{{short description|1984 video game}} {{For|the album|Road Fighter (album)}} {{Distinguish|Street Fighter}} {{more citations needed|date=September 2014}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox video game | title = Road Fighter | image = Road Fighter Flyer.png | caption = Arcade flyer | developer = Konami | publisher = {{vgrelease|WW|Konami<ref name="Akagi"/><ref name="EU"/>|EU|Palcom Software}} | platforms = Arcade, MSX, Famicom/NES | released = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|November 1984}}|'''Arcade''' {{vgrelease|NA|November 1984<ref name="Akagi">{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005) |date=October 13, 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |language=ja |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215 |pages=121–2 |url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n123}}</ref>|JP|December 1984<ref>{{cite web |title=ロードファイター |trans-title=Road Fighter |url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M732032 |website=Media Arts Database |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs |language=ja |access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref>|EU|Late 1984<ref name="EU">{{cite web |title=Video Game Flyers: Road Fighter, Konami (EU) |url=https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=flyer&db=videodb&id=902&image=1 |website=The Arcade Flyer Archive |access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=September 2025}}}} '''Famicom/NES'''{{vgrelease|JP|July 11, 1985<ref>https://www.famitsu.com/games/t/20317/</ref>|EU|1992<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/nes/578237-road-fighter/data |title=Road Fighter Release Information |website=GameFAQs |access-date=August 8, 2024}}</ref>}} '''MSX''' {{vgrelease|JP|1985<ref name="MSX"/>}} '''Mobile'''{{vgrelease|JP|2005}} }} | genre = Racing | modes = Single-player, multiplayer }}
{{Nihongo foot|'''''Road Fighter'''''|ロードファイター|Rōdo Faitā|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 1984 racing video game developed and published by Konami for arcades.<ref name="MSX">{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/products/dl_wii_roadfighter_msx_vc/|title=ロードファイター|publisher=Konami|date=24 November 2009|accessdate=30 May 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022021559/http://www.konami.jp/products/dl_wii_roadfighter_msx_vc/|archive-date=October 22, 2012}}</ref> The goal is to reach the finish line within the stages without running out of time, hitting other cars or running out of fuel (which is refilled by hitting a special type of car). The game spawned a spiritual successor, ''Konami GT'' (1986), and two sequels, ''Midnight Run: Road Fighter 2'' (1995) and ''Winding Heat'' (1996). A Japan-only sequel was also released 14 years later, ''Road Fighters'' (2010).
==Gameplay== The first two levels contain four courses, ranging from grassy plains to an over-water bridge to a seashore, mountains and finally a forest area. In the arcade version, six stages were contained. The player controls a red Chevrolet Corvette and pressing the B accelerates the car to around 224 km/h while the A button increases it to 400. The player has a limited amount of fuel points (equal to about 100 seconds) and can earn more by touching special multi-colored cars. If the player collides into any other car or slips on occasionally appearing patches of oil, the car will spin out and if not corrected, may crash into the side barriers, causing a loss of five to six fuel points. The NES and Famicom versions have a total of six types of opponents, one yellow and red, three blue and one truck. Yellow cars travel along a straight line and occur in large numbers. Red cars are less likely to appear, but they will change the lane they are travelling in once to get in the way of the player. Blue cars are the game's main "enemies"; they vary in the way they change their lane and attempts to hit the player. Trucks go on a straight way, but colliding with them instantly destroys the player's car. Konami Man will make a cameo appearance, flying by the side of the road if the player progresses to a certain point in the level without crashing (not included on course two in NES and Famicom versions).
==Ports== The game was later released for the MSX home computer system in 1985 and the Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan the same year and in Europe in 1992, and followed the same format as the original.{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}} The game was included on ''Konami Arcade Classics'' in 1999 and on ''Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits'' for the Nintendo DS. The arcade game was released for i-mode phones in Japan in 2005.
''Road Fighter'' was made available on Microsoft Studios' ''Game Room'' service for the Xbox 360 and Windows on March 24, 2010. Hamster Corporation released the game as part of their ''Arcade Archives'' series for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calvert |first=Darren |date=2019-08-01 |title=Nintendo Download: 1st August (North America) |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/08/nintendo_download_1st_august_north_america |access-date=2025-09-08 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Reception == {{Expand section|date=September 2025}}{{Video game reviews |title=Initial reviews (NES) |rev1=''Mean Machines'' |rev1Score=9%<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Road Fighter|magazine=Mean Machines|date=April 1992|issue=19|pages=64–65}}</ref> |rev2=''Total!'' |rev2Score=44%<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Andy|date=June 1992|title=Road Fighter|issue=6|magazine=Total!|page=32}}</ref> }}
In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Road Fighter'' on their January 1, 1985 issue as being the most-successful table arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=251|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 January 1985|page=37|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850101p.pdf#page=19}}</ref>
In Europe, ''Computer Gamer'' magazine reported in 1985 that the "Street Fighter game" was a commercial success in arcades.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Roberts |first1=Mike |last2=Doyle |first2=Eric |title=Coin-Op Connection |magazine=Computer Gamer |date=1985 |issue=10 (January 1986) |pages=26–7 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue_10_1986-01_Argus_Press_GB/page/n25/mode/2up}}</ref>
==Legacy== ===''Konami GT''=== {{Main|Konami GT}}
===''Midnight Run: Road Fighter 2''=== {{Infobox video game |title = Midnight Run: Road Fighter 2 |image = |developer = Konami |publisher = Konami Japan |designer = |engine = |released = March 1996 |genre = Racing |modes = |platforms = Arcade, PlayStation }} ''Midnight Run: Road Fighter 2'' is the sequel to ''Road Fighter'', released in arcades in March 1996,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Midnight Express |magazine=Next Generation|issue=16|publisher=Imagine Media|date=April 1996|page=15}}</ref> and on the PlayStation in 1997. While the arcade version was released worldwide, the PlayStation version was only released in Japan and Europe. In Europe, the PlayStation version is just titled ''Midnight Run'', removing the ''Road Fighter'' connection. Its main selling point was that it allows the player to shift back and forth between manual and automatic transmission during races.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Webb|first=Marcus |title=Konami Enters the Race |magazine=Next Generation|issue=17|publisher=Imagine Media|date=May 1996|page=26}}</ref> Although different from the 2-D ''Road Fighter'', the scenery is similar to other racing games set in Japan such as ''Initial D Arcade Stage'' and ''Wangan Midnight'', except the cars are not licensed. The player also has a unique selection of normal cars and tuned cars.
