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M I u 1 U [ I C I I A n arcade game, 18
Page 66
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Wheeler is available in your local, well, arcade, or in motorway service stations. And some time in 2001 it'll become available on the Sega Dreamcast console—though you might miss the extra large steering wheel and horn button of the original.
This game won't appeal to the FTA, the RHA or anyone who cares about the good standing and social responsibihty of the haulier. But the basic premise is familiar to to us all: you accept a load, and you have to get it from A to B in a set time without losing too much of the load or damaging your vehicle beyond repair. Simple, eh?
The controls are simple, too: just that big steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedals, a horn button and a gear lever, with a rev counter on the screen. The gears are pretty straightforward—low, high and reverse—and a
message flashes up to tell you when to shift. We're hoping a twin sphtter option will become available...
Before you set off, you have to choose your character: Asphalt Cowboy, Streamline, Longhorn, Highway Cat or Nihonmaru. The first three are exactly what you'd expect: Stetson-wearing, tobacco-chewing galoots who like both sorts of music— Country AND Western. Highway Cat is a lady trucker (though she might chew her share of baccy, too). Each has his own tractor, with (slightly) different levels of top speed, torque etc.
The journey from New York to San Francisco is made in four stages. The first is from NY to St Petersburg—no, not that one, the one in Florida. If you can get your fuel tanker to the destination in a remarkably short time—about a minute—you'll be paid a virtual $12,000 (or less if you've lots of damage.) Rates are obviously pretty good in the States. but it gets even better: not only do the polce turn a blind eye to blatant speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road and forcing other trucks Into a ditch, but you're actively encouraged to smash into occasional flame-painted vans— each one gets you a time bonus. Even a head-on collision with another 18-wheeler only slows you down fora moment
But—there's another trucker called Lizardtail with a custom-painted truck (oh. really?) who goes out of his way to force you off the road, calling out things like -You're in my way, greenhorn—don't you run that rig in front of me!" Oddly enough, he never seems to swear. If you beat him to the end you'll get a bonus.
There are other hazards, too, includ ing rolling boulders, sheer cliff edges and even a tornado, which hurls other trucks and buses in your direction. If you can steer clear of these and slipstream other trucks, it's not too difficult to complete that first stage. The next three get progressively harder. Between the onroad stages are bonus sections which involve manoeuvring and parking inside a box, with penalties for knocking down lamp posts and signs.
The speed is exciting but the handling is not great—it takes a while to get used to the steering response. But it helps if you look far ahead and if you never, ever touch the brake pedal.
18 Wheeler is excessive, unrealistic and utterly irresponsible.
We loved it. IC