TAITO

NOVEMBER 29 1989

Based on a manga (hence the cool into sequence), Bari Bari Legend is something of a rare breed on the Engine - a motorcycle racing game. You can pretty much guess how it works - there's a World GP mode where you have to compete in a variety of races in order and a Travel mode that let's you pick a track of your choice. Also to consider is the gubbins that make up your bike, such as tyres, engine, brakes etc as these have an effect depending on the type of course and the weather conditions. Races are started with a qualifying lap that lets you get the feel of the track, followed by the race proper. You are then placed and can hopefully move on to the next country.

Presentation is very good, with the nice aforementioned intro, attractive options screens and little effects here and there. In game graphics are smooth, and the control method is responsive. As you can expect, roadside objects are a tad sparse and scaling is slightly wobbly, but this is forgivable. But despite all it's niceness it does suffer from a lack of variety. The races are too long and even the changing weather conditions can't add enough to the interest factor. If there were any in-game music to listen to while you race, then perhaps it would make a difference, but all you get to listen to is the constant hum of your engine. It's a shame, as it's a very playable game, but maybe if your a biking nutter then you'll get more out of it.