====Car list==== * Honda NSX * Toyota Supra * Mazda RX-7 * Nissan Skyline GT-R * Porsche 911 (non-playable) * Mercedes-Benz SL500 (non-playable)
====Reception==== Reviewing the arcade version, ''Next Generation'' praised the support for up to four players, challenging AI, multiple tracks, ability to switch between manual and automatic mid-race, tight controls, powerslides, car selection, and generally fast-paced racing, but nonetheless concluded the game to be only slightly above average, and scored it three out of five stars.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Midnight Run|magazine=Next Generation|issue=20 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=August 1996 |page=103}}</ref>
===''Winding Heat''=== {{Infobox video game |title = Winding Heat |image = |developer = Konami |publisher = Konami |designer = |composer= Mutsuhiko Izumi |engine = |released = September 1996 |genre = Racing |modes = Single-player, multiplayer |platforms = Arcade }} ''Winding Heat'' is the sequel to ''Road Fighter'' and ''Midnight Run'', released in arcades in 1996.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Webb|first=Marcus |title=Up and Coming Coin-Ops |magazine=Next Generation|issue=20|publisher=Imagine Media |date=August 1996|page=18|quote=The unofficial sequel to ''Midnight Run'', ''Winding Heat'' is a daytime-oriented driving game with more sharp-looking graphics, more selectable car options, and more variation in courses than ''MR''.}}</ref> It first appeared in arcades in September, though most arcades did not receive their units until later.<ref name="NGen22">{{cite magazine|last=Webb|first=Marcus |title=Konami's Back! |magazine=Next Generation|issue=22 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=October 1996|page=22}}</ref> It is an improved version of ''Midnight Run: Road Fighter 2'', though it has more of the normal or tuned cars, and the rules remain the same. Unlike ''Midnight Run'', it takes place on touge roads.
The cabinet came in two configurations: a sitdown version with a 50-inch monitor and an upright version with a 25-inch monitor.<ref name="NGen22"/> Cabinets can be linked to support up to four players.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Winding Heat|magazine=GamePro|issue=99|publisher=IDG|date=December 1996 |page=56}}</ref>
===Winding Heat – Amusement Arcade UK history=== * ''Butlins'' (1999) * ''Trecco Bay'' (1999–2005)
===''Road Fighters'' (2010)=== {{Infobox video game |title = Road Fighters |image = |developer = Konami |publisher = Konami |designer = |engine = |released = {{vgrelease|JP|September 22, 2010}} |genre = Racing |modes = |platforms = Arcade }}
''Road Fighters'' is the Japan-only sequel to the original ''Road Fighter'', released in arcades in 2010. The game features 3D-enhanced graphics, with a mounted pair of goggles used to view the effect. Tracks are set in real-life locations and are all based on race courses from previous Konami racing titles, including ''Enthusia Professional Racing'' and the ''GTI Club'' series. The game includes numerous licensed vehicles, which can be saved using Konami's e-AMUSEMENT Pass containing tuning and customization data. This game is Konami's answer to Sega's ''Initial D Arcade Stage 4'' and Namco's ''Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune'' in terms of card-based games, or Taito's ''Chase H.Q. 2'' in terms of sequels.
Its opening theme "Take Me Higher" was composed (together with the system music) by Sota Fujimori and it was included on beatmania IIDX 18 Resort Anthem as a playable song. In addition, the game includes music from beatmania IIDX and Dance Dance Revolution series, as a form to promote another Konami arcade games.
==Notes== <references group="lower-alpha" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{KLOV game|id=9335}} * {{KLOV game|id=8689|name=Midnight Run}} * {{KLOV game|id=10440|name=Winding Heat}} * [http://www.konami.jp/am/roadfighters/ ''Road Fighters'' 2010 official site]
Category:1984 video games Category:Arcade Archives games Category:Arcade video games Category:Hamster Corporation games Category:Konami arcade games Category:Konami franchises Category:Konami games Category:MSX games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games Category:Racing video games Category:Vehicular combat games Category:Video games developed in Japan Category:Virtual Console games Category:Virtual Console games for Wii Category:Virtual Console games for Wii U