Ignition
1997
Audio: Spanish, Swedish, Italian, English · Subtitles: Spanish, Swedish, Italian, English
- racing
- sport
- action
- single player
- multiplayer
- split screen
The story
Ignition is an action packed racing game viewed from above and slightly behind the player. The cars on offer range from police car and VW Beetle to school bus and truck, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses - trying to win with the bus, which involves blocking everyone behind the hideously slow vehicle for 3 laps, is perhaps the ultimate challenge. Initially there are 5 tracks available, with practice and single race modes as well as full championship at 3 levels - winning each of the first 2 levels unlocks an extra track. They all have hazards running through them, and sections where you must make a split-second choice between the safer route and the risky but potentially rewarding one. Multiplayer can be done via network or by split-screen - in a break with convention the screen is split vertically rather than horizontally.
What it’s like
Chunky, flat-shaded pixel sprites roll across top-down tracks in a bright, cartoonish palette of primary colours, with sun-warmed asphalt, dusty verges and the odd strip of shrubbery framing every bend. The camera hangs just above and behind each car, so the view feels close and busy without ever getting claustrophobic. Engine whines, tyre squeals and crunching collisions sit over a loose, funky rock soundtrack that loops cheerfully through the sessions. The mood is scrappy and mischievous rather than sleek: a DOS-era arcade racer where the fun comes from picking a silly vehicle, like a lumbering school bus or a pickup, and then making it work. Pacing is quick and rhythmic, with short laps, sudden shortcuts and hazards that punish greed, so each race reads as a burst of cheerful tension rather than a long grind. Intensity is low: crashes are comic and bloodless, with no gore, no sexual content and nothing frightening. It suits a rainy afternoon, a short evening session, or a split-screen bout with a friend on the couch. It is for players who enjoy retro arcade racing, wacky vehicle choices and light competitive mischief.
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