Dangerous Curves
Japanese arcade flyer
Developer(s)Taito
Publisher(s)Taito
Designer(s)Hiroyuki Sakawa[1]
Composer(s)Hideki Takahagi[2]
Platform(s)Arcade
Release
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemJC System Type-C[4]

Dangerous Curves[lower-alpha 1] is an arcade racing game developed and published by Taito. The arcade cabinet is constructed to allow players to choose between simulating either a car or a motorcycle and then race other vehicles on a variety of courses.

Dangerous Curves was designed by Taito veteran Hiroyuki Sakawa and was the first game to utilize the company's JC System Type-C arcade hardware. The game was released worldwide in 1995 and was considered mediocre by critics.

Gameplay

Dangerous Curves is a racing simulator. The arcade cabinet is uniquely constructed with side-by-side 25-inch screen displays to give players a choice between controlling either a car with a steering wheel or a motorcycle using a motorcycle seat peripheral.[5][6][7] Players then race other vehicles, controlled by other humans or a computer-AI opponents. The game simulates the advantages and disadvantages of these competing vehicles, such as a motorcycle's ability quickly make tight corners and a car's use of power to catch up on straightaways.[8] Players can use an automatic or a six-speed manual transmission.[6][9] The game features multiple viewing perspectives. Driving environments include public highways, mountain passes, and a road along the coast.[10] Two arcade units can be connected together to allow up to four players simultaneously.[5][10]

Development and release

Dangerous Curves was developed by Taito. It was designed by Hiroyuki Sakawa, who joined the company in 1982 as an arcade hardware technician before becoming a game planner. He worked on a number of titles before directing the 1989 racing simulation WGP: Real Racing Feeling, which was designed around Sakawa's intricate study of motorcycles.[1] Dangerous Curves was the first game to use Taito's JC System Type-C, which allowed for improved handling of 3D polygons over its previous efforts.[4][10][9] After Dangerous Curves, Sakawa headed development on the Battle Gear series of car racing simulators beginning with Side by Side in 1996.[1] This first entry also used the JC System.[4]

Dangerous Curves was unveiled at the Amusement Machine Operators' Union (AOU) trade show in Tokyo in February 1995 and was presented at the Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association (JAMMA) and Amusement & Music Operators Association Show (AMOA) shows later that year.[6][8][11] These appearances pitted the game against motorcycle arcade simulations from Taito's rivals including Namco's Cyber Cycles and Sega's Cool Riders.[11][12] Dangerous Curves was released in Japan in July 1995 and internationally the following October.[3]

The music and sound composer for Dangerous Curves was Hideki Takahagi. It was the first project he worked on for Taito that was not cancelled.[2] The game's official soundtrack containing 16 songs was released in Japan by Pony Canyon on October 20, 1995.[13] Music from the game was also included on the compilation Taito Digital Sound Archive Arcade Vol.3, released by Wave Master on May 27, 2015.[14]

Reception

Sparse critical reception for Dangerous Curves has been overall mediocre. During the game's second rollout in late 1995, Edge considered it "average" when compared to the offerings of its competitors Namco and Sega.[11] Next Generation called the graphics and gameplay "solid" but stated, "Besides the six extensive stages and rendered polygon backgrounds, the mediocre set of sharp turns and sober opponents leaves this game an enjoyable but disappointing attempt."[5] The Spanish magazine HobbyConsolas and the French magazine Consoles + considered the visuals "amazing" and "dazzling" respectively.[9][8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: デンジャラス カーブス, Hepburn: Denjarasu Kābusu

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kurokawa Fumio (June 27, 2020). "ビデオゲームの語り部たち 第18部：技術屋からプランナー，そして未知なる仕事へ。酒匂弘幸氏がタイトーで歩んだ挑戦の日々" [Video Game Storytellers Part 18: From Technician to Planner to Unknown Work / Mr. Hiroyuki Sakawa's challenging days at Taito] (in Japanese). 4Gamer.net. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  2. 1 2 GSLA archive (1996). "Psychic Force – 1996 Developer Interview". Shmuplations. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Dangerous Curves". Gaming History. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "TAITO JC SYSTEM TYPE-C HARDWARE". System 16. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 Next Generation staff (December 1995). "Finals: Dangerous Curves". Next Generation. No. 12. Imagine Media. pp. 208–9. ISSN 1078-9693.
  6. 1 2 3 Play Meter staff (October 1995). "Gaming At A Glance: AMOA '95". Play Meter. Vol. 21, no. 11. Skybird Publishing. p. 93. ISSN 1529-8736.
  7. ↑ Reeves, Greg (November 1995). "Player's Perspective: AMOA Expo delivers balanced selection of videos and pins". Play Meter. Vol. 21, no. 12. Skybird Publishing. p. 126. ISSN 1529-8736.
  8. 1 2 3 Consoles + staff (April 1995). "Le Japon de Direct: Dangerous Curves" [Japan Direct: Dangerous Curves]. Consoles +. No. 42. Éditions Mondiales. p. 55. ISSN 1162-8669.
  9. 1 2 3 HobbyConsolas staff (December 1995). "Arcade Show Novedad en Japón: Dangerous Curves" [Arcad Show New in Japan: Dangerous Curves]. HobbyConsolas (in Spanish). No. 57. Hobby Press. p. 146. OCLC 1200499279.
  10. 1 2 3 Hobby Hitech staff (September 1995). "Primera LÍnea: Dangerous Curves, una nueva forma de entender la simulación" [First Line: Dangerous Curves, a new way of understanding simulation]. Hobby Hitech (in Spanish). Hobby Press. p. 15. OCLC 436581521.
  11. 1 2 3 Edge staff (December 1995). "News: Coin-op giants reveal latest at JAMMA". Edge. No. 27. Future plc. p. 14. ISSN 1350-1593.
  12. ↑ Webb, Marcus (June 1995). "Breaking: Arcadia". Next Generation. No. 6. Imagine Media. p. 27. ISSN 1078-9693.
  13. ↑ "CD Album Dangerous Curves Taito Zanta". suruga-ya.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  14. ↑ Koto Tsukui (March 10, 2015). "ZUNTATA監修のCD「タイトー デジタルサウンドアーカイブス ～ARCADE～ Vol.3」発売決定!" [CD supervised by Zuntata "Taito Digital Sound Archive Arcade Vol.3" will be released!] (in Japanese). iNSIDE. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
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