Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing

Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing
North American cover art
Developer(s)	Data East
Publisher(s)	Data East
Director(s)	Ken Fukaki
Producer(s)	Tokinori Kaneyasu
Programmer(s)	Yoshi Nakamura
Composer(s)	Shōgo Sakai Takafumi Miura Masaaki Iwasaki Yuji Suzuki
Platform(s)	Nintendo Entertainment System
Release	NA: March 1990 EU: 1991 JP: January 31, 1989
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player

Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing is a racing video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System console released in 1990. It is an adaption of the 1989 Japanese-market Famicom game World Grand Prix - Pole to Finish (ワールドグランプリポールトゥフィニッシュ), with the most notable changes being the addition of Unser as an in-game coach, the number of laps, sound and interface design. This game features a season mode and two time trial modes. In season mode the player uses either Al Unser Jr. or make their own driver.

Versions released outside North America were simply titled Turbo Racing with all references to Unser removed, due to the relative obscurity of CART and Unser outside of North America.

Gameplay

The game is a racing video game. The player directs the car using the D-pad, accelerating with A and braking with B. The gauges, speed, and several other things can be seen at the bottom of the screen. Turbo boosts can be used by the player when necessary, but must be refuelled when empty. Hazards such as signposts and other cars must be avoided. Qualifying is held prior to each race, but is difficult because only one lap is given.

Due to the limitations of the NES, curves appear to come out of nowhere, making turning unusually difficult.

Modes

World Championship Season

Players choosing the World Championship Season could race as Al Unser, Jr., or start their own team. Playing as Unser, Jr. gave the player the best car possible and the best chance to win immediately. If a player chose to start their own team, they would have to spend a season climbing up the rankings, improving the car. Players run a full 16-race schedule, with several races varying in distance.

If a player drives as Unser, Jr., he takes his likeness, and drives the blue and white Valvoline Lola- Chevrolet. If a players starts his own team, a name is entered, and personalized team colours are chosen. Unser, Jr.'s car is maxed out for set-up points, and a new entry starts with minimal set-up points. The remainder of the championship season is filled with fictional drivers, bringing the total to 26 cars per race.

At each race, the player has the chance to receive advice about the course from Al Unser, Jr., and set up the car to qualify. Unlimited practice is also allowed prior to qualifying. During qualifying, a player must complete one lap as fast as possible to determine the starting position on the grid. If a player qualifies fastest, they will start on the pole position. If a player retires from qualifying, he will start last (26th). The player is allowed one last opportunity to set up the car for the race, and chose the music to be played during the race. The race begins from a standing start, and runs a specific number of laps.

For each race, points towards the championship are awarded to the top six finishers (9-6-4-3-2-1), consistent with the points system utilized in Formula One at the time. The top six finishers also receive a certain number of set-up points to improve the car. At the end of the season, the driver with the most points wins the World Championship.

During each race, the player must avoid accidents such as running into other cars and hitting signposts. Accidents can harm engines or blow tires, which can be repaired by pitting. While pitting, the race is halted so as not to put the player at a disadvantage due to each race's unusually short length (about three to five laps).

The game uses a turbo boost system, which, when depleted, must be refilled before it causes engine damage.

Time trial mode

The game featured two time trial modes, "A" (with computer opponents) and "B" (without computer opponents). Players could choose any of the sixteen tracks, and number of laps (1-9). The gameplay was the same as that of the World Championship season. The fastest lap would be recorded for each session. As many as four different players could run the time trial, one at a time, and the best laps were recorded for comparison.

Circuits

Turbo Racing features a 16-race Formula One schedule, loosely resembling that of 1988. Several of the tracks were not accurately depicted, and some were replaced. The sequence did not follow that of the Formula One schedule. The tracks were as follows:

Round	Race	Location
1	Brazil	Nelson Piquet
2	Spain	Jerez
3	Hungary	Hungaroring
4	Austria	Österreichring
5	West Germany	Hockenheim
6	Monaco	Monaco
7	Mexico	Rodriguez
8	Canada	Gilles Villeneuve
9	France	Paul Ricard
10	Belgium	Spa-Francorchamps
11	Italy	Monza
12	Portugal	Estoril
13	Japan	Suzuka
14	Australia	Adelaide
15	U.K.	Silverstone
16	United States	Long Beach

The Austria circuit in the game is based on Zeltweg in Austria. Austria was no longer on the Formula One schedule at the time the game was released. The Imola circuit in San Marino, which was part of the schedule prior to and at the time the game was released, was absent from the game.
The USA circuit is based on the Long Beach Grand Prix street circuit. The circuit was part of the Formula One circuit from 1976–1983, but used a slightly different layout at the time. Starting in 1984, and at the time the game was released, the Long Beach circuit was part of the CART series. The layout in the game depicts the circuit's configuration at that period. In his career, Unser, Jr. was very successful and won six times on the course, which is speculation on why the track was included in the game. The United States Grand Prix was held at Phoenix Street Circuit the year of the game's release.
The Mexico circuit used in the game was based on an old layout of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which was no longer in use at the time the game was released.
All tracks in the game measured approximately 3.3 miles, and the fastest lap possible on any and all tracks was 52.6 seconds. In reality, all of the circuits widely vary in distance and lap time.

Notes

References

Games based on the Formula One Championship
1970s	F-1 (arcade game) Monaco GP (arcade game)
1980s	F-1 Race Formula One Grand Prix Circuit Grand Prix Manager World Grand Prix Pole Position Pole Position II TX-1 Chequered Flag Continental Circus Final Lap F-1 Dream Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing F-1 Spirit Michael Andretti's World GP Winning Run Tail to Nose Super Monaco GP
1990s	Formula One: Built to Win F-1 Grand Prix series SD F-1 Grand Prix F-1 World Grand Prix F-1 World Grand Prix II Overtake Final Lap 2 Final Lap 3 Final Lap R F1 Grand Prix: Nakajima Satoru Satoru Nakajima F-1 Hero 2 Satoru Nakajima F-1 Hero GB World Championship '91 F-1 Hero MD Nakajima Satoru F-1 Hero '94 Nakajima Satoru Kanshū F1 Super License Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II Exhaust Heat F1 ROC II: Race of Champions F-1 Sensation Aguri Suzuki F-1 Super Driving Final Stretch Grand Prix Manager Grand Prix Manager 2 Grand Prix 2 F1 Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing Fastest 1 F1 Challenge Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit F1 Pole Position F1 Pole Position 2 F1 Pole Position 64 Formula One Grand Prix F1 Circus series F1 Circus Formula 1 Formula 1 97 Formula 1 98 Formula One 99 F1 Racing Simulation Racing Simulation 2 Grand Prix Legends Monaco Grand Prix
2000s	EA Sports F1 series Grand Prix World F1 Racing Championship RS3: Racing Simulation 3 GP Challenge Formula One 2000 Grand Prix 3 Grand Prix 4 Formula One 2001 Formula One Arcade Formula One 2002 Grand Prix Challenge Formula One 2003 Formula One 04 Formula One 05 F1 Grand Prix Formula One 06 Formula One Championship Edition F1 2009
2010s	F1 2010 F1 2011 F1 2012 F1 Race Stars F1 2013 F1 2014 F1 2015 F1 2016 Motorsport Manager F1 2017

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