Overview – originally released by Genki and Masaya, with porting handled by Shinyuden and Ratalaika Games, Rider’s Spirits is a motorcycle racing game originally released on Super Famicom in 1994. As one of 8 riders, take on the twists and turns of each track, navigate obstacles and hazards as you race it out for the top spot. This title is available on all console platforms, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Rider’s Spirits that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment as there is little in terms of an actual plot for this release, so I will be going straight into covering the gameplay.
Gameplay – Rider’s Spirits is a kart style racing game, similar to Super Mario Kart and Street Racers but with one big difference, the characters are on Motorcycles. In this release there are three single player modes and 4 multiplayer modes. The traditional Grand Prix mode is present, with 4 cups to play consisting of 5 races each. Grand Prix mode starts off with the easy cup available, with subsequent cups being unlocked for winning gold cups in the previous.
Each of the races are five laps long, with a pit lane that will provide the player with a power-up in one of their hands and on their face icon. Three power-ups can be held at any time, with the additional ones being added in reserve when the pit lane is crossed. These items include weapons that can stun rivals and boosters to help cross the track. There is also a turbo system similar to F-Zero, where the player starts each race with three turbo boosts that can be deployed per race.
The handling for each of the riders is similar for the most part, with some being able to turn a little faster than others. There are 8 riders in total split into 4 pairs that have their own speed, acceleration and weight stats. These stats follow tropes like a leather daddy biker being heavier and a cutesy girl being lighter, which was the style at the time. The drivers can also drift by using the lean and wheelie systems, taking most corners with ease as they blast around the courses.
Some care must be taken while taking corners at high speeds, as there is the chance that the edges of boundaries or obstacles can be clipped. This is due to the awkward collision detection, which can lead to players hitting objects and losing all momentum. When this happens, it can take a couple seconds to get back up to speed after losing all speed. In single player the bottom screen is used, with the top screen featuring twin mirrors and a rotating map view that can switched to during play.
When a race is cleared, the player will get points based on their performance and placement. At the end of the GP series, the player will be awarded a trophy if they place within the top three, with gold silver and green (bronze). Then there are the Time Trials, where players challenge for the best time possible in single lap and 5 lap races on unlocked tracks. The best times are added to the local leaderboard, with the addition of ghosts that players can race against.
Last we have the Endurance mode, where the player selects one of the rider pairs, the lap setting and a track that has been unlocked. The objective for this mode is to make it to the end of the race, clearing all laps in the race (7, 18, 30) while switching out the rider to prevent running out of fuel. In this race, the fuel will run down after a couple of laps, leading to a failure if they run out during the race they will lose, but if they can make it to the pit they can keep going.
There is a 2 player race mode which has the same modes as the single player, allowing players to enjoy all of the challenges with another. However, there is an additional mode that has been included to try and diversify the gameplay. This is Chicken Run, which pits the two players against each other in a test of nerve, challenging them to see who can stop closest to the edge of the stage. Whoever is closest and doesn’t go over the edge wins, a simple but fun addition.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to cover the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – the controls for this release are carried over identically to the original Super Famicom release, with a couple of changes made for quality of life purposes. In the original game, only 8 buttons were available (including start and select) so the D-Pad was used for wheelies and item switching, which have been turned into actual buttons for ease of use. There is also the ability to change the different buttons, allowing players to make the controls fit their preferred play style.
Difficulty – this is a pretty tough game to play solo and can be brutal to clear, due to the way that the A.I. will doggedly pursue the player with some pretty strong rubber banding. The lead rival that is assigned to each character will easily match the player, overtaking with ease if mistakes are made. The A.I. will also hit the player with unmatched accuracy when using power-ups, with the worst being the blinding powder which blacks out the track for several seconds.
Presentation – visually, the sprite work that is featured has that distinct Super Famicom look, with vibrant pixel art and the once mind bending mode 7 race tracks. This title runs perfectly, with no issues when it comes to sprite flicker or lag, making for a fun and enjoyable experience. The sound is emulated perfectly, providing an authentic experience that is a real blast from the past. There is also the inclusion of filters and settings to try and emulate the CRT style of screens.
Final Thoughts – I had played the original version of Rider’s Spirits (Bike Daisuki! Hashiriya Tamashii – Rider’s-Spirits) here and there in the past, and this release replicates the experience perfectly. The addition of quality of life improvements make it easy for anyone to pick up and play, there is also the inclusion of Save States and a rewind feature. This is a fun but difficult time for fans of kart style racers, if you can get past the aggressive rubber banding and minor collision issues.
There is a lot of fun to be had with this modern release, which has an official translation for the first time ever as a nice addition. I managed to get the platinum trophy for this release, which took several hours as the difficulty escalated quite a bit. I can easily recommend this title to those who want a Mario Kart style fix, as this has enough unique mechanics to stand out on its own. The best game mode for this release is Endurance race, which is a rarity on this style of game.
In the end, I give Rider’s Spirits a final score of 4/5. This is a solid kart style racer that can be enjoyed by everyone, It is a beatable challenge, but is held back a little due to the aggressive CPU racers and minor collision issues. There is plenty of content in a modest package, offering a fun time for a low price like many others that Ratalaika Games have brought over recently. If you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to each version of the game is below.
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to Xbox version (HERE)
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