Checkered Flag is a 1994 racing video game developed by Rebellion Developments and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar. It is a conversion of the 1991 Atari Lynx video game Checkered Flag. In the game, the player controls a Formula One car competing against computer-controlled opponents in races across multiple locations. Gameplay consists of three modes, and the player can choose various weather conditions or customize the vehicle's characteristics.
Checkered Flag was announced in 1993 as one of the first games for Jaguar, being advertised as a sequel to the Atari Lynx original. Rebellion were commissioned to work on a 3D single-player driving game. The project initially started as a simulation racer, but later evolving into a more action-oriented title as a homage to Virtua Racing, being reportedly developed under a low budget. The game garnered a mixed reception from critics and retrospective commentators, all of whom compared it to Virtua Racing; praise was given to the visuals, selection of tracks, weather conditions, and vehicle customization, but others expressed mixed opinions regarding the audio. Some reviewers also criticized the controls, frame rate, AI, and lack of a two-player mode. By 1995, the game had sold 20,257 copies.
Gameplay
Checkered Flag is a three-dimensional Formula One racing game, similar to the Atari Lynx 1991 video game Checkered Flag and Virtua Racing, where the main goal is to finish a race ahead of other racers controlled by the computer. The player can customize the vehicle's overall handling characteristics before a race. The player can choose various weather conditions and adjust the number of laps. By entering a cheat code at the options menu, players have access to a night weather condition. During gameplay, the player can alternate between six different camera views.
There are three different modes of play to choose from at the options screen: Single Race, Free Practice and Tournament. Single Race is a race mode where players compete against computer-controlled opponents on any track and complete a number of laps. Free Practice is a time trial mode, where players race against the clock to achieve the best time possible and practice their driving skills. Tournament is a season mode where players compete against five opponents to reach the first place across ten different tracks.
Development and release
Checkered Flag for the Atari Jaguar was created by Rebellion Developments, a Oxford-based game developer founded in 1992 by brothers Jason and Chris Kingsley. Its foundation was laid when the brothers secured a deal with Atari Corporation; Rebellion presented a demo for Atari Falcon, which depicted flying dragons against longships to the publisher's directors, whom sought games for the Jaguar. They were commissioned to work on Checkered Flag and Alien vs Predator after being impressed with their previous release, Eye of the Storm (1993) for PC. It is a conversion of the 1991 Atari Lynx title Checkered Flag.
It was produced by John Skruch, with Jason Kingsley serving as coordinator. Robert Dibley acted as the game's programmer, while artist Justin Rae was responsible for the graphics. The music was composed by Alex Quarmby, James Grunke, Nathan Brenholdt, and Will Davis. Rebellion first began the project as a simulation racer but later evolved into a more action-oriented title. Jason Kingsley described it as a homage to Virtua Racing, and stated that the lack of a two-player mode was due to Atari Corporation's commission to create a 3D single-player driving game. GamePro writer Manny LaMancha reportedly pointed out that the game was developed under a low budget.
The game was announced in 1993 as one of the first games for Atari Jaguar under the title Jaguar Formula One Racing. It was advertised as a sequel to the 1991 Atari Lynx video game Checkered Flag, planning for a first quarter 1994 release date under the name Checkered Flag II. The game was first revealed at the 1994 Winter Consumer Electronics Show. It was previewed as Redline Racing before being renamed under its final title, Checkered Flag. It made appearances at other events such as the 1994 Summer CES, the 1994 ECTS Autumn, and the London Planetarium. Checkered Flag was first published in North America on November 1994, and later in Europe on December 1994. It was distributed in Japan by retailer Messe Sanoh. In 2008, the hobbyist community Jaguar Sector II released the game's source code in its Jaguar Source Code Collection.