Astro Fang: Super Machine

Astro Fang: Super Machine is a strange and surprisingly distinctive racing game from the Famicom era. Released in Japan in 1990, the game takes place on the devastated planet RS-121, where almost everything has disappeared except a huge highway known as the Black Line. You play as Riber, a driver who takes on this dangerous road, where reaching the finish is only part of the challenge. The other racers are perfectly happy to push you off the road or turn the race into a fight.

The driving is presented in a pseudo-3D perspective, giving the Black Line a sense of depth as the road stretches toward the horizon. The unusual part is that your vehicle is equipped with missiles. You can fire at rival cars to get them out of your way, but ammunition is limited, so every shot needs to count. You can also use the car's most memorable trick: pressing down temporarily compresses the vehicle into a narrower shape, allowing you to squeeze through tight gaps and avoid obstacles or opponents.

The road is not completely straightforward either. Branching routes can lead you through different sections of the Black Line, while repair shops give you an opportunity to spend your earnings on fuel, missiles, defensive equipment, and other upgrades. Managing those resources becomes increasingly important as the journey gets harder. The game is divided into six large stages, with boss encounters adding another layer to the racing formula.

Astro Fang: Super Machine is definitely an unconventional NES-era racer. It lacks the straightforward structure of games such as traditional arcade racers, instead mixing driving, combat, exploration, and resource management. Its futuristic setting and bizarre vehicle mechanics give it a personality that makes it particularly interesting for fans looking beyond the better-known Famicom racing games.