Super Chase HQ, Game Boy

Super Chase HQ is the second version of Taito‘s classic arcade driving game, Chase HQ, that was released for the original Nintendo Game Boy. It was first released in 1994, and you’d expect it to be much better than the disappointing first Game Boy Chase HQ, which came out in 1990, but…

You can play at three difficulty levels (easy, normal, hard); with manual or auto gear shift, and there are four different control configurations to choose from (eight if you include gear-shifting). Unlike in the first Game Boy Chase HQ this one has a ‘versus’ play option where two players can battle it out over a link cable.

Another new addition to the game is the ability to upgrade your car between levels, and this depends on your points tally. You basically spend previously-earned points on upgrades to the engine, tyres, brakes, and body. And you can also ‘buy’ extra turbos. That said, these upgrades don’t seem to have much impact on the gameplay – that I could discern.

You can collect time extensions while driving; there are more road obstacles in this game, and also oil slicks that’ll make your car spin. That said: I rarely – if ever – managed to spin out and crash at the side of the road, even after collisions with other traffic.

There are no tunnels this time around, only drainage channels to drive down, and – like in the first game – these have no corners, so are a bit pointless.

Bumping target vehicles into submission at least takes more effort than in the previous Game Boy game, and this time the criminals sometimes throw explosives at you, or have reinforced back bumpers so can only be damaged by impacts from the side.

With all these new additions to the game you’d be forgiven for thinking that Super Chase HQ was Taito‘s chance to right the wrongs of the first Chase HQ on the Game Boy (which is what I was expecting), but it’s barely any better than the previous game. It’s another disappointment, frankly, and developer Imaginative Technology Land wasn’t able to leverage a better graphical experience or more enjoyable gameplay. And this has no connection to the arcade version or the Super Nintendo version of Super Chase HQ, which will further disappoint those who might be hoping that it does.