Road Rash (Sega Genesis)
Released on September 30, 1991
Road Rash is a high-octane motorcycle racing game where players become bikers competing in illegal races across the U.S.A. The game focuses on a series of races in California, which players must win to progress to more challenging competitions. Along the way, they engage in both unarmed and armed combat to outmaneuver other racers.
Road Rash was one of the first games conceived by EA following the company's decision to begin developing games internally. The game's programmers Dan Geisler and Carl Mey were hired by EA to create a banked road effect for Mario Andretti Racing, then being developed as an NES title. When the NES hardware proved incapable of rendering the desired effect, focus shifted to a motorcycle racing game for the more powerful Sega Genesis. The game includes combat elements that were inspired by the violent behavior of Grand Prix motorcyclists during races, and the resulting uncertainty surrounding the game's genre created conflict between EA's development team and management.
