Generation 16

WELCO METOT HENEX TLEVEL - BC Racers

Chris Johnston

27 Aug 2010 • 2 min read

Publisher: Core Design

Developer: Core Design Released: 1994

Was there a more prolific Sega CD developer than Core Design? Probably not. Hot on the heels of my Battlecorps bit comes BC Racers. I could rattle on and on about all the names attached to this game that would eventually go on to create the Tomb Raider franchise, or how Core was really pushing the 3D envelope on the Sega CD, or how they ultimately disappeared from the video game landscape...but that was all covered in the previous WELO METOT HENEX TLEVEL entry. Go read it. It was awesome.

BC Racers is the third game in Core's Chuck Rock series. Back in the 16-bit era, everyone seemed to think that, to be successful, you needed some sort of mascot. Chuck Rock was Core's answer to that requirement – an overweight caveman that starred in a couple of fairly mediocre sidescrolling platformers.

Considering Mario was the reason everyone felt the need to create their own mascots, it's no surprise that Core followed Nintendo's lead right to the point that their caveman ended up starring in a kart racer, as well.

But this isn't really a Mario Kart clone in the strictest sense. BC Racers feels like Mario Kart without the weapons, merged with the combat style of Road Rash, and without even half the charm of either game.

So in a way, BC Racers maintained about the same level of quality we'd come to expect from the Chuck Rock series. The game isn't necessarily bad, it's just not really exceptional in any way.

And talk about backing the wrong horse – BC Racers appeared on the Sega CD, 32X, and 3DO. Good choices!

One tiny bit of interesting info I found while doing my research on BC Racers (considering I blew the Lara Croft wad on Battlecorps) is that one of the concept guys on this game eventually went on to be one of the programmers on Robotech: The Macross Saga for the GBA. OK...so that's not overly interesting, but it does give me a very miniscule link to this game – the first game I ever worked on as a developer being a Robotech title and all.

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