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Sega SG-1000

Safari Race

Sega SG-1000

Sega SG-1000

Safari Race is a racing game for the SG-1000, developed and published by Sega in 1984. The player must drive through various "sections", avoiding wildlife and other cars while making sure not to run out of fuel. The game is notable for using licensed cars, potentially the first video game to d...

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Developer
Sega Enterprises

Released on
1984

Size
1 Player

Version
Sega SG-1000

Requirements
Sega SG-1000

Downloads
Racing

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Safari Race is a racing game for the SG-1000, developed and published by Sega in 1984. The player must drive through various “sections”, avoiding wildlife and other cars while making sure not to run out of fuel.

The game is notable for using licensed cars, potentially the first video game to do so. The player controls a Lancia Stratos HF, and according to the box art, some of the rival cars are Audi Quattros.

Safari Race

Overview & History

Released by Sega in 1983 for the SG-1000, Safari Race is an early top-down vehicular combat and navigation game developed during the infancy of Sega's proprietary console hardware. While simplistic by modern standards, it stands out as an ambitious attempt to translate the thrilling arcade formula of dodging hostile wildlife and navigating treacherous terrain into the Japanese home living room. Unlike standard checkpoint racers of its era, this title introduces strategic survival elements, requiring players to carefully manage a limited fuel supply while dodging obstacles scattered across the untamed African wilderness. Its charming, albeit primitive, sprite work and distinct audio cues helped establish the SG-1000's early software library, offering a unique glimpse into Sega's pre-Master System design philosophy.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Players pilot a rugged off-road vehicle navigating a vertical-scrolling jungle highway fraught with peril. The core objective is to reach the end of each stage before running completely out of gas or taking too much damage from collisions. The wilderness fights back: unpredictable rhinoceroses charge down the screen, deadly lions lie in wait, and treacherous boulders or trees block the path, forcing split-second evasive maneuvers. To survive, players must collect fuel cans scattered along the route to keep their tank topped up. The game utilizes a stage-based progression system where successfully clearing a zone increases the scrolling speed, heightening the challenge and demanding quicker reflexes to weave safely through increasingly dense obstacles and aggressive fauna.