TrickStyle

TrickStyle is a sports video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Acclaim Entertainment for the Dreamcast and Microsoft Windows. Set in the future, the player takes part in stunt-filled hoverboard races through London, Tokyo, and Manhattan, or inside a massive arena called the Velodrome. AirBlade by Criterion and Namco is a spiritual successor. The game received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its graphics and physics, but criticized its gameplay, animations and sound.

TrickStyle
Developer(s)Criterion Games
Publisher(s)Acclaim Entertainment
Platform(s)Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows
ReleaseDreamcast
  • NA: 9 September 1999[1]
  • EU: 31 July 2000
Windows
  • NA: October 1999
  • PAL: 1999
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

The game initially allows the player to choose a racer and places them in the Velodrome. From there, they can enter different rooms to decide their next challenge. The player can either challenge the Velodrome trainer to unlock new tricks, or race to unlock new areas and hoverboards.[2] For the challenges, the player must pass through a series of gates before time expires. For racing, the player progresses through tracks on 3 different continents, the US, UK, and Japan. Once all five races on each continent are complete, the player unlocks a "boss race" which unlocks a new hoverboard. There are a total of 18 tracks in the game, with 4 of them being backward versions of existing tracks.[2]

During races, the player can perform skateboard and snowboard-like tricks, like grinding on a rail, or spinning in midair, in order to get additional points. If playing a "bully" character, they can also collide with other racers to slow them down, or if not, must avoid being hit by AI racers.[2] A VMU game called TrickStyle Jr. was included with the title, and plays in a similar manner to Snake.[2]

Development

TrickStyle's soundtrack was composed by hip-hop producer Kurtis Mantronik.[3] The game was successfully ported to PS2 in 2000, a demo of which was shown at GDC, but it was ultimately never released on the system.[4]

The game was re-released by its current owners, Throwback Entertainment, on GOG.com on December 29, 2015, and on Steam on February 21, 2017. iOS 10 Stickers for iMessage were released on October 11, 2016.

Reception

TrickStyle received mixed reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[5][6]

Jeffery Adam Young of NextGen called the Dreamcast version "an impressive game to watch, and an infuriating game to play. Track design is sadistic, and AI players are inhumanly adept. Good mostly for increasing your stress level."[24] Brandon Justice of IGN said that the same console version "sports the best art direction I've ever seen in a console racer", and compared the game to Wipeout, although saying it lacked the sense of speed to surpass that series. While calling the game's lack of extras a "letdown", he states that he had a "great time" with the game and that it would "go a long way towards opening your eyes to the possibilities of racing on the Dreamcast."[22] Tal Blevins of the same site praised the PC version's "stunning visuals and incredibly fluid gameplay", but called the soundtrack repetitive and stated that he quickly turned off the music. He also stated that the game was "screaming for" an option to play online against other players rather than just local multiplayer.[23]

Ben Stahl of GameSpot said the Dreamcast version was "too easy to beat", and called the sound effects annoying while praising the music. He praised the "accurate" hoverboard physics, but called the character animations "inhuman". Calling it "perfect-for-a-rental", he nevertheless stated that the graphics were the only thing "great" about the title.[2] Geoff Richards of Eurogamer criticized the PC version as a "direct port" with a "too-easy" difficulty, but calling its visuals "stunning".[12]

J.C. Herz of The New York Times called TrickStyle the only racing game on Dreamcast that "inspires hardware lust", calling its hoverboard physics "dreamy" and its visuals "razor sharp and achingly hip".[26] In a 2009 retrospective, Eurogamer called the game a cult classic, saying that the game was "overlooked" in favor of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.[27]

References
  1. "Acclaim's TrickStyle Rockets onto Store Shelves in Conjunction with Sega Dreamcast Launch". Acclaim Entertainment. 9 September 1999. Archived from the original on 26 August 2004.
  2. Stahl, Ben (2 September 1999). "TrickStyle Review (DC)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  3. Retro Gamer Team (6 September 2008). "Trickstyle". Retro Gamer. Future plc. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  4. Zdyrko, Dave (13 March 2000). "GDC 2000: Trickstyle on PlayStation 2". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  5. "TrickStyle for Dreamcast". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  6. "TrickStyle for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  7. Marriott, Scott Alan. "TrickStyle (DC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  8. The Jaded Critic. "TrickStyle (PC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  9. D'Aprile, Jason (16 November 1999). "Trickstyle [sic]". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on 9 July 2003. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  10. Edge staff (October 1999). "Trick Style [sic] (DC)". Edge. No. 76. Future Publishing. p. 58. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  11. EGM staff (November 1999). "TrickStyle (DC)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 124. Ziff Davis.
  12. Richards, Geoff (9 December 1999). "Trickstyle [sic] (PC)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 10 July 2001. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  13. McNamara, Andy; Fitzloff, Jay; Anderson, Paul (October 1999). "TrickStyle (DC)". Game Informer. No. 78. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on 11 March 2000. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  14. Mylonas, Eric "ECM"; Weitzner, Jason "Fury"; Ngo, George "Eggo" (November 1999). "TrickStyle (DC)". GameFan. Vol. 7 no. 11. Shinno Media. p. 18. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  15. Rodriguez, Tyrone "Cerberus" (November 1999). "TrickStyle (DC)". GameFan. Vol. 7 no. 11. Shinno Media. pp. 70ā€“71. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  16. Scary Larry (1999). "TrickStyle Review for Dreamcast on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on 28 September 2004. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  17. Werner, Nash (11 November 1999). "Trickstyle [sic] Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on 9 February 2005. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  18. Liu, Johnny (November 1999). "Trickstyle [sic] Review (DC)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  19. Wolpaw, Erik (11 November 1999). "TrickStyle Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  20. Ares (15 September 1999). "TrickStyle". PlanetDreamcast. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 24 January 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  21. Bramwell, Tom (27 November 1999). "TrickStyle (PC)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  22. Justice, Brandon (8 September 1999). "Trickstyle (DC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  23. Blevins, Tal (22 October 1999). "TrickStyle (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  24. Young, Jeffrey Adam (November 1999). "TrickStyle (DC)". NextGen. No. 59. Imagine Media. p. 115. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  25. Cant, Tim (25 December 1999). "TrickStyle". PC Gamer UK. No. 77. Future Publishing. p. 110. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  26. Herz, J. C. (9 September 1999). "GAME THEORY; Dreamcast's New Games: Beauty That's Skin-Deep". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  27. Eurogamer staff (1 February 2009). "Dreamcast Cult Classics (Page 2)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
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