Suzuka 8 Hours (video game)
| Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours | |
|---|---|
 Arcade flyer (featuring the game's cabinet) | |
| Developer(s) | Namco Arc System Works (SNES) |
| Publisher(s) | Namco |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, SNES |
| Release date(s) | Arcade
|
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Up to 8 players simultaneously |
| Cabinet | Upright |
| Arcade system | Namco System 2 |
| CPU | 2x Motorola 68000 @ 12.288 MHz, 1x Motorola M6809 @ 3.072 MHz, 1x Hitachi HD63705 @ 2.048 MHz |
| Sound | 1x Yamaha YM2151 @ 3.57958 MHz, 1x C140 @ 21.39 kHz |
| Display | Horizontal orientation, Raster, 288 x 224 resoluition |
Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours (スズカエイトアワーズ Suzuka Eito Awāzu) is a motorcycle racing arcade game released by Namco in 1992 based on the racing event of the same name; it runs upon Namco System 2 hardware, and allows players to race against up to seven CPU-controlled opponents on the Suzuka Circuit, with a preset time limit. Like the real-life event, the original arcade game prominently features Coca-Cola as a sponsor - so as a result the game's full name is Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours. (In recent years, the race has been called the 'Coke Zero Suzuka 8 Hours' to promote a beverage in the company's line.)
A sequel, Suzuka 8 Hours 2 (スズカエイトアワーズ2 Suzuka Eito Awāzu Tsu) was released in 1993, but only in Japan; it added three new tracks (the "Green Hill Circuit", the "Bayside Raceway" and the "Devil's Canyon Circuit") to the Suzuka Circuit of the original.
Gameplay
The game was made available in two-player cabinets featuring two monitors and two replica motorcycles; players accelerate their bikes by holding down the throttle grip and brake by using the brake lever, while steering is accomplished by physically leaning the bike left or right. The arcade game can be played by up to eight players simultaneously by linking four two-player cabinets together, and the players must complete an entire lap of the track within a preset time limit - and upon completion of a lap, the time is extended for all players in the race. The first player to complete a preset number of laps (between 3 and 6 and adjustable by the arcade operator) wins the race; as in Final Lap and Dirt Fox (the latter of which was only released in Japan), if they manage to finish the race in less than a preset time, they will have the opportunity to enter their initials upon the game's "best time" (as opposed to high score) table.
SNES version
Suzuka 8 Hours was later ported to the SNES, in 1993; the game simulates the actual eight-hour race as eight "virtual hours", or over ninety "real-time" minutes. The object is to complete as many laps as possible before the time runs out - and if it does, the timer starts going up again (as penalty time) and the next trip to the finish line ends the race. Upon reviewing this version, GamePro criticized the absence of sound from CPU competitors' engines and the "distracting" music; however, they praised the responsive controls and "sharp" graphics.[1]