Ben Wood Portfolio :: Writing ::

Retro Revival: March Rider - Published by N-Philes, Jul 27, 2005

The Scoop

The year is 2112. Forces of evil have landed on Earth, destroying everything in their path, including your hometown. Being the quick little bunny he is, Mach Rider manages to escape on his machinegun-equipped motorcycle.

Racing from sector to sector, Mach Rider not only destroys Quadrunners that get in his way, but also looks for survivors amidst the ruins.

Our Hero

Iterations

Mach Rider, NES, 1985

Vs. Mach Rider, Arcade, 1985

Notable Appearances

Super Smash Bros. Melee (GC): A Mach Rider trophy was obtainable. The Mach Rider theme was also the alternate music foe Big Blue stage.

Wario Ware Twisted (GBA): Nine Volt added a Mach Rider microgame to his retro repertoire.

Tilting the Game Boy to move gave this game new life

411

Mach Rider has three main modes of play: Fighting Course which allows you to travel from sector to sector, destroying enemies and dodging obstacles, Endurance Course in which you race against the clock with enemies on the track, and Solo Course where you race against the clock without enemies. Like Excitebike before it, Mach Rider has a level design mode where you can create your own course, and then race on it.

Mach Rider was Nintendo's first, and pretty much only NES game to use traditional guns as a primary weapon, Zapper games notwithstanding. Because the game had a weapon and because the NES controller had so few buttons, there wasn't any traditional brake button. Instead, the player could shift between four gears using the up and down buttons on the D-Pad.

There is even a rear view mirror at your disposal

Revival Potential

Will Mach Rider ride again?

Aside from the museum like nods to Mach Rider in Super Smash Bros Melee and Wario Ware Twisted, Mach Rider has only been seen once (twice if you include the Vs. arcade release). Racing games have always been a staple in the videogame industry, so one can only speculate as to why this is the case. Frankly, Mach Rider's universe is filled (by NES standards) with gritty violence, and is the type of game that goes against Nintendo's dedication to creating compelling titles for all ages.

Imagine, for a moment, what a modern adaptation to this game could be like. Because there is literally no back-story or development of the Mach Rider universe, it could go in almost any direction. All we know is that the game is set one hundred years from now in a desolate post-apocalyptic setting. Perhaps evil aliens did come to destroy civilization. What was their motive? Will the ever come back? There are survivors, living in the rubble of what were once great cities. Chances are many of them would become raiders, doing whatever it takes to survive.

Look at his guns

With his machinegun-equipped motorcycle, the main character (who needs a better name than Mach Rider), can travel from city to city, each with varying levels of destruction and crime, to set things right. He could band together with particular individuals or groups and eliminate whoever opposes them, or he could strive to achieve an alliance between everyone, to rebuild the town and look out for one another. Or take everyone from one city to the next, looking to rebuild society.

The racing aspect could still be integrated into the game, be it challenges, or high speed chases between gangs. Pokemon uses monster battles to settle all kinds of disputes, racing could be the equivalent in the Mach Rider universe. There could also be a side mode specifically for racing against opponents using tracks within the city.

Mach Rider, in my opinion, has the potential to represent Nintendo's take on the Grand Theft Auto series. The premise would be different, but the gameplay could be similar. The futuristic setting allows for much more creativity in terms of vehicles, weapons, and setting. Based on your actions, the partially, or wholly destroyed cities could get better or worse. Throw in some online play for racing matches and co-op play, and there exists a compelling exclusive title for the mature gamer.

There is talent out there that could develop a title like this for Nintendo's upcoming home console. Retro Studios have not only have experience with racing games, have also proven that they can deliver on futuristic environments. A Mach Rider title can let them flex their creative muscles while giving them a break from all those Metroid titles. Of course, the chances of something like this happening, or any other extension of the Mach Rider universe, is astronomically small. But one can dream.

Sources:

The Video Game Museum / vgmuseum.com

Nintendo Database / planetnintendo.com/nindb

The Game Manual Archive / gamemanuals.net