Biker Mice from Mars (SNES) Playthrough

Developed and published by Konami in 1994, Biker Mice from Mars for the Super Nintendo is a remarkably polished licensed game that takes the cartoon in a far less predictable direction than the usual beat ’em up or platformer. Instead, Konami created a fast isometric combat racer in the vein of R.C. Pro-Am and Rock ’n Roll Racing, mixing arcade-style racing, weapons and a surprisingly substantial vehicle-upgrade system. Rating: 8.5/10 You can choose from six racers: heroes Throttle, Modo and Vinnie, or villains Limburger, Dr. Karbunkle and Grease Pit. Each has noticeably different acceleration, speed, grip and other characteristics, as well as an individual weapon and special move. The differences are large enough that changing character can substantially alter how the game feels rather than merely changing the sprite. The core Main Race mode is structured as a championship. Each round consists of five races, and you need to remain within the top three overall to advance. Prize money can be earned during races and through finishing positions, then spent at Charley's shop on better engines, tires, armor and weapons. This progression system is one of the game's strongest features. Your vehicle becomes dramatically more capable over time, and deciding whether to prioritize speed, handling, protection or firepower gives the campaign considerably more depth than a conventional kart racer. Racing itself is extremely fast. Tracks are viewed from an isometric perspective and contain ramps, boost strips, hazards, shortcuts and plenty of opportunities to attack rivals. Steering can feel strange for the first few races if you're unfamiliar with R.C. Pro-Am-style controls, but once it clicks, it is responsive and precise. Later races become wonderfully chaotic as upgraded bikes reach high speeds while six characters fire weapons and bounce across ramps with remarkably little impact on the frame rate. Combat is integrated naturally into the racing. Weapons can temporarily disable competitors and cost them valuable positions, while items provide effects such as nitro boosts, invulnerability, extra money, earthquakes and time-stop attacks. Weapons are replenished during races, so combat remains a constant factor instead of being limited to occasional pickups. There is also a Battle Race mode where destroying the competition becomes a direct route to victory, plus Practice and two-player support. The championship expands with higher difficulty settings, and playing on Hard is necessary to experience all of the regular courses, giving experienced players a good reason to tackle the tougher AI. Presentation is excellent. Large, detailed racers move across colorful environments ranging from city streets and islands to sewers, racing circuits and futuristic fortresses. The game frequently feels closer to an arcade conversion than a console-exclusive licensed title, helped by flashy menus, explosions, digitized voices and an energetic rock-heavy soundtrack. The PAL release is particularly memorable for its almost comical amount of Snickers advertising. Its main weakness is repetition. The basic racing structure changes very little during a full championship, and some later environments reuse similar visual ideas. The isometric viewpoint can also make jumps and track edges harder to judge than they would be in a conventional racer. Hard difficulty eventually becomes demanding enough that poor upgrade choices can leave you struggling against faster opponents. Even so, Biker Mice from Mars is exactly the kind of licensed game Konami was unusually good at producing during the 16-bit era. It takes a fairly disposable cartoon license and builds an excellent game around it rather than depending on the characters to carry the experience. Fast racing, excellent controls, meaningful upgrades, varied characters and chaotic combat make it one of the better overlooked racers on the SNES, particularly for anyone who enjoys Rock ’n Roll Racing or R.C. Pro-Am.