80's Overdrive

Sun 17th May 2020

Nintendo Life said:

80’s Overdrive may be wonderfully presented, but its problem is that price-wise it’s sandwiched between two similar games that are better. Sega Ages Out Run is cheaper and its tight controls remain impeccable today, while Horizon Chase Turbo may be double the price but is significantly superior in almost every notable way, including control, amount of content and sense of speed. If you absolutely need another ‘80s style racing game then this will keep you entertained for a few hours, but there are better alternatives.

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6/10

Wed 9th Apr 2025

JJtheTexan said:

I first played 80s Overdrive on my Nintendo 3DS, and I loved it. It's one of those games that really benefits from the stereoscopic 3D. The neon-heavy color palette and electronic soundtrack perfectly match the atmosphere.

I can't quite explain why, but 80s Overdrive is not quite as enjoyable on the larger 2D screen of the Nintendo Switch or on a TV. Don't get me wrong; it's still a perfectly-enjoyable racing game that takes a lot of inspiration from OutRun and Top Gear / Top Racer. You enter races and try to finish in first place, unless you're taking on one of the various "challenges" to finish in a specific slot for extra racing cash. Money earned by winning races must be spent on fuel, repairs, and upgrades to your vehicle. (If you somehow run out of funds and can't afford even the cheapest race entry fee, the game lets you get a job "washing cars" to make some quick cash.)

The game's biggest flaw is one found in so many titles of this genre: rubber-banding. The difficulty spikes severely about halfway through the campaign, with even a fully-upgraded car unable to place first if a single error is made. Add to that the annoying police chase mechanic that becomes more frequent as you advance, and I hit a wall where the game just wasn't fun anymore.

I still recommend 80s Overdrive to racing fans, especially when it's on sale.

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7/10