Super Hang-On

Super Hang-On

North American Trade Flyer
Developer(s) Sega-AM2
Designer(s) Yu Suzuki
Platform(s) Arcade, Sega Mega Drive, GBA, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Virtual Console, Playstation Network
Release date(s) Arcade
1987
Mega Drive/Genesis
  • JP December 5, 1988
  • NA September 4, 1989
  • EU January 1991
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s)
Cabinet Upright, sit-down

Super Hang-On (スーパーハングオン?) is a 1987 motorcycle racing arcade game from Sega, and the sequel to the acclaimed Hang-On. A version of this game, in the full simulated-motorcycle cabinet used by the original Hang-On was released in 1991 as Limited Edition Hang-On.

It was released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64 in 1989. Super Hang-On was also released for the Sharp X68000 computer in Japan. The game also appeared on several Mega Drive compilations, namely Mega Games I (bundled with the console as Mega Drive Magnum Set), and Sega Genesis Six Pack. It is also released from its arcade version on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan on September 14, 2010. The Genesis port, according to Eurogamer, is slated for a European release on the Wii Virtual Console and the Playstation Network.

Sega renewed the Super Hang-On trademark with the U.S Patent Office in early April 2006. There is speculation that a new Super Hang-On game might be released on one of the new-generation consoles or off the Sega Lindbergh architecture.

Contents

Gameplay

Arcade Mode

The arcade mode in Super Hang-On is similar to the original Hang-On. However, there is a choice 4 tracks to race on which are based on continents, each containing a different amount of stages. Each stage is roughly half the length of a stage in the original Hang-On. Africa is the easiest and shortest out of the four courses (6 stages). Asia is the second easiest and is similar in length to the course from the original Hang-On at 10 stages long. The Americas is the second to toughest course, containing 14 stages and Europe is the hardest course, being 18 stages long. When the player starts a race, they have their choice of 4 songs that will play during the race, a feature borrowed from Out Run.

Original Mode

Original Mode is only found in home versions and is much more in depth than the arcade mode, though the gameplay in the races is the same. The main screen is a menu where the player has several options, much like the main screen in Rock N' Roll Racing. The player can buy new parts for their bike, hire a new mechanic, or start a race. This screen displays the player's current money as well as password for continuing his or her game.

In Original Mode, the bike can be upgraded by buying new parts for it, and they will be better maintained by paying for better mechanics. Upgradable parts include the frame (determines maneuverability), engine (acceleration), brake (deceleration), muffler (aids in acceleration), oil (aids in acceleration), and tires (improves steering).

Unlike largely unsuccessful battery back-ups in games such as Excitebike, progress made during the Original Mode, including any upgrades made to the motorbike could be saved and used later on with the use of a twenty-eight digit alpha-numeric password (example: "1FF3F536F21424 FFIMFJ9G9DMFRR").

The Music

Unlike Hang-On you can select a music by using the brake bar, The music track listings are as follows.

Other appearances

Endings

The endings for this game are much like those in Out Run, with the endings changing depending on the locale. A notable ending is the Europe stage: a news crew comes to cover the end of the race and faints upon seeing the in-game rider take off his helmet and reveal himself to be an elderly man with a long beard who smokes a pipe.

In the Mega Drive version, finishing the Europe stage shows an ending where a woman approaches the rider (presumably to kiss him), but she walks away awkwardly when the rider pulls off her helmet, and is shown to actually be a woman.

External links