Mach Rider (NES)

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Mach Rider
Mach Rider - NES - USA.jpg
Platform: NES
Year: 1985
Developer: Nintendo R&D1, HAL Laboratory, Inc.
Buy: Amazon

Mach Rider is an action racing game developed and published by HAL Laboratory and Nintendo. It was a part of the 'black box' games released by Nintendo. The game uses a modified engine from their previous game, F1 Race. In this game, you play as the Mach Rider. The year is 2112, and a group of terrorist bikers known as the Quadrunners have taken over several cities. As the Mach Rider, you must ride through several areas to stop them. There are four modes in the game; Fighting Course is the story mode. You must get to the end of the level without losing all your lives. Something unique about this option is that the game allows you to select between two different courses for each level. There are twenty stages in all, and after you complete all twenty, you go back to the first stage. In Endurance Course, you must travel a certain amount of kilometers within the allotted time limit, Solo Course is the same thing, except without enemies, and Design Mode allows users to create their own custom tracks. Unfortunately, like Excitebike (NES), the Save option doesn't work in the international versions because it required the Famicom Data Recorder.

The game received mixed to positive reviews from critics and players.

Screenshots

Mach Rider - NES - Title Screen.png

The title screen.

Mach Rider - NES - Course Selection.png

The story and course selection.

Mach Rider - NES - Gameplay 1.png

4 kilometers to go...

Mach Rider - VS - Mach Rider Helmet.png

Mach Rider from the VS version.

Mach Rider - VS - Mach Rider Unmasked.png

Mach Rider is unmasked after you beat ten courses.


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Music

Because Mach Rider is an earlier title, its soundtrack leaves a lot to be desired. However, those who have played have fondly remembered the music. In particular, the title music and in-game themes are the most memorable. Years later, Super Smash Bros. Melee (GC) featured a "hidden song" which was a mashup of various themes from the game, performed by a live band.

The NSF file also contains the high score entry song from the VS version. The VS version is a little different though, as it keeps looping until your name is entered, then the song plays an ending theme for it.

The names of the songs come from the Game Sound Museum ~Famicom Edition~ S-1 Bike Game Series CD. We have altered the order of the songs since the CD leaves out a couple songs; a second bonus fanfare and the Name Registration in the VS version.

Recording

# Title ComposerProgrammer Length Listen Download
01 Title Screen Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 0:18
Download
02 Course Selection Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 0:20
Download
03 Decision Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 0:04
Download
04 Main BGM 1 Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 1:13
Download
05 Main BGM 2 Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 2:59
Download
06 Game Over Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 0:03
Download
07 Course Clear Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 0:02
Download
08 Bonus 1 Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 0:01
Download
09 Bonus 2 Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 0:01
Download
10 Name Registration (VS) Hideki KanazashiHiroaki Suga 0:12
Download

Credits

(Source: VS High Scores, Verification from staff; Game lacks credits.)

Because this is an early game, there are no credits. We had originally received verification from Tadashi Ikegami that Hideki was the game's composer. In 2022, we have received personal verification from Hideki that he composed the game's music.

In the VS arcade version, the game features a high scores screen. In the default scores, many of the three-letter initials match the aliases of HAL staff at the time including FLZ (Makoto Kanai), HNY (Akio Hanyu). GSX, an alias used frequently by Hiroaki Suga, is found among the high scores.

Albums

Game Rip

Formats

Download

Size

NSF.png

Download 7 KB

The NSF rip contains all ten songs and fifteen sound effects. In the BGM music, the triangle channel plays the motorcycle sound effect, so it was shut off during the recording.

Ripping NES music is a very arduous process that is beyond the scope of this site.

Releases

  USA.svg   USA
Mach Rider - NES - USA.jpg
Title: Mach Rider
Platform: NES
Released: 1985-10-18
Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
  Japan.svg   Japan
Mach Rider - FC.JPG
Title: マッハライダー (Mach Rider)
Platform: Famicom
Released: 1985-11-21
Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
  USA.svg   USA
Vs. System.jpg
Title: Vs. Mach Rider
Platform: Vs. System
Released: 1985-??-??
Publisher: Nintendo of America, Inc.
  Asia.svg   Asia
BoxMissing.png
Title: Mach Rider
Platform: NES
Released: 1985-??-??
Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
  EU.svg   EU
Mach Rider - NES - EU.jpg
Title: Mach Rider
Platform: NES
Released: 1987-03-15
Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
  Germany.svg   Germany
Mach Rider - NES - Germany.jpg
Title: Mach Rider
Platform: NES
Released: 198?-??-??
Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
  Spain.svg   Spain
Mach Rider - NES - Spain.jpg
Title: Mach Rider
Platform: NES
Released: 198?-??-??
Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Links