Developer: Raizing Publisher: Gaga Release: 06/14/96 Genre: Shooter
I’ve never been one to heavily import games. Obviously during the 16-bit era it was too expensive to even try but the language barrier was also a factor. But the advent of CD based systems made it a lot cheaper. It also did not hurt that there was so much hidden gold to discover, especially on the Saturn. Kingdom Grandprix is one of the most unique shooters on the market, a strange fusion of racing and shooting. I’ll give it points for originality but I don’t think it quite sticks the landing. This is a tough one as its mechanics might be too out there for most.
Kingdom Grandprix is the second in a loose trilogy including Sorcer Striker and the later Dimahoo. The loose plot involves a kingdom ravaged by decades of war and countless bloodshed. To end the war the king proposes a race involving every part of the kingdom. Each district sends their best to participate and it becomes so popular the war ends. Now what was a stopgap solution has become a yearly event and it is your time to enter.
There are eight playable characters with four returning from the first game and four brand new. Technically there are only two power-ups in addition to the frontal cannons, homing and wide shots. While everyone shares the same three weapons their appearance, function, and evolution differ per character. In addition their bombs are unique; Miyamoto creates a series of shockwaves that blanket the screen while Chitta summons a massive genie that destroys anything that comes in contact with it and needs to be aimed. These differences might seem slight considering the dearth of weapons but in practice make a tremendous difference and make using each hero a somewhat unique experience.
What makes Kingdom Grandprix unique within the shooter genre is its setup. This is equal parts shooter as well as a race to the finish. At the starting line all eight competitors begin and as you progress through the stage jockey for position. Flying closer to the top of the screen gives you a speed boost as well as holding the fire button. But doing so leaves you defenseless. It sounds like a nightmare but the game makes concessions. You can freely bump into enemies and walls and in fact are encouraged to do so. The only way to truly die is to take a bullet. You cannot directly shoot your rivals but can affect them with bombs and by smashing them into walls and enemies.
The racing aspect makes each level livelier. But I don’t know if I can say that it makes the game better. As you progress the racing and shooting elements are in conflict with each other. The early stages have enough of a gap between enemies and such that you can try to gain position on your rivals. But the later stages lower your top speed gradually and focus more on the shooting aspect. The game seems at war with itself and It almost feels like the developers were not completely committed to the racing element. It begins to feel unfair to see the other competitor’s blast by obstacles you must deal with like bosses. Coming in first feels less rewarding considering the amount of crap you must endure to do so.
There are twelve levels and you are given two or three choices at level’s end for a six stage run. Earning the most points at the end, by any means will unlock a second loop comprised of the stages you did not select the first time. On top of creating your own route through the game the second loop adds replay value to Kingdom Grandprix. This is not a particularly difficult game although its structure means it varies. But the home port has a cool feature for those that are unconvinced of the shooter/racing hybrid.
With the use of a cheat code the Saturn version has an extra shooting mode that removes the racing element, turning Kingdom Grandprix in to a traditional shooter. Freed from its racing mechanics it becomes a different but inconsistent beast. Certain levels relied heavily on the racing element to be interesting. With that removed there are long stretches of single enemies or even nothing. The other stages show how great the game can be as they have excellently pacing and are challenging. You still choose routes at the end of each stage and complete a second loop comprised of the ones you did not giving the game even more replay value. How much this adds to its value does depend on how much you like the game’s mechanics however.
In Closing
Kingdom Grandprix is a strange one. Mechanically it is solid but at the same time divisive. I like it but at the same time can admit that it is not what I expected. I don’t think its mechanics come together as they should but it is still worth playing in my opinion. But not at the prices it goes for currently.
