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Hard Drivin’

Sega Genesis

Sega Genesis

Sure, driving a real high performance car can be quite a blast. But where can you go to do vertical loops, high-speed races and high flying jumps? In Hard Drivin', that's where! Hard Drivin' is so real you'll feel like you're burning up the road in a high-powered car. Two tracks provide plenty of...

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Developer
Sterling Silver Software

Released on
1990

Size
1 Player

Version
Sega Genesis

Requirements
Sega Genesis

Downloads
Racing

Publisher
Tengen

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Sure, driving a real high performance car can be quite a blast. But where can you go to do vertical loops, high-speed races and high flying jumps? In Hard Drivin’, that’s where! Hard Drivin’ is so real you’ll feel like you’re burning up the road in a high-powered car. Two tracks provide plenty of challenge – put the pedal to the metal on the Speed Track or get airborne on the radical Stunt Track! Jump a drawbridge! Do a 360 loop! The true 3D screen display will have you hanging on for dear life! If you lose it, you get to see an instant replay of your accident. Like the incredible arcade hit, this Hard Drivin’ is looking for a few hard drivers. No license, or cars, required!

Hard Drivin'

Overview & History

Released by Domark in 1994 for the Sega Genesis, *Hard Drivin'* is a daring console port of Atari Games’ legendary 1989 arcade cabinet. While the original arcade machine revolutionized racing games with its cutting-edge flat-shaded 3D polygons and force-feedback steering wheel, translating that ambition to the 16-bit Motorola 68000 CPU required immense technical wizardry. To achieve the 3D perspective on Genesis hardware, the developers relied on heavily scaled 2D sprite rendering and rudimentary wireframe geometry, resulting in a distinctly choppy, surreal visual style that traded smooth framerates for unprecedented open-world driving freedom. Players are cast as an anonymous stunt driver tasked with navigating a treacherous test track to earn a "Stunt Driver" license. Unlike contemporary linear racers, *Hard Drivin'* drops you into a sprawling 3D landscape featuring rolling hills, covered bridges, and perilous intersections populated by unpredictable AI traffic, all viewed from a behind-the-wheel cockpit perspective complete with a fully animated steering wheel and gear shift.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay revolves around mastering the grueling stunt track while obeying basic traffic laws on the open road segments. The physics engine is surprisingly complex for its era, featuring simulated momentum, centrifugal force, and notoriously unforgiving vehicle handling. Players can choose between a manual transmission with a clutch pedal simulation or an automatic gearbox. The ultimate test of skill occurs on the stunt course, where you must successfully jump a gaping chasm over a rushing river, navigate a vertical 360-degree loop-de-loop, and recover from bone-crunching collisions. Whenever you crash, the game treats you to an instant replay camera angle accompanied by a satisfying sound effect of shattering glass and metal, instantly resetting your car at the last checkpoint with a time penalty. Completing the full lap without running out of time rewards you with a passing grade and your coveted driver's license.

Keyboard Controls

Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Steer left/right, accelerate (Up), and brake/reverse (Down)
Action Keys: Shift gears up (A) and shift gears down (B); Hold C for clutch
Enter: Start / Pause