Super FamiComplete #71: Cyberspin (Redux)

 

Title: Shinseiki GPX Cyber Formula (JP) CyberSpin (NA)

Release Date: 03/19/1992

Developer: Arc System Works

Publisher: Takara

Nothing too exciting here for today's entry. This is a title where the background of the game is the most interesting part, as it serves as a time capsule for a piece of anime culture that is no longer extant. 

Background

Cyberspin is a case we are going to see more and more of in the near future where a property based on a Japanese IP is stripped down and reformulated into something palatable for the early 90s US audiences. Now it is hard to believe when we live in a world that is starting to port most games made in most every country, but back in the early 90s publishers would be willing to completely change the core game in order to make it appeal to regional audiences. In this case, the original Japanese release of this game is known as Shinseiki GPX Cyber Formula, which is based upon anime of the similar name Future GPX Cyber Formula (as far as my research, there was never a manga of this series). 

 

The original anime is set in the year 2015, where a chief form of entertainment are Formula 1 races, but with cars that have an advanced AI built into the cars. The protagonist, Hayato Kazami, drives a car with an AI named Asurada, and the series follows their interactions as they progress through the racing circuits. The anime is...okay. I watched the first three episodes, and they very much focus on the relationship between the protagonist and his car. Interestingly enough, his main rival is actually a female, which isn't something you see too much of in anime in general. It reminds me of early sports anime like Hajime no Ippo. 

The Japanese release of this game very much follows the story of the anime, and even has animated cutscenes, some art from the anime, and story beats between the races. The American release...has none of this: it strips out all between level cutscenes, animations, and even an opening cutscene. It is just the gameplay: level after level of races. 

Now the developer we have seen before with one of our Compati Hero games, but they are also well known for the Blazblue and Guilty Gear series. The publisher is Takara, a Japanese toy company that published some really random games in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. 

Gameplay

The control of this game is awful, and it is really hard. Before you can race at a venue, you have to do a qualifying race, where you race by yourself and are trying to place a qualifying time on the track. The controls are so rough that these qualifying races are really hard. I continually crashed into walls, drove all around the track in loops and circles, and was eventually retired for wrecking my cars. I did eventually make it into the first race, but I could never place high enough to continue the journey. Maybe I just suck at racing games, but I think this game isn't well made. 

The viewpoint on the game is a birdseye view top down, which really sucks for racing. It controls like the Slot Car derby races from the first two Mario Party games, where if you aren't tilting your car in the exact same direction as the track, you will immediately either spin our or slam into a wall. 

The story beats in the Japanese version are really top-notch and add a lot of pizzazz to an otherwise lackluster and difficult to play racing game. Without the story cutscenes, as in the NA version, this game is incredibly devoid of anything special or any personality: no opening cutscenes, the music is really cut, and no story to put the races together.  You can't even choose your own car, which you can in the Japanese release. Also, no multiplayer? This game is a shame.

 

Music

Ads

Just a lone ad for this one. Whomp whomp. 

Final Verdict

This is a really crummy racer whose North American version eschewed anything charming about it. You can try the Super Famicom version, but honestly the gameplay just isn't that good.