| Destruction Derby | |
|---|---|
| File:350o58m.jpg | |
| Developer | Reflections |
| Publisher | Psygnosis |
| Original release | MS-DOS EU: October 1995 NA: 31 October 1995 PlayStation EU: October 1995 NA: 16 November 1995 Sega Saturn EU: 1996 NA: 1996 PlayStation Network EU: 29 November 2007 (PS3/PSP) NA: 15 February 2007 (PSP) NA: 3 May 2007 (PS3) |
| Ratings | ELSPA: 3+
ESRB: K-A OFLC: G |
 This article is about the original game. For the series, see Destruction Derby series. For other uses, see Destruction Derby (disambiguation). |
For the event mode, see Destruction Derby (mode)
Destruction Derby is the first video game of the Destruction Derby series. It was released in October 1995 for PlayStation, Sega Saturn and MS-DOS, developed Reflections, and published by Psygnosis.
The game was given a name change just two months prior to its release on October 1995. It was originally going to be called Demolish 'em Derby.
The popularity of the game resulted in a 1996 follow-up, Destruction Derby 2, released for PlayStation and MS-DOS. In February 2007, the game was available for download in the PlayStation Network for the PS3 and PSP consoles.
Events
Destruction Derby Main Menu
- Wreckin' Racing
- Stock Car Racing
- Destruction Derby
- Time Trial
Tracks
Bowls
Cars
There are three cars in the game:
Points system
Each championship mode race uses a points system. The Destruction Derby mode awards points only on the basis of wrecking other players' cars, and Stock Car only on race position, with Wreckin' Racing a hybrid of the two, (albeit with less points for positions than Stock Car). The maximum number of points available per race in the wrecking modes is 99, whereas Stock Car has a maximum of 50, (the points for first place). The points system for wrecking is as follows:
- In Wreckin' Racing mode, the race position 1st gets ten points, 2nd gets six and 3rd gets four.
- In Destruction Derby mode, the last car not "gripped" gets ten points.
- Gripping a car gets ten points.
- Spinning a car 360 degrees gets ten points, with 180 degrees getting four points and 90 degrees getting two points. If you spin the car which is in first place during the Wreckin' race, the points are doubled.
In Stock Car mode, points are awarded for 1st to 20th place in the following order: 50, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.
Damage engine
The game features an engine that simulates what effect collisions have on the vehicles. If a car has been severely damaged its handling will become worse, with the level of damage indicated by a car diagram on the right of the screen. Severe damage to one of the sides of the car will make it pull significantly to that side, and severe damage to both will make it almost impossible to turn at all. Heavy damage to one side of car's rear will reduce its ability to accelerate and hold speed; severe damage to the back on both sides will result in a the commentator's audio announcement "You've broken the rear axle!" and make the car almost unable to move. Damage to the front will eventually give the car a "blown radiator". If more damage is received by the front, eventually the engine will be blown and the car unable to move (for the player, resulting in the end of the race).
Unlike in sequels, damage could not be repaired during a race, as there is no pit lane functionality in Destruction Derby.
Competitors
In each race, there are nineteen CPU drivers (fifteen in MS-DOS version) who compete along with the main player. Each driver is of differing ability, and each one has a (slightly) different driving style, which initially creates variation for the player but can easily be predicted after playing the game for a while. Some CPU drivers perform better in different modes, with some weak at stock car racing but strong in wrecking-for-points environments.
The fastest raw stock car driver in the game is clearly The Skum in every race, whereas there are several competitors who are better in the "Destruction Derby" mode. Competitors such as Psycho, Undertaker, Barmy Army and The Taxman are amongst the best drivers in all modes, whereas drivers such as Suicide Squad are good in wrecking modes, but very slow in stock car modes.
In each Championship, the drivers start out in a system of five (four in MS-DOS version) divisions, with the goal for the player being to climb to and win Division 1. The drivers that are in each division remain constant for every new game, but are not ordered by ability (clear by the fact that L. Driver is in Division 2, despite being the weakest competitor in all game modes, but hardly ever takes damage meaning he is the best at the longer races). There is, however, an obvious pattern to who climbs to the top divisions and who doesn't; in stock car modes, only deliberate player intervention would stop The Skum from rising meteorically from his starting Division 3 to the top division.
Most of the drivers also have a voice clip for when points are taken from them by the player in wrecking modes, or for when the player "grips" them in all modes. Also, each driver has their own car design, and a cartoon picture of the character displayed on the race and championship standings screens. The division of each driver can be seen during races by the colour of the roof of their car - Division One is black, Division Two is red, Division Three is cyan, Division Four is yellow and Division Five is white.
The competitors in each starting division, along with their car number are as follows:
Division One
- Barmy Army (#53)
- Suicide Squad (#82)
- The Taxman (#95)
- The Doctor (#99)
Division Two
- Crunch Bunch (#22)
- Learner Driver (#37)
- Psycho (#40)
- Heavy Metal Hero (#52) (not in MS-DOS version)
Division Three
- The Skum (#13)
- The Goddess (#35)
- Pyromaniac (#64) (not in MS-DOS version)
- Undertaker (#77)
Division Four
- The Idol (#23) (not in MS-DOS version)
- The Optician (#47) (not in MS-DOS version)
- The Beast (#66)
- Passion Wagon (#69)
Division Five
- Human Player (#01)
- Trashman (#07)
- The General (#50)
- The Bouncer (#88)
One criticism of the game was that, in the "Duel" mode of the game, the driver who the player faces is always the Trashman (who is an average competitor in wrecking modes, and above average in stock car modes). Most of the characters were retained for the second Destruction Derby series game, Destruction Derby 2, with new additions The Master, The Chief, The Pro and Rivit to replace The Taxman, The Doctor, Crunch Bunch and The Idol.
PlayStation Platinum
Though simplistic, the game achieved popularity and was one of the first games to achieve platinum sales on the PlayStation console.
Release
MS-DOS
- EU/NA: October 1995
PlayStation
- EU: October 1995
- NA: 16 November 1995
Sega Saturn
- EU/NA: 1996
PlayStation Network (PSP)
- NA: 15 February 2007
PlayStation Network (PS3)
- NA: 3 May 2007
- EU: 29 November 2007