Moto Roader II (Japan)
Moto Roader II (Japan) on TG16
Moto Roader II is a futuristic racing game that hit the NEC TurboGrafx-16 in Japan as a sequel to the original Moto Roader. The developers dropped the lighter, future-lite aesthetic of the first game and went with a darker, harder sci-fi look. It's a Japanese exclusive, so you'll be dealing with menus in Japanese if you play the original ROM.
You race through a series of tracks, but now you aren't limited to just a car. The big new addition is the ability to choose between a standard car, a tank, or a hovercraft. Each vehicle handles differently - tanks are slower but tougher, hovercraft glide over terrain, and cars sit somewhere in between. The core loop is simple: pick your vehicle, race against opponents, and try to finish first. Weapons or power-ups might be present, but I can't confirm specifics without playing more.
For TurboGrafx-16 racing fans, Moto Roader II offers a neat twist with its vehicle variety. It's not a system that had many racing games, so this one stands out for letting you drive something other than a car. That said, it's a niche title - the graphics are dated even for the era, and without knowing Japanese, you might find the menus tricky. Still, it's worth a look if you want to see how the series evolved.
How to Play Moto Roader II (Japan) Online
To start playing, first select your vehicle from the title screen. You have three choices: a car, a tank, or a hovercraft. Use the D-Pad to highlight your pick and press X to confirm. Once in a race, accelerate with the B button (S key) and steer with left and right on the D-Pad. If you need to brake or reverse, check the controls - it might be mapped to one of the shoulder buttons.
Since this is a Japanese-only title, the menus are in Japanese. The main menu likely has options for single race, time trial, or maybe a championship mode. If you see kanji, don't worry - the racing interface is fairly straightforward: your position, lap count, and speed are displayed as numbers. The core gameplay loop is all about choosing your vehicle, learning its handling, and beating the other racers to the finish line. Take a few practice laps to get a feel for how the tank drifts or how the hovercraft glides over obstacles.
Moto Roader II (Japan) Keyboard Controls
Controls
- Arrow Keys: D-Pad / Movement
- X: I button
- S: II button
- Enter: Run / Start
- V: Select
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