Fastest 1
| Fastest 1 | |
|---|---|
 Box art of Fastest 1 | |
| Developer(s) | Human Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Human Entertainment[1] |
| Designer(s) | Yuichi Kobayashi Masato Masuda[2] |
| Platform(s) | Sega Mega Drive |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Formula One racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player Two-player Zero-player (world championship, time trial, battle) |
Fastest 1 (ファステスト・ワン)[4] is a Sega Mega Drive racing game video game released in 1991 exclusively in Japan. During the release of this video game, other Formula One video games like Super Monaco GP had caused a general increase of demand for Formula One video games. While most of those games were poor simulations of the actual races themselves, Fastest One provided to be the most realistic video game of the era.[5]
The game is based on Formula One racing and features team and driver names that are similar to the real life namesakes. A potential choice of 18 playable vehicles can be used in every mode provided by the game itself. Six vehicles in the game uses Ford engines; displaying American ingenuity during the 1990 Formula One season.[6] The language of the game is completely in the English language.
In fact, most of the Formula One drivers who participated in the 1990 Formula One season are present, with slightly altered names (e.g. Satoru Nakajima makes an appearance as "S. Inakajima".)[7]
Gameplay
Players can participate in as many seasons as desired the championship mode. The player starts out the first season with a "D" level (least desirable) team. Only by winning races does the player get promoted to the more desirable teams of the "C," "B," and "A" levels, Players can modify the steering, gear box, tires, wings, and color of their chosen racing vehicle.[7]
Fastest 1 emphasizes simulated Formula One action over arcade-style gameplay. The cornering is harsher that most games released at this time and the player must actually shift from neutral, even in cars with automatic transmission, in order for the vehicle to actually start moving. All modes of the game can only accommodate a single player (except for battle mode which can have up to two players play against up to two computer opponents). In order to actually race, the player must attend free practice followed by qualifying in the eight positions (although the player is given two chances to do so). If the player fails to qualify for the race, the player must instead watch the race as a spectator.
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Players can also watch four computer opponents face off in the battle mode of the game. There is a battery save for all progress that is made during the game. Generic billboards appear as obstacles that the player must avoid.
References
Notes
- ↑ "Publisher information". allgame. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ↑ "Game designer information". FC2 (Japanese). Retrieved 2012-06-27.
- ↑ "Release date / genre information". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
- ↑ "Japanese title and media information". Review Site. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
- ↑ "Basic overview of Fastest 1". FC2Web (Japanese). Retrieved 2012-06-27.
- ↑ "List of cars in Fastest 1". Internet Games Car Database. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Basic game overview". MobyGames. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
- ↑ MegaTech rating, EMAP, issue 6, page 77, June 1992