It seems that Revolutionary Concepts is bringing another LaserDisk shooter to the iDevice. They've completely redone the car's dashboard which acts as your UI, and currently have it running at a full 60 FPS, with iPad and iPhone 4 optimization included. It's in the final stages of development and should be out sometime next month. TouchArcade Front Page Link: Here
Road Blaster (Road Avenger) 'Road Blaster' (Road Avenger) for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad. In 1985, fresh from the success of its epic laserdisc helicopter title "Cobra Command" acclaimed Japanese arcade games company Data East, poured itself into making what was to be the greatest (and unbeknownst to them at the time) one of the last ever laserdisc games.......ROAD BLASTER!!!! To say the game was ahead of it's time is an understatement! Where other laserdisc titles offered minimal stop-start style gameplay - Road Blasters timeless appeal is its seamless fast-paced action, that placed you behind the wheel in a mad-max style post-apocalyptic driving game, controlling the actions of a vigilante out for revenge after the brutal murder of his bride. Whether cleaning the city streets of murdering thugs, careening around the insides of an office high-rise, narrowly avoiding mowing down sunbathers on the beach, avoiding getting crushed by combine harvesters, or barreling around underground sewers, the result was an edge of your seat roller-coaster ride of a game. Now 25 years on and we’re delighted to be able to announce the original is coming stateside as it was originally envisioned bigger, badder, and better than ever! In the 6 months since the release of our recreation of Cobra Command for iPhone (on sale at 99c) and Karate Champ (99c and coming soon for iPad), we've been beavering away night and day to bring this seminal arcade classic to the iPhone (2G,3G,3GS) and iPod Touch, AND also deliver to gamers the VERY FIRST laserdisc game for iPad and iPhone4 in HD(-ish). Not ported, but coded from the ground up with improved visuals and new gameplay modes that takes full advantage of the unique features of each device. Road Blaster (for iPhone) features: Full motion completely remastered video, in 960x640 aspect ratios. Fully restored and presented in H.264 Vastly superior in-game graphics and effects to match the on-screen action. Including an all new in-car dash complete with working instrumentation, steering wheel, gear change. Optional accelerometer-based tilt steering! Instantaneous seek time, providing a seamless experience where the on-screen action unfolds uninterrupted in real time (unlike other laserdisc games). Unlockable Bonuses. Including Arcade Classic, and expert mode, and hidden easter eggs. World Leaderboards / Gamecenter support The following screens provided as an indication of the old original and new in-game play. 1985 Arcade. iPhone. iPad!! (Release tbc)
Oh my bad guys I hadnt seen your thread and made a separate one where we'll post screens etc as things take shape. Make you a deal and we'll provide you both a free copy when it's out ok?
I have this for Sega CD - definitely one of the more playable FMV games, albeit a simpler one as you're mostly turning left and right. I'm hoping that Time Gal could be next - that one was my favorite of the Data East FMV Sega CD games...
Awesome! Thanks! But I think that this thread should probably be merged with your thread at least... It's not half as in-depth, and it'd be much easier for you to manage if it was.
When I've seen the screens on the main page I was like: OMG AT LEAST, GAME OF MY CHILDHOOD. But one thing is troubling me. I'm not sure if I understand the news properly, the game will be out for old generations devices (3G in mind), right? I really hope it will be out for my precious 3G ^^
Thanks guys! Delighted to see such interest in what many consider the best laserdisc game from back in the day (And coincidentally our last remake before something truly 'revolutionary' ). We'll keep you updated on developments as things progress over at the official thread http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=63915
It wasn't really all that simple IIRC. Mind you, I've never played the Sega CD version (only the arcade), but there were controls for left turn, right turn, gas, brake and turbo (I think), which is about the same as other laser disc games of the time (4 directions and a button). Plus, Road Blaster is the only laser disc game I can remember where you occasionally had to hit 2 controls at once (ie left and brake), at least... I think I remember you did (it's possible the moves were just really close together). Plus every level had a lot of moves to get through. Also, the animation in this game was some of the best I've ever seen in a laser disc game. Really exciting and frantic. Hearing this is going to be released in HD almost makes me want to go out and get an iPad now.
Maybe time is clouding my memory. I just remember it as being the easiest to complete of the FMV games I had for the Sega CD, and because of the story/theme one of the ones I played most often, and a lot of fun!
Yeah, the story and animation were absolutely top notch. I've only ever been able to play the arcade version, so didn't make it much past the 2nd level or so. Really looking forward to this so I can see what happens in the rest of the game! And it could be that my memory is playing tricks on me as well. I wasn't able to play it very many times, but I certainly don't remember it being easy at all (and I was pretty well versed in laser disc games at the time I played it). I really seem to remember the "2 moves at once" mechanic messing with my head. Again, not sure if that's actually how it was, or if it was just one very close to the other. Threw me for a loop though, as no other laser disc games had moves that close together (much less at the same time if it was working that way).
I think the difference here is the SegaCD - much easier than than the arcade, MUCH harder on the eyes Which ever iDevice you are rockin this will feel like a very different game to the muddy sega cd version. Though it kinda speaks to how awesome a title RB was that even with all the compression needed to squeeze it onto that console it is still much loved today. Hell they are even making a novel of the story how crazy is that http://www.theroadavenger.com
It was one of my favourites on the SegaCD, I still remember intro song, it was amazing! Since no one answered to my question, I want to ask it one more time. Guys, is this game gonna be available for iPhone 3G? As you stated before, it was really compressed on Sega and so I would love to play this game on my iDevice
