Slipstream 5000

Slipstream 5000
Developer(s) The Software Refinery
Publisher(s) Gremlin Interactive
Platform(s) DOS, Windows, macOS, Linux
Release
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, two player

Slipstream 5000 is a 3D racing video game developed by The Software Refinery and published by Gremlin Interactive for IBM PC compatible computers in July 1995.

Gameplay

In this 3D racing game, you choose one out of ten characters with their individual flying machines, and race around various race tracks place in cities, global tourist attractions and historic venues, including the Grand Canyon, Giza and Tokyo city. You can choose between a single race and championship racing, the latter of which will consist of more tracks the higher the difficulty setting. Choosing the highest of three difficulty settings (hard) will take the tournament to all ten tracks. You are awarded ten points for each win and a reduced amount of points for lower positions.

The flying machines are all equipped with a turbo booster and blaster, and can be equipped with better turbos, equipment and various weapons to sabotage your opponents' ships. During a race, you can pick up icons that fix damage sustained to your engine or controls, or extra turbo boosts. You can also shoot at white non-racing ships that turn into one of these icons. As an added risk, there are red icons in the mix, which will cause your controls to go into reverse. In championship mode, there are also cash icons to be picked up, giving you funds to upgrade your ship with more turbos or weapons.

The racers are: Cobra, Edward Charles "Eddy" Royce, Horst, Isis the Crisis, Kin & Gin Matsu (twin sisters), Rysho, Shaman, Slayed, Ted "Malibu" Beach and Victoria Venice.

The tracks are: Arizona (Grand Canyon), Chicago, Amazon, London, Norway (fjords), Egypt (Giza), France (tunnels in the Pyrenees), Hawaii, Tokyo and New York (bay).

Release

The game is compatible with DOS as well as Windows 95 and Windows 98 via their native DOS support. Later versions of Windows based on the NT kernel have issues with running the game, but it can be run successfully via DOSBox. It was also distributed free with Classic Logitech Wingman Extreme Joysticks during the 1990s.

Slipstream was an unreleased conversion of Slipstream 5000 which in 1996 was being prepared for the Sony PlayStation platform's Japanese market (it was supposed to be later completely reshaped for its European release). Little was publicised about this title, besides its "urban manga" look as the ships were being designed by the Japanese manga artists.[1] It was also in development for the Sega Saturn.[2] Since the 2010s, it has been available for purchase via the website Good Old Games[3] as well as Steam.[4]

Reception

Reception
Review score
PublicationScore
PC Gamer (US)89%[5]

Although sales were not very high due to stiff competition from consoles, the game was generally well received, having 3D graphics and gameplay advanced for its time. While it was soon superseded by console games with superior graphics, Slipstream 5000 was later described as having been years ahead of its competition. PC Gamer magazine US rated it at 89%.[5]

Next Generation reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "it's a very pretty game that happens to be even more fun to play than it is to look at."[6]

References

  1. ↑ Edge, June 1996
  2. ↑ Official Sega Saturn Magazine 7, page 13
  3. ↑ "GOG.com". gog.com. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Steam". Steam. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  5. 1 2 "PC Gamer Online". pcgamer.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2000. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "Finals". Next Generation. No. 7. Imagine Media. July 1995. p. 74.
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