Interstate '76 - PC Review - Gamecenter

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Interstate '76
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CNET Gamecenter Review
By Hugh Falk
(4/10/1997)

Game Worthy There can be only one reason why Activision's Interstate '76 is so hip. I don't want to start rumors, but the producer of the game must be the love child of Jill from Charlie's Angels and Linc from The Mod Squad. Also, since I-76 is a game of fab car chases and crashes, he must have spent a lot of time with his uncles, Starsky and Hutch. As far out as this may seem, there is no other way a game so retro could turn out so groovy.
let's boogie
Just like the infomercial for Disco Fever says, "The '70s are back!" This funky title comes Interstate '76 on two CDs, but it would be better served by two 8-track tapes. (Only because SCSI 8-track players are rare did Activision choose the CD route.) The game is reminiscent of any number of '70s action flicks and cop shows, and with stylin' bell-bottoms and lapels the size of hangliders, the characters' biggest struggle isn't staying alive, it's staying on the ground.
The main characters, Groove Champion and his partner Taurus, must stop the gangster/auto-mercenary Antonio Malochio and avenge the death of Groove's sister, Jade Champion. The player controls Groove's well-armed car to battle Malochio's henchmen. At the end of each battle, Skeeter, Groove's mechanic, salvages parts from the wreckage, which allows you to choose better weapons and gadgets for the next battle. Cut scenes carry on the story line between fights, and even though Groove and company have no eyes or mouths, the plot unfolds very realistically. The voice acting is good, the "cinematography" is excellent, and most importantly the cut scenes are short. Even without mouths and eyes, I prefer rendered cut scenes to full-motion video. Maybe I'm just prejudiced against FMV (or teeth), but rendering always socks it to me.
dig that crazy ride baby
Although the car styles are based on the '70s, the technology is much better. Nothing invokes fear like a '76 Interstate '76 Leprechaun (which looks like an AMC Gremlin) with radar and a rear-mounted flame thrower. The graphics are only good (not astounding), but the feeling of motion is perfect. The mostly desert terrain is barren, but race tracks, bridges, and jumps add variety. Also, during certain moments (like jumps) the camera angle changes to a cinematic third-person view. Overall, the physics are realistic with skids, bumps, and darkness playing havoc with your aim, but many liberties have been taken with the amount of damage a car can take and how difficult it is to roll.

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Interstate '76

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