Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Rally-X
open-in-new
<p><i>Rally-X</i> is a <a href="/facts/List_of_maze_video_games/eGPVNtzk">maze chase</a> <a href="/facts/Arcade_video_game/dCRltFVF">arcade video game</a> developed in <a href="/facts/Japan/U5mz0SRT">Japan</a> and <a href="/facts/Germany/paluuWBX">Germany</a> by <a href="/facts/Namco/DA5E3xqv">Namco</a> and released in 1980. In <a href="/facts/North_America/djNjCQIl">North America</a>, it was distributed by <a href="/facts/Midway_Games/NSjWGCeP">Midway Manufacturing</a> and in <a href="/facts/Europe/DTAtrKfh">Europe</a> by Karateco. Players drive a blue <a href="/facts/Formula_One/BwdePyWY">Formula One</a> race car through a multidirectional scrolling maze to collect yellow flags. Boulders block some paths and must be avoided. Red enemy cars pursue the player in an attempt to collide with them. Red cars can be temporarily stunned by laying down <a href="/facts/Smoke_screens/s0Wre6Iq">smoke screens</a> at the cost of fuel. <i>Rally-X</i> is one of the first games with <a href="/facts/Bonus_stage/oSFWM1yF">bonus stages</a> and continuously-playing background music. </p><p><i>Rally-X</i> was designed as a successor to <a href="/facts/Sega/f9TY2kyl">Sega</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/Head_On_(video_game)/vGVx9lxc">Head On</a></i> (1979), an earlier maze chase game with cars. It was a commercial success in Japan, where it was the sixth <a href="/facts/1980_in_video_games/zmMzVAQG">highest-grossing game of 1980</a>, but <a href="/facts/Midway_Manufacturing/NSjWGCeP">Midway Manufacturing</a> released the game in North America to largely underwhelming results. The game is known in North America for an often-repeated, though untrue, story involving its demonstration at the 1980 Amusement & Music Operators Association trade show, where the attending press believed <i>Rally-X</i> was of superior quality than the other games presented, specifically <i><a href="/facts/Pac-Man/Hx1pqvUQ">Pac-Man</a></i>. Though it was well-received by attendees, <i>Rally-X</i> failed to attract much attention during its presentation. </p><p>Reception for <i>Rally-X</i>, both at release and retrospectively, has highlighted its technological accomplishments and high difficulty. Some reviewers have found it to be influential and ahead of its time. <i>Rally-X</i> received several remakes and sequels, beginning with the slightly tweaked <i><a href="/facts/New_Rally-X/h38M5G9j">New Rally-X</a></i> in 1981. It is also included in several <a href="/facts/List_of_Bandai_Namco_video_game_compilations/NQPL27s7">Namco compilations</a>. </p>