Road Runner

Road Runner for the NES started life out as an arcade game from Atari in the mid-1980s. This was a pretty big hit, so much so that the game would be ported to many different systems over the years. I have always liked Loony Tunes so Road Runner has always been a character that I have had a lot of time for. Does this NES port of the game capture the charm of the show? Keep reading to find out.

Gotta Go Fast!

Before Sonic was the fastest thing alive, we had the Road Runner… or maybe Speedy Gonzalez I am not sure which one came first. Anyway, the point of the game is probably what you would expect and that is to keep away from that pesky Wile E. Coyote who wants to have the Road Runner for his lunch.

Who Put That Cactus There?

The presentation of the game is not bad at all. It certainly looks like an NES game, but I think it does manage to capture the feel of the show very well. The two main characters are a tad on the small side, but they are detailed enough and you can easily tell what is going on. There is not a great variety to the levels in terms of the background if I am being honest. However, I will say that the TV show never had a great variety when it came to the backgrounds as it was set in the desert so I cannot be too harsh on the game for that.

Stay One Step Ahead

The gameplay of Road Runner certainly feels like that of an arcade game that was made in the 1980s. The main point is to run from right to left (which in itself is different from the norm of going right to left) avoiding Will E. Coyote. When the Road Runner can run in a straight line, the Coyote cannot get close, but these roads are very rarely straight! Sometimes they will even result in a dead-end if you are not careful.

Add to this the Coyote can make use of things like a rocket and a pogo stick just like in the show and keeping away from him is easier said than done! You have a speed meter and you keep this full with birdseed which you need to grab as you go. If you do not, you slow down and it makes it easier for Will E. Coyote to capture you.

One weird thing is that you may think just running like crazy and leaving him in the dust is the way to go. However, if you run so fast that he goes off the screen he will then get some kind of contraption that will let him catch up with you. So, you always want to stay ahead of him, but not too much. Eventually, all the stages repeat and you are just playing for the high score.

Pros:

• It captures the feel of the show pretty well
• Getting a high score is addictive
• Some of the contraptions Wile E. Coyote uses are funny
• It has a real 80s charm to it
• It is one of those strange Tengen black NES carts

Cons:

• There is not much variety to the gameplay
• Sometimes it feels unfair when Wille E captures you