Super R.C. Pro-Am - Development and Reception

Development and Reception

Super R.C. Pro-Am was developed by UK-based video game company Rare and was released for Nintendo's Game Boy handheld console. It was first mentioned in video gaming magazine Nintendo Power in February 1991, along with Game Boy versions of Nintendo World Cup, Ultima: Runes of Virtue, and The Sword of Hope. It was mentioned again in the following issue in March 1991, along with Skate or Die: Tour de Thrash; they mentioned that Rare was attempting to recapture the same feel from its Nintendo Entertainment System predecessor, R.C. Pro-Am. It was released in North America in June 1991 and in Europe on April 23, 1992.

Nintendo Power praised Super R.C. Pro-Am for its graphics and sound, saying that "Rare has really captured the sounds of high-revving engines and tires trying to hold the track". They also praised the ability for up to four players to play the game simultaneously, saying that players cannot depend on their human opponents to do the same things computer opponents do, and that human opponents can fire back at them (while computer opponents cannot). It would be on the magazine's "Top 20" Game Boy list for most of 1992; it debuted at #6 on the January 1992 list, when the magazine switched from the "Top 30" list for the NES and "Top 5" list for Game Boy to "Top 20" lists for the NES, Game Boy and the Super NES. It then went to #8 in February, #10 in March,, and back to #8 in April. From May through October 1992, it was in the teens on the Game Boy list, finishing at #11 in May, #18 in June, #17 in July and August, #18 in September, and #15 in October. It dropped off the list afterwards.

Super R.C. Pro-Am was reviewed alongside Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge in UK-based computer gaming magazine ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment). Reviewer David Upchurch praised the game for its fluid graphics and scrolling, good controls, and "long-term challenge". He also lauded the ability to play simultaneously with two to four human players, saying that "this transforms the game from a fun diversion into an addictive obsession". Criticisms included lack of variety in the tracks and an "annoyingly grating sound". GamePro praised the game for its easy-to-see graphics and multiplayer ability, but it criticized the lack of speed. German magazine Power Play primarily praised the game for the multiplayer features. The magazine criticized the game for its repetitiveness in gameplay and the rapid scrolling that may cause players to miss items on the track. Super R.C. Pro-Am was re-released in 1998 as part of Nintendo's Player's Choice series, which included all Game Boy titles that sold over one million copies.