Pole Position Race Game - Play Fun Classic Racing Games Online
Check out this online html5 based game 'F1 Pole Race', a really nice 3D clone of the 30 year old classic racing game Pole Position by Atari-Namco. This version does a nice job at capturing the overall look and feel of the classic game, all the while adding sharper and crisper graphics as well as significantly more attention to details. In this online game, the player controls a Formula One race car, and has to complete a time trial lap within a certain amount of time (between 90 and 120 seconds) to qualify for an F1 race at the Fuji Racetrack. After qualifying, the player races against seven other CPU-controlled cars in a championship race (but if he or she does not qualify, the car will stay on the track until the timer runs out). The player must also avoid going off the road so that he or she will not crash into the billboards. Pole Position was the first racing video game to feature a track based on a real racing circuit. It was also the first race game to feature a qualifying lap, requiring the player to complete a time trial before they can compete in Grand Prix races. Once the player has qualified, they must complete the race in the time allowed, avoiding collisions with CPU-controlled opponents and billboards along the sides of the track. The game's publisher Atari publicized the game for its unbelievable driving realism in providing a Formula 1 experience behind a racing wheel. The game's graphics featured full-colour landscapes with scaling sprites, including race cars and other signs, and a perspective view of the track, with its vanishing point swaying side to side as the player approaches corners, accurately simulating forward movement into the distance. Have Fun!
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How to Play Pole Position Game
Use your arrow keys to steer. Z key is used for gas. You can find a more detailed control list and are also able to modify the controls within the game. The challenge is to race your Indy car around the Fuji course before the timer runs out. The first run is the qualifying lap and your starting position is determined by your completion time. Avoid road hazards and other cars as you drive, earning extra time for each completed lap.
Pole Position video game history
Pole Position was created by Namco Inc., which manufactured the game for the entire world except for the United States. Aside from the Japanese words found on the Namco version, the graphics on the cabinet's side and the billboards within the game are essentially the same. In comparison to the Atari release, the only noticeable differences are the Atari Racing decal on the dashboard and the blimp marked Atari with the message "Prepare To Qualify" at the start of a race; the Namco version lacks markings on the blimp.
By 1983, Pole Position had become the highest-grossing arcade game of the year in North America, selling over 21,000 machines for $61 million, equivalent to about $150 million in 2014. It was the most successful racing game of the classic era, leading to ports, sequels, and even a Saturday morning cartoon. Pole Position established the conventions of the racing game genre and inspired numerous imitators, solidifying its status as one of the most influential video games of all time and arguably the most important racing game ever made.
