Street Rod

[Tijn]

#153

STREET ROD
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Street Rod is a great little DOS game from 1989, featuring EGA graphics and PC speaker audio. It cleverly combines managing and racing, as you buy a second hand classic American muscle car from the newspaper, tweak and improve parts to make it into an awesome hot rod and then race it against a variety of computer opponents.

You can race for money, but also for “pink slips”, which means you can win the other guy’s vehicle if you win (or lose your own if you lose!).

It’s a clever combination of using your skills and wits, which will eventually bring you to race against “The King” in his cool black Corvette.

What’s especially nice is that since 2014, the game is no longer abandonware, but offered for free by the owner of the license: https://streetrodonline.com/2013/01/14/street-rod-and-street-rod-2-no-longer-abandonware/

[Tijn]

#154

One feature that makes Street Rod a really great game is the fact you don’t simply click “upgrade” if you want a better engine or gear box, you actually have to open the right part of the car, disconnect the cables, unscrew the screws, remove the old parts and put the new parts in.

This is a bit of work (and you better make sure the new parts fit your car!), which makes for great immersion. You really feel like a skilled mechanic once you’ve mastered this stuff 😀