Interstate '76 Nitro Pack

Interstate '76 Nitro Pack

Developer(s) Activision
Publisher(s) Activision
Engine MechWarrior 2
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release date(s) 1997, 1998
Genre(s) Vehicular combat
Mode(s) Single-player

Interstate '76: Nitro Pack is a video game for Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Activision and released in 1997. A stand alone expansion pack and prequel for the original Interstate '76, it didn't require the original game be installed to play. It is known as Interstate '76: Nitro Riders in some territories.

Contents

Synopsis

Like its predecessor, the game is set in southwest America in an alternate version of the American oil crisis, between the years 1974 and 1976, with the final (chronological) mission taking place just two days before Interstate '76 begins. The game features identical gameplay to the original, but adds several new motor vehicles, new weapons, and new paint schemes for existing vehicles. In a step backwards from its predecessor, most cut-scenes for the expansion were rendered using the games graphics engine; the original used per-rendered cut-scenes. This limited the setting of the cut-scenes to outdoor areas and cars only; no people were shown and dialog took place using CB radio communication between the vehicles.

There are three play modes available in the game: the "Scenarios", nineteen loosely-connected missions that provide a backstory to the Interstate '76 universe and set the stage for the first game; "Multi Melee", an online deathmatch version of the game; and "Auto Melee", a deathmatch with computer-driven cars. Like the original game, players can choose from a variety of customizable vehicles for the Scenarios.

Plot

The game focuses on the activities of the auto-vigilante movement known as the AVG or Auto-Vigilante Guild, between the years 1974 and 1976. Taurus, Jade, and Skeeter (along with allies the Wolf Pack, Radiator Mother, and Hell Toupee), face a variety of auto-villains and slowly learn of the conspiracy that is the centerpiece of Interstate '76. The game's opening sequence features the first meeting of Jade and Taurus, and the final mission takes place two days before Jade's murder, itself the opening sequence of the first game.

Characters

Taurus, voiced by Greg Eagles
Taurus isn't his real name - it's what people call him. He also goes by the radio codename "Stampede." He lived as a poet in New England with a wife and daughter, before they were killed by criminals. He is fond of the film Love Story. He is playable in six missions.
Jade Champion, voiced by Lisa Picotte
Feisty and headstrong, Jade is Taurus's partner and possibly lover. She goes by the radio codename "Vixen." She is intent on discovering who is amassing the army of auto-villains, a mission that will eventually cost her her life. She is playable in five missions.
Skeeter, voiced by Tom Kane
Skeeter serves as the mechanic and Greek chorus for the series' heroes. He goes by the radio codename "Monkeywrench." He repairs the player's vehicles between missions and occasionally is the focus of the in-game missions. He is playable in four missions.
Natty Dread, voiced by Tom Kane
An auto-villain and member of the "Voodoo Riders" gang, Natty Dread is out to serve his own agenda, specifically, making as much money as possible. He is playable in four missions, which must be unlocked by completing Taurus, Jade, and Skeeter's missions.

Vehicles

One of the most interesting aspects of Interstate '76 is that all the in-game vehicles are based on real-world automobiles, featuring many American muscle cars. This tradition is continued into the Nitro Pack, which adds fourteen new vehicles to the mix.

References to Other Media