Super Hang-On

Super Hang-On
North American arcade flyer
Developer(s)Sega AM2
Publisher(s)Sega
Designer(s)Yu Suzuki
Composer(s)Katsuhiro Hayashi
Koichi Namiki
Platform(s)Arcade, Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Boy Advance, Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, X68000, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4
Release
April 1987
  • Arcade
    Mega Drive/Genesis
    X68000
    • JP: December 25, 1989
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player

Super Hang-On[a] is a motorcycle racing arcade video game released by Sega as the sequel to Hang-On. It uses a simulated motorcycle arcade cabinet, like the original game. An updated version was released in arcades 1991 as Limited Edition Hang-On.

Gameplay

Arcade screenshot

The arcade mode in Super Hang-On is similar to the original Hang-On, but there is a choice of four tracks to race on which are based on continents, each containing a different number of stages. Also, should the player reach the normal maximum speed of 280 km/h (174.2 mph), a turbo mode is enabled. By using this mode allows the player to reach an even higher top speed of 324 km/h (201.4 mph). Each stage is roughly half the length of a stage in the original Hang-On. Africa is the easiest and shortest out of the four courses (six stages). Asia is the second easiest and is similar in length to the course from the original Hang-On at ten stages long. The Americas is the second to toughest course, containing 14 stages and Europe is the hardest course, being 18 stages long. When the player starts a race, they have their choice of four songs that will play during the race, a feature borrowed from Out Run.

The Sega Mega Drive version of the game included the full arcade game, and an additional original mode, which allowed players to recruit sponsors and earn money to buy enhanced components for their bike.[5] The cover for this version has a bike and rider in the same colors as Shinichi Itoh, who competed in the All-Japan 500 cc Championship on a Rothmans Honda NSR500.

Ports

Versions of the game were released for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64 in 1987 with further home conversions following for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, X68000, and MS-DOS in 1989 and 1990.[6] The game also appeared on several Mega Drive compilations, namely Mega Games I (bundled with the console as Mega Drive Magnum Set), and Sega 6-Pak.

It was included in Sega Arcade Gallery for Game Boy Advance.

The arcade version was released on the Wii's Virtual Console service in Japan on September 14, 2010, and later in North America and Europe on May 3, 2012. Like Shinobi and its omission of any references to Marilyn Monroe, the Virtual Console version of Super Hang-On was slightly altered to avoid any copyright troubles. This includes the replacing of several in-game billboards which used to feature real brand names such as Cibie with similar billboards which mention other Sega games such as OutRun and After Burner.[7] This version would be released on Xbox Live Arcade in 2012 as part of Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.

Another version of the game was released for the Nintendo 3DS via the Nintendo eShop in Japan on March 27, 2013. The game feature stereoscopic 3D and tilt controls which emulate the arcade version. This version was released for North America and Europe on November 28.[8]

Super Hang-On is playable at the in-game arcades in Yakuza 0, Yakuza 6 and Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise.[9]

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Super Hang-On on their June 1, 1987 issue as being the most-successful upright arcade unit of the month.[18] The ride-on cabinet went on to become Japan's second highest-grossing upright/cockpit arcade game of 1987, below Out Run.[19] It was later Japan's seventh highest-grossing arcade game of 1988.[20][21]

Peter Shaw of Your Sinclair reviewed the arcade game, calling it "brilliant, fast and the most accurate simulation of riding a motorbike" he had played.[13] Mega Action reviewed the Mega Drive version. They called Super Hang-On one of the best driving games for the Mega Drive, and concluded with a review score of 89%.[22]

The ZX Spectrum version scored 10/10 in Sinclair User and received the "SU Classic" accolade. It was rated number 27 in the Your Sinclair Official Top 100 Games of All Time list.[23]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: スーパーハング・オン, Hepburn: Sūpā Hangu On

References

  1. ^ Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 131. ISBN 978-4990251215.
  2. ^ "Super Hang-On" (PDF). Mega Drive Fan. May 1992. p. 103. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  3. ^ "ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.8_09" (PDF). Retro CDN.
  4. ^ "Super Hang-On". Sega Retro. 9 January 2023.
  5. ^ Super Hang On game manual (PAL ed.). Sega. 1989. pp. 10, 16, 28–38.
  6. ^ "Super Hang-On". SegaRetro. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  7. ^ SilverStarRipper. "Hang-On". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Super Hang-On 3DS". Nintendo.com. Nintendo. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  9. ^ Brown, Peter (19 January 2017). "Yakuza 0 Review". Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  10. ^ "Updates: Super Hang-On". ACE. No. 18. March 1989. p. 86.
  11. ^ Wilton, Andy (February 1988). "Screen Test: Super Hang-On". Advanced Computer Entertainment. No. 5. pp. 38–9.
  12. ^ Rignall, Julian (September 1988). "Reviews: Super Hang-On". Computer + Video Games. No. 83. p. 24.
  13. ^ a b Shaw, Peter (August 1987). "Slots of Fun". Your Sinclair. No. 20. pp. 50–1.
  14. ^ "Super Hang On". Archived from the original on 2012-09-16.
  15. ^ Mega rating, issue 9, page 23, Future Publishing, June 1993
  16. ^ MegaTech rating, EMAP, issue 6, page 80, June 1992
  17. ^ Game review, Sinclair User, EMAP, January 1988, page 12
  18. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 309. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 June 1987. p. 21.
  19. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25: '87" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 324. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 January 1988. p. 20.
  20. ^ "Gamest 0029" 第２回ゲーメスト大賞 〜 年間ヒットゲームベスト100 [2nd Gamest Awards – Best 100 Hit Games of the Year]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 29 (February 1989). December 27, 1988. pp. 25–41 (41). alternate url
  21. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25: '88 / "Game of the Year '88" By Game Machine" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 348. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 January 1989. pp. 10–1, 26.
  22. ^ "Mega Library". Mega Action (1). Europress Interactive: 64. June 1993. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  23. ^ "Readers' Top 100 Games of All Time". Your Sinclair. No. 93. Future Publishing. September 1993. p. 58.