Viper Racing is a 1998 Dodge-licensed 3D racing video game for Windows PC. It was the first commercially-released game developed by Monster Games.
Gameplay
In Viper Racing, the player could take control of a Dodge Viper, or of one of the few bonus vehicles, including a super car and a small airplane. The game featured several tracks, several pre-generated color/striping layouts, and a carpainter. This carpainter generated a template of the entire car, which could then be painted and decorated with decals and race numbers.
Another feature was the hornball, to be enabled via the options menu. If the player enabled it, and would press the horn while racing, a black/grey ball would be launched from the front of the car. As this ball was heavy and made of a strong material, cars could suffer severe damage crashing into the ball. The ball would disappear though if the player launched a next ball.
Next to the unusual hornball, the game featured a flip-option for the car. Flipping the car depended on how long and how fast the button was pressed. If done properly, the player could make the car crawl through the water and get back on land, or could make the car flip around and land on its wheels. However, when on land, flipping caused damage, also if the car would land on its wheels.
While racing, the player could choose between around 7 or 8 camera's, including several chase and top-down views, a bumper camera, and a camera similar to the bumper camera, but with the front wheels and suspension visible. There was also an interior camera, but from the outside, players could not look inside the car.
The game featured a deformation-only damage model. Minor paint scratches could appear on the body, but eventually the damage model could make cars unrecognizable and undrivable. No parts would fall off however. Cars could even suffer severe damage by hitting signs, but driving into the water would have no consequences to the driving behaviour of the car.
Reception and Legacy
Upon release, Viper Racing received the Editor's Choice award from PC Gamer magazine.