LGR - Deathtrack - DOS PC Game Review
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Sometimes, simple racing is not enough. Sometimes, you just want to strap ram spikes and missile launchers onto a car and smash up punks with 80's hairstyles on a track of death! For this, you've gotta choose Death Track, by Dynamix from 1989.
Dynamix made the best games back in the day!
Sup, man? I've been binging your stuff lately.
I wish my Honda Accord had that many polygons.
Underrated comment
Vigilante 8, Impact Racing, MegaRace, Have a N.I.C.E. Day... plenty of vehicular combat games I'd like to feature sometime!
Just say when
"When!"
The developers definitely had some humor!
Should be DTRACK.EXE
Oh god. Remember playing this as a 9 year old... Back then the tracks were too hard for me so I copied/overwrote easiest track file onto other track files and make all the tracks the same. (I think I used the oval shaped track similar to Indy500 track.)
Even drew some Deathtrack fan comics on my notepad back then. haha :)
I want to see these comics!
Where they good?
The ingame music sounds like sonic constantly picking up rings.
Deathtrack was one of my all-time favorite PC games when I was a kid! Pro tip: when you get a missile warning, slam on the breaks to cause the incoming missile to overshoot your car and explode harmlessly in front of you.
I remember playing this way back as a kid with my dad's 286.
There was one problem, for some reason the mouse wouldn't move to the right hand side of the display. That meant that buying armor repairs etc was not possible, adding extra difficulty :)
Correct!
Nice!
You should cover Quarantine
Ross Scott has a good review.
Check out Ross' Gamedungeon or Accursed Farms.
Prophetic, some might say.
These are definitely some of the best looking EGA graphics I've seen.
That was such a great game back in 1990.
I played the shit out of this game when it came out. Always liked the shady fellow who would pay you to kill someone. I never felt bad because they were in a race called Deathtrack, so they knew damn well what they were getting into. For a DOS game in '89 it offered a lot of upgrade options for your flying car thing. And for the time the graphics were fairly awe inspiring. It's 3d and has polygons and some sort of music system that made the PC squeaker sound better than it really was. A remake with better driving physics and new graphics would be most excellent. But Activision shut Dynamix down and probably killed all the employees just for fun. So I fear no remake could ever be.
'I'd hug you but your edges look sharp enough to cut' - gotta love lgr reviews!
danoz25 “the controls are straight forward, you just drive straight, forward” hah
Played this a lot when I was a kid. Always bought 20 caltrops and deployed them zig-zag style. That way every opponent's car was slowed to a crouch and could destroy them all.
soooo much this. that was the big secret, ram a car to death at the beginning, be in last place, spread 30 caltrops (you can get 30 of the smallest) all over the track at a lower speed, and everyone will run into them. laser up all of them, switch to beam when you run out of laser and when you finally clear the track of opponents, hit the auto pilot and make a sandwich before the next race starts. repair the minimal damage and load up on caltrops and go again.
biggest problem i ever had was when the game glitches and someone fires their laser immediately at the start of the race and a car blows up.. and it's the car you were offered the max amount to take out.
It wasn't a laser, other cars don't fire lasers, beams or bullets. It happened when in the previous race there was a mine left on track after the finish line.
If a missile was fired at you when but didn't hit you cause you crossed the finish line, it could actually hit you at the beginning of the next race.
I used to load up on the cheap Caltrops, and mines. Zig zag of the caltrops then mines to hit them when their cars were trashed. Made the game a bit too easy towards the end
Have you tried Death Track: Resurrection?
Really? Because it's also the same track that plays on the Roland MT-32, which uses MIDI.
@phreakindee Hey LGR, review Planescape Torment! Great game! Come on ^^
Around 750 boxed.
No problem, thanks for watching!
I have the entire NASCAR Racing series for PC.
Indeed I do, and I freaking love the cover art. I've been planning to review it for a while now, so yeah, I'll get to it eventually!
Okay, but I'm just going by what I read in multiple places about the game's compositions by Russell Lieblich. The soundtrack is made up of *.MUS files that have been stated to be slightly altered MIDI tracks for both FM and MT-32. Same file type use in Doom and that's commonly referred to as MIDI music. Maybe calling it MIDI isn't technically correct, but it's close enough for me.
Pretty awesome review Clint, YAY for Duke3D intro music. With all these reviews of vehicular combat games I keep waiting for you to review Vigilante 8 for the PS1. X3 I was impressed to see they included visible rear-end damage in this game.. that must have been an impressive addition in the day.
Holy....crap! I bought the Power Hits Sci/Fi and Power Hits Movies box sets brand new back in the day. Hard to believe that I've had them for 20 years. Yep, still have 'em, now I'm going to have to load them up and play a bit.
I played Death Track nearly to death on my Tandy 1000TX. When I got a 486 the game ran too fast and the slowdown utilities messed with the gameplay.
LGR, do you have the Power Hits Movies set? Just in case you don't, it has: The Rocketeer; Hare Raising Havoc (Roger Rabbit); Die Hard and Ghost Busters II.
