Pole Position, released in 1982 is a legend to gamers. Those that grew up in the arcade could never forget the intro music and line "Prepare to qualify." If ever there was to be a hall of fame for gaming then consider Pole Position to be the first racing game inducted. It's bright graphics, large car sprites and demanding control defined the first great attempt at making a modern racing game. The billboards in Pole Position featured popular Namco characters like Mappy and Pac Man, further ingraining itself onto our young impressionable minds. It was so popular that it even spawned its own Saturday morning cartoon.
The original Pole Position earned many a fan but when the sequel came out it really found its groove. Pole Position II introduced three new tracks, one of which was based on my beloved hometown track of Long Beach. The inclusion of Seaside won over a lot of the people in the southland including my friends and brothers. Both versions of Pole Position were very demanding. The cars were very delicate and the slightest bump would cause them to explode. Like Monaco GP there was a high and a low gear, nothing inbetween. High score runs required amazing reflexes and solid racing strategies, making it a frustrating at times but still a highly enjoyable experience.
Most racing game fans cut their teeth on Pole Position. They will always have a soft spot for the title even with the age of the PS3 and Xbox 360 racing juggernauts.
It comes down to more than nostalgia as the game continues to find audiences with the Pole Position Remix for the iPod / iPhone. I salute this arcade gem for helping push the world toward more realistic racing games. However the Formula-1 game that I played even more than Pole Position or Super Monaco GP was the one that was least realistic. Come back next week to find out what game that was! But be sure to come back tomorrow as I have an extra special interview lined up for you.
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