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1997

Motocross Go!

Quick Overview

Motocross Go! is Namco's 1997 dirt bike racing game in which you sit astride a motorcycle mockup and steer by leaning and with the handlebars. It was released in Japan on October 30, 1997 and worldwide in 1998. The cabinets can be linked together up to four, so four people can race at once.

Motocross Go!

Basics

  • Release1997 (Japan: October 30, 1997; worldwide: 1998)
  • Developer and publisherNamco
  • GenreDirt bike racing
  • Players1 player per cabinet, up to four cabinets can be linked
  • ControlsMotorcycle mockup: handlebars, throttle and brake, steering by leaning
  • VersionsStandard and deluxe cabinet

Standout Features

You race sitting astride a motorcycle mockupA bike you steer by leaning and with the handlebarsThrottle and brake on the bikeUp to four cabinets can be linkedStandard and deluxe versions

Gameplay

Choosing a trackCompleting the laps before time runs outCornering and drifting by leaning and steeringRacing against players on the linked cabinets

Play It Live!

Get on the bike and lean into the corner! Play Motocross Go! at Arcade Museum Budapest!

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Game Objective

You choose a motocross track and have to complete a set number of laps before time runs out. You steer by leaning and with the handlebars, and use the throttle and brake on the motorcycle mockup. The cabinet's steering allows both cornering and drifting.

Linkable Cabinets

Motocross Go! cabinets can be linked up to four, so four players can race against each other at once. For this each player sits in a separate single-player cabinet. The game was built in standard and deluxe versions.

Fun Facts

  • It came out in Japan on October 30, 1997 and worldwide in 1998.
  • The cabinet is a motorcycle mockup, and you steer by leaning too.
  • Up to four cabinets can be linked.
  • It was built in standard and deluxe versions.
  • You choose the motocross track at the start of the game.

The Evolution of Arcade

Motocross Go! showed that a motorcycle game did not have to be only about throttle and steering: the player's body was part of the control. The simulator-like cabinet was one of the distinctive Namco machines of the late nineties. Today it is of interest to collectors mainly for its unusual controls.

Who Is It For?

Fans of motorcycle games and arcade machines with unusual controls. If you are curious what it feels like to race off-road astride a motorcycle mockup, Motocross Go! is for you.