until the Famicom release of "" the following year. From the 1970s Ferrari pictured in the main menu and the circuits used in the game, the game appears to be loosely based on 1970s Formula One.

Game play

The player can either use reasonable facsimiles of Formula One tracks or create an unique track using his or her imagination. Customizing a track also makes it possible to re-enact famous tracks from any series of racing. The absence of an authentic Formula One license made it difficult to research the actual Formula One machines of that time; players had to use generic two speed manual transmission machines. While using the regular tracks, the player must either match or beat the target time in order to move to the next level, or else a game over message will appear (but never on customized tracks). Getting lower than the target time will score points that will lead to upgrades for his or her vehicle [cite web | url = http://www.videogamecritic.net/mastersz.htm| title = Analysis of game | publisher = The Video Game Critic| date = | accessdate = 2008-05-05] .

However, the player can play on his or her customized track until the console is shut down because there is no battery backup in the game. As one of the first Formula One games for an 8-bit console system, it is possible for the player's car to blow up on the track even at 5 kilometers per hour (3.1 miles per hour) [cite web | url = http://alexkidd.com/show_game.php?ID=159| title = Brief summary w/ pictures | publisher = Sega Master System Museum| date = | accessdate = 2008-09-11] . Due to memory constraints, tracks made with the track editor mode had to contain fewer than 127 parts (with the straight section that represents the start/finish line as a "free" piece that doesn't count towards that limitation). All races must start to the right of the "free straight" piece and finish to the end of the "free straight piece." Loops can be added in infinite amounts, as long as the track conforms to the 127-piece limit. All races are one lap only regardless if the track was custom built or previously designed [cite web | url = http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/sms/file/588173/34521| title = Advanced edit mode information | publisher = Matthew Stephenson (Ringworm)| date = | accessdate = 2008-09-11] .

Tracks

Although none of the tracks are specifically named, they are clearly supposed to represent Formula One venues. Not only do the layouts reflect the real-life circuits but there is also stereotypical scenery to accompany each venue. For example, Mount Fuji can be seen at the Japanese track, snow at the Swedish track and Big Ben for the British track. The choice of circuits is puzzling because many were no longer in use at the time of release in 1986. Indeed, only five (5) of the twelve (12) venues were still in use in 1986 and only two (2) in the layout depicted. In this way the game seems to reflect 1970s Formula One as the circuits were in regular use then and all twelve (12) circuits appeared in the 1976 calendar in the layouts shown.

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.listal.com/game/world-grand-prix-sega-master-system-sega-master-system Listal]