Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]

Game Info --------------------------------------------------- Developer: Magnetic Fields Publisher: Gremlin Graphics Year of Release: 1990 Coding: Shaun Southern Graphics: Andrew Morris Music: Shaun Southern Game Review & Impressions --------------------------------------------------- The Lotus trilogy is, for many Amiga owners, the best series of racing games to ever grace the computer. The games were a far cry from the substandard arcade conversions of OutRun and Chase H.Q., and a testament to what the machine was truly capable of. Having now played the original game in its entirety, it's remarkable how little really did change throughout the series, which is really a testament to just how much Shaun Southern and Andrew Morris got right in this first iteration. The rolling road algorithm, physics and sense of speed are, for the most part, spot on, and the artwork -- undoubtedly Andrew's biggest project to date -- created a lasting aesthetic that set the series apart from its contemporaries. In fact, I would argue that the car actually looks more detailed in this particular version, thanks to rear spoiler and specular highlights on the paintwork. The decision to display the game in split-screen mode, even in single player, is a bit of an annoyance, but it is something you learn to live with. In terms of gameplay, Lotus I features three game modes of increasingly challenging race courses to tackle. These are exclusively lap-based circuit races, and the fact the car has limited fuel means you'll need to make the occasional pitstop on longer courses. I always preferred the OutRun-style point-to-point races of the sequel, but the courses are, by and large, well designed, plus are short enough for the average racer to memorise. Perhaps what I enjoyed most about Lotus I is the fact it's more forgiving than either of its sequels. It's entirely possible to make up lost ground when making mistakes and still take first place on the podium, and there are only a couple of races where it becomes impossible to catch up with the CPU controlled cars. I would even say that the scripting for the AI opponents is more advanced here, slowing down when coming up behind another vehicle, and actively avoiding blocked lanes and obstacles. The downside is it can make passing opponents far more difficult on tracks featuring obstacles, but it's some great attention to detail which seems to have been lost in the later games. Finally, we come to the audio. Some folks give the music in this game a bad rap, but to his credit, I think Shaun did a pretty decent job. Players can choose from one of four different tracks to play whilst racing via a nicely presented car stereo, and it certainly livens up the action whilst driving. Most of these have a distinctly rock vibe, with plenty of guitar stabs and drum beats. Unlike many Amiga games, the original Lotus features simultaneous effects and music, but the limitations of the Amiga 4-channel sound chip mean that effects clip over the music and cause instruments to cut out, one of the mains reasons why many developers opted for music or sound, but not both. Ultimately, Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge remains one of the best 2D racers from the time period, and that's across any home format, not just the Amiga. The best would be yet to come, but the OG Lotus is an excellent racing game that fans of the genre need to experience. Information & Trivia --------------------------------------------------- Video Notes --------------------------------------------------- Related Longplays & Videos --------------------------------------------------- Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 (Amiga):    • Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 Longplay (Amiga) [...   Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge (Amiga):    • Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge Longplay...   Chapters --------------------------------------------------- 0:00:00 Intro 0:02:04 Easy Race 01: Italy 0:04:45 Easy Race 02: Mexico 0:07:37 Easy Race 03: Iceland 0:11:59 Easy Race 04: Spain 0:15:51 Easy Race 05: England 0:20:00 Easy Race 06: Sweden 0:24:38 Easy Race 07: China 0:30:05 Medium Race 01: Finland 0:33:51 Medium Race 02: Thailand 0:38:02 Medium Race 03: Greenland 0:42:55 Medium Race 04: Uruguay 0:46:41 Medium Race 05: Morocco 0:50:39 Medium Race 06: Germany 0:55:48 Medium Race 07: Ecuador 1:00:07 Medium Race 08: Argentina 1:03:32 Medium Race 09: USA 1:08:06 Medium Race 10: Japan 1:13:52 Hard Race 01: Portugal 1:19:08 Hard Race 02: Norway 1:23:31 Hard Race 03: Kenya 1:27:45 Hard Race 04: Alaska 1:30:35 Hard Race 05: Malaysia 1:34:58 Hard Race 06: Canada 1:40:21 Hard Race 07: Peru 1:46:13 Hard Race 08: Brazil 1:51:22 Hard Race 09: Scotland 1:56:00 Hard Race 10: Wales 1:59:02 Hard Race 11: Nepal 2:04:16 Hard Race 12: Russia 2:10:06 Hard Race 13: Australia 2:14:07 Hard Race 14: Greece 2:19:33 Hard Race 15: Antarctica 2:24:14 Ending #lotus #retrogaming #amiga