Super Hang-On review - Sega Megadrive

Ever wanted to ride in a motorcycle Grand Prix?. This game allows you to experience all your biking dreams, as you take part in a variety of races around the world in this rip-roaring conversion of Sega's bike racing coin-op.

There are two modes of play, both of which have a simple objective - be the first past the finishing post. As well as racing against other riders, you also race against the clock. Between the starting and finishing posts on each track are a series of checkpoints, which you must pass before the time limit runs out. Failure to pass the checkpoint means the end of the race - race past it, though, and extra time is added so you can continue onwards towards the checkered flag.

At the end of a race all the time remaining is converted into bonus points, and your overall race time is displayed for posterity - see if you can break the record!

What the Mean Machines staff thought

Ah! This is what I like! The chance to ride a high-powered bike up a twisting road at unbelievable speeds. The graphics are tremendous, with a perfectly convincing road (complete with gut-churning hills) and excellent sprites giving a true feeling of high speed. The sound is also good, with four racing tunes to set the pace. The arcade mode is as accurate a copy of the coin-op as you could wish for, and there's the additional bonus of the original mode (which would be a good game in its own right) which adds plenty of lasting appeal. Super hang-on is one of my favourite Megadrive games - if you're into speed, race off and buy it now!

I'm in something of a dilemma with this game. It certainly is a great racing game, with plenty of fast action and high quality scrolling: it conveys a superb sense of speed, and all the selectable in-game tunes are catchy little ditties. The choice of game type adds a lot to the playability as the original mode gives you a feeling of planning for a season rather than a single race. Yet I feel that the game is lacking that certain something to make it an all-out winner. Still, it's a great game to play and is full of excitement and thrills - if racing's your thing, don't miss it!

Buy Super Hang-On from Genki

Have your say about Super Hang-On

Laurie - 13 Jun 2008, 10:20 GMT

You know a game has made a lasting impression on you when the title becomes an adjective. For example: "Sensi!" when a passage of play in a game of footie match resembles Sensible Soccer and "Final Fight!" or "Mike Tyson's (Punch Out)" for a bout of fisticuffs. So it is with "Super Hang On!" when viewing the Isle of Man TT or other high powered related two wheeled racing shenanigans. I actually believe this is superior to the arcade, partly owing to the lack of bikers around the cabinet taking personal offence at anyone in the vicinity who didn't fit in, but also to the superior control method of the D-pad which suits the inertia of the rider in the game perfectly. Although it seems impossible at first, the game is well worth perseveing with, as completing Super Hang On in expert mode is a right of passage for serious racing game fans. Just don't blame me if your mum gives out to you.

Tris Wicks - 11 Nov 2008, 03:02 GMT

Excellent fun. This gave me high hopes for future MD arcade conversions like Outrun (let down) and Space Harrier (let down). I urge any SHO fan to check out the GBA conversion on Sega Arcade Gallery if you can find it. It's not as challenging, but the control is tight and the 3D's much nicer.

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