I’ve played a demo of this game or a Shareware version, I never had the full game. It was on one of those 1000 shareware games CDs. It’s a top down racing game with a gritty sort of vibe, a bit dark. As you raced there were pickups and bonus items and I’m pretty sure you could fire weapons at other racers. It was a single player game. It was top down in that semi 3D kind of way, but I think the cars were meant as full sized cars, not a micro machines kind of thing.
The one unique feature that never let me pinpoint exactly what game it was, was this very specific sound effect when getting a certain pick up. A voice would say “Booster”, but it was pronounced more like “Boostah”.
There were jumps on the game and one way to kill other racers was to jump on top of them. I think the track had multiple routes you could take.
I think because of the shareware version I had I only had one track, which was kinda dark, like maybe a cave. And the surroundings were rocks. I think there were also thinks like oil barrels with fire in them and pretty lighting effects for the time.
Very similar to Death Rally, but maybe a game inspired by Death Rally? Because that game was earlier I think and doesn’t have the distinct “Boostah” audio clip.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Racing?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_n'_Roll_Racing
Made by the company that would then become Blizzard no less.
No it was definitely for DOS, it was on one of those shareware/freeware CDs.
I could have sweared there was a DOS version, but no.
Thanks for helping anyways!
Its been driving me nuts not knowing what that game was called. Because I can still remember the sound clip so well.
And you’d think I was just insane and imagined the whole thing, but I played it with my brother and he remembers it as well.
Ignition had different boost sounds for each car.
Interesting, did not know that. I don’t think it’s the right game, but it might be. I can’t find the exact sound effect, but there is little to find on this game.
Super Cars 2?
Nope, that’s not it. It looked a lot better than that game, possibly SVGA? Or VGA at the least.
Have you looked at Excessive Speed? Very similar to death rally, but I’m not sure about the boostah clip…
Seems it has been re-released recently: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3138660/Excessive_Speed/
Thanks, I had looked at Excessive Speed before. It does tick a lot of the boxes. But I don’t think it has the “Booster” sound clip, at least not that I can find.
How about micro machines 1 or 2?
Also rally sport is dark but I quess no Boostah!
No definitely not Micro Machines, I played those a lot, those weren’t it. Thanks!
One more candidate: Mini Car Racing Not exactly dark or gritty, and also there doesn’t seem to be pickup audio clips
Oooh good one! This one comes close, it was definitely in this style. But it was much darker and more gritty, more like a Carmageddon vibe to it. And alas no “Booster” sound effect.
Wow a lot of suggestions! Thanks!
None of these seem to be it.
Speed Demons looks like kinda the right style, but it doesn’t have pickups, no multi paths and no voice clips.
Ignition?
Thanks for the suggestion.
Ignition does have multiple paths and jumps, but no pickups. It also doesn’t have the dark atmosphere or lighting effects I remember. And it doesn’t include the “Booster” sound clip, so I don’t think this one is it.
Mega Race?
Not top down though, it is an FMV game, lol
Man I thought you were talking about Spy Hunter at first…