Product Overview
- Product Name: Rad Racer
- New or Used: Used
- In Box or Loose: Loose
- Overall Condition: Very Good
- Save Battery Status*: Not Applicable – Does Not Use Battery
- Notes: Overall in very good condition with only light signs of handling.
Photos show actual product for sale — no stock images used.
What's Included
- NES Game Cartridge: Yes
- Manual / Instructions: No
- Cartridge Dust Cover / Sleeve: No
- Original Retail Box: No
- Styrofoam Insert: No
- Extras:
Game Description
Rad Racer is a landmark Nintendo NES 8-bit racing game that brought a bold sense of speed and spectacle to early console hardware. Players take the wheel of a high-performance sports car and race through sun-drenched highways, coastal roads, and cityscapes, weaving through traffic while mastering tight turns and elevation changes.
What truly sets Rad Racer apart is its striking pseudo-3D perspective, which creates a convincing illusion of depth and motion rarely seen on the NES. Smooth scaling effects, a dynamic horizon, and responsive handling give the game an arcade-inspired intensity, demanding sharp reflexes and confident steering as courses grow faster and more demanding.
Developed by SquareSoft before the studio became synonymous with role-playing epics, Rad Racer stands as an important chapter in Nintendo history. Its technical ambition, cinematic presentation, and focus on pure racing thrills have earned it lasting recognition as one of the most visually impressive and influential racing titles of the 8-bit era.
Gameplay Features
- High-speed arcade racing with an emphasis on reflexes and precision steering
- Pseudo-3D perspective that delivers a strong sense of depth and speed
- Varied courses featuring hills, curves, and traffic-based hazards
- Time-based progression that rewards clean racing and consistent performance
- Responsive controls tuned for mastering corners at increasing speeds
- Technically ambitious visuals that pushed the NES hardware to its limits
Historical Trivia or Fun Fact
Rad Racer was developed by SquareSoft during the company’s early partnership with Nintendo, showcasing the studio’s technical versatility well before its rise as an RPG powerhouse. The game’s advanced visual effects made it a frequent showcase title for the NES during the late 1980s.
Its sense of speed and cinematic presentation influenced later console racers, helping define how fast-paced driving games could feel on home systems. Today, Rad Racer is remembered as both a technical achievement and a standout racing experience for collectors seeking elite NES-era design.
Additional Details
- Variant: Standard Release
- Genre: Racing
- Year Released: 1987
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: SquareSoft
- ESRB Rating: E - Everyone
- UPC: 045496630362
- SKU: 12378
- Format: Original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game cartridge
- Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System 8-bit video game console
- Region: NTSC (North America, Canada)
Important Information
- *Save battery (if present) has been tested or replaced and is verified working at the time of listing.
- Photos show the exact item for sale — we never use stock images for used games.
- All used items are cleaned, tested, and 100% guaranteed to work.
- Backed by Retro Game Fan’s 60-day warranty.