AeroGauge

AeroGauge (エアロゲイジ, EaroGeiji) is a futuristic, sci-fi[2] hovercraft racing game designed for the Nintendo 64 game console and was released in 1998 (1997 in Japan). The game was originally set for a U.S. release in February 1998,[3] but it was delayed first to April 2,[4] before finally getting the release date of May 21, 1998.[5]

AeroGauge
North American Nintendo 64 cover art
Developer(s)Locomotive Co. Ltd.
Publisher(s)ASCII Entertainment
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
  • JP: December 19, 1997
  • PAL: March 1998
  • NA: May 21, 1998[1]
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

ASCII's AeroGauge is conceptually similar to Psygnosis' Wipeout or Acclaim's Extreme G.

The main difference is that the vehicles in the game fly instead of hovering, so it's possible to maneuver them in the air.[6]

Overview

AeroGauge takes place in Asia during the year 2065. The game has four tracks and five vehicles from the start, with additional tracks and vehicles that can be unlocked via the Grandprix and Time Attack modes. The game includes vehicle damage, which is shown with a meter on the bottom of the player's HUD. As the player gains damage, their vehicle will begin to spark and smoke. If a player acquires too much damage, their vehicle will stop, slowly land to the ground and the screen will fade black with the text "Retire". To prevent this, players can repair damage by flying through the tracks' shield regenerating areas at low altitude. Each track features their own twists and turns including upside down or vertical racing with obstacles blocking the player's path.

Game Modes

The game has four different game modes which the player can choose from on the main menu.

Grandprix

Grandprix is a single-player game mode. It has a basic championship league, having the player race against computer-controlled vehicles on every map in the game. Before each race, the player is required to take two qualifying laps which in turn determines starting position for the race based on the player's best time and how it compares to the computer's. The actual race is three laps around the course, against seven opponents all of which blast off from the starting line rapidly, usually leaving the player behind to catch up. After a race, the player is rewarded points depending on their finishing position; better placement gives more points. Points from each race in the Grandprix are totaled to determine the winner.

Singlematch

Singlematch is also a single player mode. It is one race against computer A.I. on a track chosen by the player. Like the Grandprix, it requires two qualifying laps to determine starting position.

VS

VS mode is a two-player game mode, where two human players choose a track and race on it. There are no qualifying laps and no computer opponents.

Time Attack

Time Attack mode is another single player game mode. It is a time trial on a track chosen by the player. The player can choose to do either three or an infinite number of laps. If the player selects to do three laps, ghosts can be saved on a memory card and loaded to race.

AeroMachines

In the game universe, an AeroMachine is a vehicle with the ability to produce a strong field of localized magnetic flux. The AeroMachines are the vehicles used in the Sky Step. There are 10 available AeroMachines, with 5 being available from the start and 5 being unlockable.

Each of the AeroMachines is rated based on six categories displayed in a radar chart. The categories are speed (maximum air speed), steering (turning capability), accele (acceleration), aero limit (speed needed to get airborne), shield (endurance), and stability (gripping power).

Tracks

There are 6 tracks in the game, with 4 available from the start and 2 being unlockable by the player during the game.

Reception

The game received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[7] Game Informer and Nintendo Power gave the Japanese version mixed reviews nearly four months before the game was released Stateside.[11][17] Next Generation said in an early review that the game "may not stand up to the speed, multiplayer action, and track diversity of the upcoming F-Zero X (or[,] for that matter, Extreme-G), but considering that it beats Nintendo's cyber-racer to the punch by more than six months, this should help tide over racing fans nicely."[16] (By the game's actual release date, it beat F-Zero X by five months.) In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 24 out of 40.[10]

References
  1. GameSpot staff (May 15, 1998). "videogames.com Game Calendar [date mislabeled as "March 14, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 9, 1999. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  2. Irwin, Jon (February 10, 2017). "Don't Just Drive: 10 Non-Traditional Racing Games". Paste. Paste Media Group. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  3. IGN staff (November 26, 1997). "Aero Gauge [sic] Rockets to America". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  4. IGN staff (March 17, 1998). "Aero Gauge [sic] Slows Down". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  5. IGN staff (March 18, 1998). "Aero Gauge [sic] May Release". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  6. Fielder, Joe (June 10, 1998). "Aero Gauge [sic] Review [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  7. "AeroGauge for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  8. Sackenheim, Shawn. "AeroGauge - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  9. EGM staff (1998). "AeroGauge". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis.
  10. "エアロゲイジ [NINTENDO64]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  11. "AeroGauge". Game Informer. No. 58. FuncoLand. February 1998. Archived from the original on September 8, 1999. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  12. Fish, Eliot (June 1998). "Aero Gauge [sic]". Hyper. No. 56. Next Media Pty Ltd. pp. 60–61. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  13. Casamassina, Matt (May 21, 1998). "Aero Gauge [sic]". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  14. Nash, Jonathan (February 1998). "Aero Gauge [sic] (Import)". N64 Magazine. No. 12. Future Publishing. p. 68. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  15. Kitts, Martin (July 1998). "Aero Gauge [sic]". N64 Magazine. No. 17. Future Publishing. p. 60. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  16. "Aero Gauge [sic]". Next Generation. No. 39. Imagine Media. March 1998. p. 108. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  17. "AeroGauge". Nintendo Power. Vol. 105. Nintendo of America. February 1998. p. 95. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
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