Jet Moto

Gameplay in the Jet Moto series differs from traditional racing games, as players instead control hoverbikes which hover close above the ground and can be driven over both land and water. Most of the courses in the games are designed to take advantage of this ability. The game has its variant of the traditional road course, but also introduces a new course type, known as a suicide course. Instead of being a continuous loop, these tracks have checkpoints at either end of the course, and the starting grid in the center. Characters race to one end, then turn around to head for the other checkpoint, repeating the process until all laps are complete. This provides a new gameplay dynamic as often the player must navigate oncoming traffic. Energy poles are often placed strategically throughout the courses, enabling racers to "slingshot" around tight turns without slowing down. The magnetic grapple system is also sometimes used to swing over large gaps and chasms otherwise too large to ride over. In addition to the grapple system players are given four boosts per lap, which provide a temporary burst of speed. ==Games==

Jet Moto The original Jet Moto (Jet Rider in Europe) was developed by SingleTrac and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation and PC. The PlayStation version was released in North America on October 31, 1996, Jet Moto was made available for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network on February 4, 2007. Twenty characters and three tracks are available at the beginning of the game, with seven more tracks unlockable by winning tournaments. Reviewers felt the game had solid gameplay, but criticized its high difficulty. Jet Motos popularity would earn it a spot in the PlayStation Greatest Hits in August 1998. Jet Moto 2 Jet Moto 2 (known as Jet Rider 2 in Europe and '''''Jet Moto '98''''' in Japan Dual Analog Controllers were supported for the first time, as well as DualShock Controllers but without any vibration feedback. Jet Moto 3 Jet Moto 3 was released for the PlayStation in North America only on August 31, 1999. A new developer and publisher would take over the series, Pacific Coast Power & Light and 989 Sports. It was released on the PlayStation Network on February 21, 2008, but was removed shortly thereafter for undisclosed reasons. This Jet Moto is notable for the inclusion of new stunt tracks. The objective of these tracks is to perform stunts to gain higher points and to collect coins scattered throughout the track. Another notable inclusion is the hop button, which is used to boost your player above the ground to avoid obstacles. The physics also were given an overhaul. Many times the player's bike travels so fast that it can be stuck riding on walls. Graphics were also considerably smoother as the game was released two years after the original games, but suffered greatly due to the use of heavy texturing as was common for PlayStation games of the time. Track themes vary greatly, with tracks taking places in volcanic islands, catacombs, the heights of Machu Picchu, and a thick Sequoia forest. DualShock Controller support was added to this installment. Cancelled games Jet Moto 2124 A fourth Jet Moto, called Jet Moto 2124, was being developed at Sony's 989 Studio in San Diego and was set to be based in the future. Production on the game began prior to the completion of Jet Moto 3. Level designers used Alias Power Animator 8.5 to create tracks for the game. Jet Moto 2124 would have been the first in the series to take the player to locations off Earth, including Mars, the moon and one of Jupiter's moons, Europa. A software design document and a document containing fictional character bios for the game surfaced in 2005 on the personal website of George Rothrock, co-founder of RedZone Interactive. SOLAR was set several hundred years after the original Jet Moto series, when the hover technology from the jet moto bikes had evolved into a new style of moto, the Gravity Resistant Vehicle (GRV). Locales would again expand to other locations off Earth, including Mars, the moon, and Ganymede, one of the moons of Jupiter. ==References==