Video Game / Super Off Road: The Baja

1 Following

Super Off Road: The Baja is a John Morgan-programmed sequel to Super Off Road. Unlike the first game's bird's eye perspective, this one takes on a behind-the-truck view as you drive through a three-dimensional environment, and is themed around the Baja 1000 endurance race instead of the first game's arena-based dirt tracks. The cash-based upgrade system from the first game returns. There were plans for a Sega Genesis version, but it did not even see one second of the day's light.

There also are other racing events participated in by the player called the Mexico 250 and proceeded by Ensenada 500. The game also drops the small circuit races from the previous game into more open rally-based races set around Mexican-related premises with different finish points from the starting points with a higher opponent count than the original game with non-participants involved such as traffic and wildlife that can become a nuisance to the player or get mowed down by their vehicle.

Returning elements include money bags to be picked up for various improvements of the player's driving machine done by their pit crew in order to have a better chance of victory such as brakes, headlights, tires, etc.

---

• All Deserts Have Cacti: Cacti are among the hazards in the desert race tracks.
• The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard: Abused to a bizarre end in the second game'. Each and every one of your competitors had their own preferred place in the lineup, and Heaven forbid you should attempt to take that place from them. For example: Should you take third place from the AI driver who typically came in third, he would become a super driver fueled by rage; he would gain speed, cut corners, ram your truck mercilessly, and pretty much suddenly become the Uberdriver in his efforts to dislodge you from third place. Once you dropped back to fourth place, though, that driver would return to normal, and never challenge Mr. Number Two for HIS place. (Of course, then Mr. Fourth Place would have his turn at harassing you.) Coupled with the tendency for the AI in first place to absolutely obliterate you should you dare violate his sacred position AND stage last-minute comebacks at speeds approaching those of a low-flying jet fighter, winning any race at any difficulty level became far more based on luck (and your ability to keep from being rammed into oblivion) than skill. The first race on highest difficulty is so hilariously rubberbanded that even a perfect run will have you many seconds behind first place.
• Consolation Prize: The third place winner, in spite of gaining a silver trophy, gains a Smooch of Victory.
• Green Hill Zone: The San Felipe race track is set on a track that runs across a land of lush green grass with trees and fauna.
• Impossibly Low Neckline: The lady in the red dress at the "Baja [X] best times" screen is shown to wear it off her shoulders, revealing her cleavage.
• Ms. Fanservice: Continuing from the first game, The Baja continues to depict women with buxom figures and dressed in revealing attire.
• Shifting Sand Land: The Camalu, El Arco, and Guerrero Negro tracks in The Baja have you driving across sandy roads in the desert while avoiding crashing into cacti.
• Smooch of Victory: The third place player who gets a silver trophy gets smooched by a woman in a black bikini.
• Title Drop: ''The Baja' describes the "Baja 1000" mode.
• Video Game 3D Leap: From a purely 2-dimensional top down racing game to a three-dimensional behind the truck gameplay.
• Video Game Cruelty Punishment: The player loses money if they run over quad drivers.
• Walking Swimsuit Scene: The women accompanying the top three racers are shown in nothing more than bikinis.
• A Winner Is You: The final ending you get for clearing all the races in The Baja is a single image of your racer holding a large trophy over their head with the word "congratulations" underneath, followed by your overall time across all the races being added to the high score table.

---