Man someone needs to remake this very game,nothing changed except for proper driving and updated graphics/Sound
Only played the first two, but I quite enjoyed them. Review? Maybe someday.
Yes it was, glad someone noticed that!
I still haven't seen you do a review of Interstate 76'. This absolutely blows my mind be-it I've seen it installed on some of your computers, seen the box on your shelf; and it's just an AWESOME GAME.
K3NnY_G I love that game-- both for gameplay and the snazzy setting.
Hey Clint, have you ever played Dethkarz?
It's not quite the same. Combat was much better in DEATHTRACK
@@DosGamerMan okay
@@metafish2428 okaaaaay.
I remember around 1992 when I was a child, at school, I was looking at "elderly boys", (one of which was school director's son,) - playing that game and the Golden Axe on a 286 machine. They forget it, but I now collect and use vintage computers to enjoy gems like that sometimes)
Absolutely, I'm a big fan of the "X Construction Set" games (Pinball, Music, Adventure, Racing, etc)
The graphics were pretty good, especially considering they are only EGA (but High resolution EGA)
This game was years before its time. I wish I still had it. A remake is seriously needed for this
In fact this was the first PC game that made we go WOW after I upgraded from my old C64 and Amiga days
It's not "high resolution EGA", it's obviously 320x200... Very few games supported higher resolutions back in the day, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some strategy games did if I'm not mistaken.
Yeah, the polygonal cars look very cool for '89
Thanks for bringing childhood memories. One of the first ever games I played on PC in 1990.
Yeah, wasn't very impressed. I don't really consider it a true sequel at all, as it changed a bunch of stuff that didn't feel right in a Deathtrack game (stunts, collectible power-ups, a silly storyline, etc). The gameplay itself also tends to be more frustrating than enjoyable.
There's actually a remake of this game on Steam, believe it or not.
Titled Death Track: Resurrection.
Today, I would start a game on Mega Destroyer level. My fingers remember the tracks rather well.
I don't know if it's a bug or a cheat but if you mark a weapon model you don't already have and try to buy it when it's off screen, you get money instead of spend money, with different weapons and models give different returns.
Also, since you get some money back on your old weapon when you buy a new one, you can actually buy the fastest engine before running the first track, because every car has some powerful weapon you can downgrade, and earn the extra $1K you'll need for it. So if you're a good enough driver B-) you can easily win 1st place on the first few tracks, and then spend more money on upgrades.
(good enough drivers also don't get hit as much, which saves on repairs)
There is a slight difference between the vehicles: Acceleration.
The Hellcat is very quick and the Pitbull is quite slow, even with all the upgrades.
I usually pick the Crusher so I can sell its missiles to buy the engine, while keeping its more powerful laser. And I also like the spider hood ornament.
Another Interesting bug I had in my copy, was an invisible time limit:
7 laps was the longest race that was winnable, because any longer or even not finishing the 7 laps fast enough, meant ending up in last place. Even if you're the only vehicle left on the track.
Great game.
Spent hours mastering it.
Still play it from time to time nowadays.
Love these videos they fall in the "ah the classics category.
It has a huge nostalgia factor for me because at the University of Illinois dorms around 1990, Deathtrack was installed *everywhere.* The resident directors kept removing it, but it kept popping right back up. There were informal high score contests and people had, well, a blast. The only thing it was really missing was multiplayer, but that didn't come until DOOM in 1993. Mechwarrior was also a super-popular game, as well as NetTrek, but nothing compared to Deathtrack. It was just plain fun.
I played this game so much as a kid! One of the first games I had on my PC along with Sierra adventures. Do you (or anyone else) know how to get AdLib music on DOSBox? I can't get it to work, and that's the music I remember from childhood (sounds like the music in your video, not midi/MT-32).
I remember playing this game on my parent's tandy 1000 ex computer back in 1990 and I thought it was fun back then but I was very young and it didn't take much for me to be impressed.
Absolutely love this game. Used to play it with a Maxx yoke and pedals with Overkill's "Elimination" blaring instead of the MIDI music. Vastly improves the experience. :-D
I have no plans to, no. Played through it so many times it kind of lost its scare ability. However, A Machine For Pigs video may just happen.
Awesome review i love racing games specially old ones.. big thumbs up.. :) ;)
I wasn't referring to a particular sound, I was referring to the fact that it uses MIDI to play music. Thus: MIDI music. That's not incorrect by any means.
Fair enough, I guess it was just misinformation, assuming that MUS was used for both AdLib and MT-32 :)
I remember playing this as a kid on a monochrome monitor. Gotta live orange! Awesome game at the time. When I look at it now it seems totally unplayable compared to my PC or ps4.
Hey LGR, Thank you so much for reviewing this amazing game! I've spent a lot of hours of my childhood playing this game!!
@LGR Heard of Death Track Resurrection?
I've been looking for this game for like 20 years lol. I did not remember it being so ugly but I sure had fun back in the days
The cars look like the ones in Corvette (vette)
this game actually has a sequel on the PS3 and PC, Death Track: Resurrection...
