Viz (video game)

Infobox VG| title = Viz


publisher = Virgin Interactive
distributor =
released = 1991
genre = Racing game
modes = Single player
platforms =Commodore 64, Sinclair Spectrum Amiga, Atari ST, PC

Viz is a single player racing game based on the Viz adult comic which was released in 1991 by Virgin Interactive. The game's lively music was composed by Jeroen Tel.

Popular characters Johnny Fartpants, Biffa Bacon and Buster Gonad compete in a series of five races around the fictional town of Fulchester for some unnamed prize. The races are run in the park, Fulchester High Street, a building site, the beach and a nightclub. The race commentator is Roger Mellie who provides irreverant chat throughout the game and many of Viz's popular characters pop up to help or hinder the contestants.

Before the race, each character has the chance to earn tokens by playing a minigame which then can be used during gameplay to give him a temporary advantage. Biffa is able to punch his way through some obstacles or gets into a fight with himself boosting his speed. Johnny can use his "pump power" to jump over small obstacles or to take off and fly a short distance. Buster can use his "unfeasibly large testicles" to jump over small obstacles or put them in a wheelbarrow and gain a burst of speed.

Each contestant must stick to his race lane otherwise the referee from Billy the Fish will hurl bricks at the errant racer temporarily stunning him. The courses are set so that each character cannot help running in and out of each other's lanes. If the character is hit, he loses a life. If he loses three lives, it's race over for the human player - the AI characters have unlimited lives.

Although the game received mediocre reviews in the gaming press with the Commodore 64 version coming under particularly heavy criticism for what was perceived to be excessive loading times, the game did sell very well, particularly for it's adult humour which wasn't seen in video games, even in 1991.