Gee Bee Air Rally
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Steve Cartwright, Gene Smith |
| Products | Gee Bee Air Rally |
Gee Bee Air Rally (displayed on the title screen as GeeBee Air Rally) is an airplane racing title released in 1987 by Activision for platforms including Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Created by designers Steve Cartwright and Gene Smith, the game takes place during the 1920s to 1930s era, where players pilot a compact aircraft inspired by the Granville Brothers' Gee Bee Model Z Super Sportster. The primary goal is to accumulate points through participation in various races and special challenges.
Gameplay
This single-player experience allows users to choose from three difficulty settings prior to starting. Players navigate a yellow plane through a series of three main races plus one special event, alternating between popping 30 balloons or maneuvering to pass red pylons on the right and blue pylons on the left. It is essential to avoid collisions with other planes; after two crashes, the pilot ejects via parachute, followed by amusing landing animations. Successfully completing special events leads to an awards presentation accompanied by music characteristic of the period.
Reception
The magazine Compute! commended the game’s visual and sound design, although it noted drawbacks such as intrusive copy protection and repetitive cut scenes. Ultimately, it concluded that Gee Bee Air Rally "deserves multiple playthroughs."
Reviews
- Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine v12 n5 (1988 05)