What did get old was trying to use the DC’s analog stick to race. That’s one of those things, like grabbing a fire flower and blasting away goombas, that will never get old.
While T-bones are what you aim for during the demolition derby mode (and in your grocer’s fresh meat aisle), the most exciting attack was landing right on top of a rival ending their race instantly. Granted, it started off as a black car, but now, it was at the point of being none more black and then boom, a green box saves the day. I’d completely forgotten about all the boxes scattered around the stages, but was so grateful to get a health pickup when my car was pitch-black and smoking due to all the damage it had received. It’s a blast to smash up vehicles to the point where they can’t finish, even if that comes at the expense of your own placement. This was the best part of the game when it was new, and remains its best aspect now. However, I’m still pretty good at the racing/destruction mode where your goal is to not only get in first, but also do so with enemies trying to smash you to bits.
Maybe I’ll luck out and survive it as a mini-game in Saints Row. The racing/demolition derby aspect is still exciting, and no matter how many times I try, or how many…near decades now since Destruction Derby is closing in on being 20 years old, I will never actually win a virtual demolition derby. While the environments themselves are kind of muddy, you can still make out what they’re supposed to look like reasonably well and the skies look great. You can make out a lot of details on the cars, especially when it comes to smashing them up, which really does help even PS1 games like Vigilante 8 age slightly better. Looking at DR: NE with a decade of hindsight is interesting because the graphics sure aren’t “drop dead gorgeous” now, and yet they also aren’t the kind of old that one things of as bad. In my original review of the game over a decade ago, I praised it a lot (and used the tagline to shamelessly reference the legendary WWF tag team Demoliton’s famous theme which I expect to have blaring when DiRT Showdown hits shelves since a rock song about smashing, pain, and destruction is perfect for it.) That honor goes to Demolition Racer: No Exit for the Dreamcast. Destruction Derby may have been the first demolition derby racer I played, but it wasn’t the best, and also that wasn’t the one I was pining for afterwards. One was how much I detest wacky capitalization, another was how the gameplay brought back memories of games gone by. Playing the demo for DiRT Showdown reminded me of many things. We come here to pay our respects, to reminisce, and to wonder aloud what a passing mad doctor might be able do with all these corpses and some high-definition lightning.
Out back of the Hardcore Gamer office you’ll find our Graveyard, where countless long-dead classics lie.
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