Super Sprint
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Sunnyvale, California , United States |
| Products | Super Sprint, Championship Sprint |
Super Sprint, also released as Sprint Master on the Atari 2600, is a racing video game developed by Atari Games and Midway Games in 1986. The game allows up to three participants to race Formula One-style vehicles on an overhead track. It serves as a successor to the monochrome Gran Trak 10 and Sprint series from the 1970s. Later that same year, a follow-up titled Championship Sprint was introduced.
Gameplay
The game supports up to three players competing simultaneously against AI opponents on circuits displayed completely within a single screen, without any scrolling. Competitors complete three laps per race, with the victor advancing through a sequence of eight circuits. Upon reaching race 85, players encounter the bonus Super Speedway track. As difficulty increases, hazards such as oil slicks and small tornadoes appear, momentarily impairing vehicle handling. High-speed collisions or falling off bridges result in vehicle destruction, after which a helicopter replaces the car.
Throughout the race, players can gather wrenches positioned on the track. Collecting three wrenches enables upgrades to the car’s traction, acceleration, or maximum speed.
Ports
Super Sprint was adapted for several home systems including the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. An unauthorized version was issued by Tengen, an Atari subsidiary, for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Meanwhile, licensed Famicom versions were developed by Japanese firm Altron.
The title was also converted for the Atari 2600 under the name Sprint Master, which launched in 1988.
Reception
In Japan, Game Machine listed Super Sprint as the second most successful upright/cockpit arcade game in their August 15, 1986 publication. It ranked eighth in earnings among upright/cockpit arcade units during the latter half of that year and placed ninth for overall annual revenue. The game's popularity persisted into 1987, where it was ranked tenth in the same category.
In 1996, Next Generation magazine included the arcade edition at number 59 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time," commenting that although the game's exaggerated understeer is not realistic, it contributes positively to gameplay excitement.
Championship Sprint
Introduced later in 1986, Championship Sprint offers gameplay akin to its predecessor but features new tracks and a conventional two-player cabinet instead of Super Sprint's three-player wide setup. Ports were made available for platforms such as ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and Commodore 64.
Re-releases
In 2005, a Game Boy Advance version was released bundled alongside Spy Hunter.
Both Super Sprint and its sequel have been included in various compilations: Super Sprint appears in Midway Arcade Treasures for GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows platforms; Championship Sprint is featured in Midway Arcade Treasures 2 and as downloadable content for PlayStation 3. The two games were also part of the 2012 collection Midway Arcade Origins for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Additionally, in 2016, Super Sprint was reissued as part of the Lego Dimensions Midway Arcade Level Pack.