Wacky Wheels

Category likeness to » DOS games. Added to Authentic Society 3 years ago.

Wacky Wheels is a very simple but excellent racing game published by the great Apogee Software, Ltd. The game has some style and some attitude (The devil showing you his ass in multi-player mode at the press of your friend's key, is just funny). The game can be played with two players on the same keyboard and let me tell you, this game is a lot of fun. There are eight playable characters you can choose from to drive your lawn mower (yes, you heard it right, after all the game is called wacky wheels). The designers of the game obviously know what it takes to create a fun game and added all the right elements. While racing, players are challenged to collect hedgehogs, bombs and other objects that can be used to distract other racers. The eight playable personalities, by the way, are moose, panda, raccoon, tiger, camel, pelican, lion and shark. In each race you choose which animals to race against. The Wacky Wheels full version, which is currently available for sale on the Internet (rendering abandonware downloads illegal) has over 30 race tracks to choose from, and while each track is very simple the game is also very fun and at times challenging - try not to get yourself into water or off the boundaries of the road or your "car" will slow down. In the multiplayer mode you play against your friend split-screen style. You can hide in a pool of water and shoot a hedgehog at an unsuspecting opponent from underwater. Some levels have oil tanks and fire balls. A very addictive game. I highly recommend getting a hold of this game, even years later it is still fun. Luckily you can try this game for free, see the shareware version link below. Or you can also buy the registered version of Wacky Wheels for only $10 at the 3D Realms Yahoo internet store also mentioned below.

Wacky Wheels is influenced by the popular game Super Mario Kart, and was not the first game to feature the type of gameplay (But probably the first game to feature lawn-mower racing). Andy Edwardson, the creator of Wacky Wheels had taken the concept of the 2.5D racing from console to the desktop PC. A playable demo was sent to Copysoft to show the game and an interest in funding possibilities. The game was rejected by Copysoft and instead Apogee Software picked it up. Interestingly enough, Copysoft released a game called Skunny Kart just prior to the Wacky Wheels release date. Edwardson accused Copysoft of copyright infringement, noting the similarity in the games: however, no legal action was ever taken [source: see link below].

Downloads

Download Wacky Wheels

• Shareware version — Zip file, 1.53 MB
• Registered version download — $10 US, download 3.59 MB Zip file or order on CD-ROM.

Wacky Wheels system requirements

• 386 computer (a 486 is better, or as fast as possible if you're using a DOS emulator)
• 4 MB of memory
• 4.0 MB of hard disk space (for shareware version)
• 6.9 MB of hard disk space (registered version)
• VGA graphics
• MS-DOS 5.0 or greater, or Windows 95 or newer, or any operating system with a DOS emulator
• Joystick or Gravis gamepad (optional)
• Sound card (recommended). Any sound card should work, at least if you're playing Wacky Wheels in an emulator. The original list of recommended cards is below.

Sound cards: Adlib, Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro, Sound Blaster 16, Pro Audio Spectrum 16, Gravis ultraSound, Wave Blaster, Roland Sound Canvas, Disney/Tandy Sound Source, Any General MIDI Device

Have you played Wacky Wheels? What do you think? Your opinion could add more value to the discussion of this game.

Andy Edwardson (developer) Wacky Wheels history.