With my electro-bastard ray at the ready. Can't freaking wait for it, I've got my copy reserved through the Kickstarter.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZZT
Do a video on ZZT? Was thinking about it earlier today.
My very first "racing" game! And I used to play on PC that didn't have sound chip so the sounds was that... I don't even remember, was it MIDI? on Pc speaker... squeaky yet epic!
Great game but back in the day, my IBM XT was on it's knees on this game, hahaha. Today however it's unplayable on my Dell 550mhz. Having said that I don't even wannat try it on my quad core rig. Despite its archaic graphics it's miles better than it's not so recent remake.
Ah, when games mentioned in the video as new are now considered retro, you know that the video itself is vintage.
Great video! This game looks nice.
I totally remember this game.
Tesla Cybertruck anyone?
no thanks, I already ate
I played this on an XT back in the day. The PC speaker music sounds way more badass than the MIDI music!
add to that CGA emulated on Hercules and an amber mono monitor and...... :)
@@realrealqbok I first played this in black and white (my first PC, an Amstrad PC1512 CGA often played games in B&W!) with PC sound. Epic.
You should review Death Rally (1996).. :)
My brother had this one on his 286. Lots of fun, though I was really bad at it.
Damn, I thought this was Death Rally, from 1996, that game was great
And had Duke Nukem.
And Jane Honda suddenly pops into mind
Man... this was one of my absolute FAVORITE games to play on my dads old 386 back in the day. I put hours into that game and got really freakin' good at it... most races I ended up the last car driving. Easiest way to get 1st place that way ;)
Weird, the music that plays in the beginning of the game is the same music played in the beginning of Ghostbusters II, also from Activision and Dynamix.
Yup, DR is essentially a top-down version of this.
hey, I remember this game ... played it when I was innocent child ... I still don't understand what the goal of the game is ... until now
I just checked out the steam page.
I foresee an LGR review of MDK2 HD in the not so distant future...
could you review MCpixel
wow! haven't seen this game in quite a while. So cool! Thanks for this review!
Do you know if there's any tandy sound support?
aww shit man i loved this game as a kidlet !
LOL, menu music is also from Ghostbusters II, also from Dynamix! :)
Best racing game on pc ever!
The looping and ominous midi tune is from the intro of Ghostbusters 2 (For DOS). No joke.
recommended review: MegaRace from around 1996
hi, i'm lance boyle and you'd be too if you were me!
every time i watch an LGR episode, i always hear a new word i've never heard of, or a new mental disability or an ailment that i've never heard of, and i love it
Great review! Have you ever played "Racing Destruction Set" for the C64?
dont tell me you got the first one in flopies. all i can find is the CD version
The game kinda reminds me of Death Rally...
i loved that game,, but my fave from dynamics was die hard,
Please review Rock'nRoll Racing for the snes! It was my favorite game when I was young and liked playing nintendo, rather then anything else! :3
I second that+It was also released to the Sega genesis.
For those interested, similar modern games - Flatout series & Carmageddon reincarnation
Neither of those games feature weaponry in the way Deathtrack does. I'd say games like Gas Guzzlers are way more similar than those, even down to the same basic upgrade system.
+Lazy Game Reviews Never the less, all these games got their inspiration from movies like Death Race 2000, The Gauntlet, Grand Theft Auto, Used Cars and maybe Duel.
That much is true, yes! :)
This game is strikingly similar to Crash 'n Burn for the 3DO by Crystal Dynamics. So much so that I looked up the credits to both Death Track and C&B, and it turns out some of the people that worked on Death Track would later work on Crystal Dynamics titles for the 3DO, like Gex, Total Eclipse, etc. I wonder if some of those people that worked on Death Track casually put forth ideas and recommendations to the development team on Crash 'n Burn while they were working on the other 3DO titles.
I loved that game.
That annoying music was actually a reproduction of "pipeline" by the ventures.
The Ventures version is a cover. The original is by the one hit wonder The Chantays.
Yes, fond memories of firing this up on the 486.
or 286 12 MHz with Hercules :)
If I remember correctly its from the prison level in Duke 3d.
OPL2 is a chip, and it makes MIDI sounds so yeah its a MIDI track
First time I hear of this game. It looks great.
Any hardware reviews/talks/thingies in the works? I missum...
Hey, simplistic 3D feels sad that you won't hug him. :(
Is that shady guy at 6:20 Groucho Marx in a trench-coat? XD
I had to do a double-take after seeing that Gas Guzzlers box art. IT'S A BOOTLEG GENERAL LEE!
I had this on a laptop as a friend and I took turns driving across state. After a few rounds I realized he was activating commenting on my race while he was driving. LOL. We decided it was best not to play while driving and survived the trip.
The music in the beginning is from Duke 3d, correct?
I loved this game!! Is it on gog.com?
My brother and I owned quite a few Dynamix games, and this was one of them. Played the HELL out of it. Loved this game.
i remembered playin this on our 386 family computer 32mhz with 2mb ram, the loading time are so long