Description
Radar Rat Race is a maze-style video game released in 1982 by Commodore Business Machines, Inc. The game, originally designed for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20, is a variation of the classic arcade game Rally X, tailored to incorporate a unique twist featuring mice and cheese.
Gameplay
Players control a mouse that navigates through a maze, collecting pieces of cheese while avoiding enemy rats. The objective is to gather all the cheese pieces scattered across the maze before losing all lives. Enemy rats continuously chase the player’s mouse, adding a level of urgency and requiring strategic maneuvering to avoid them. Players can use a limited number of smoke screens to evade the pursuers.
Features
- Maze Navigation: Players must skillfully navigate through a series of mazes, each increasing in complexity.
- Strategic Evasion: Evading enemy rats is crucial to survival, demanding quick reflexes and strategic use of smoke screens.
- Catchy Soundtrack: The game features digitized music inspired by the folk tune “Three Blind Mice,” adding a whimsical touch to the tense gameplay environment.
Legacy
While Radar Rat Race didn’t achieve the legendary status of some of its contemporaries, it remains a noteworthy example of early 80s gaming, captured in its simple yet challenging mechanics and charming audio-visual design. As one of the games developed under the Commodore brand, it contributed to the broader appeal of home computers in the early video gaming era.
