this post was submitted on 09 Apr 2025
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Tip of my Joystick - Find games by describing it.

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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.

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[–] Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Rock 'n' Roll Racing?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_n%27_Roll_Racing

Made by the company that would then become Blizzard no less.

[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No it was definitely for DOS, it was on one of those shareware/freeware CDs.

[–] Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I could have sweared there was a DOS version, but no.

[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 2 points 4 days ago

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.

[–] bstix@feddit.dk 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 1 points 4 days ago

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.

[–] pfjarschel@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

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/

[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 1 points 6 days ago

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.

[–] LwaLegba@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 2 points 5 days ago

Nope, that's not it. It looked a lot better than that game, possibly SVGA? Or VGA at the least.

[–] passenger@lemm.ee 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

How about micro machines 1 or 2?

Also rally sport is dark but I quess no Boostah!

[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 1 points 6 days ago

No definitely not Micro Machines, I played those a lot, those weren't it. Thanks!

[–] pfjarschel@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

One more candidate: Mini Car Racing Not exactly dark or gritty, and also there doesn't seem to be pickup audio clips

[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 1 points 5 days ago

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.

[–] passenger@lemm.ee 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 1 points 6 days ago

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.

[–] passenger@lemm.ee 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] Thorry84@feddit.nl 2 points 6 days ago

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.

[–] Remorhaz@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] passenger@lemm.ee 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Not top down though, it is an FMV game, lol

[–] heavyboots@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Man I thought you were talking about Spy Hunter at first…