Racing Gears Advance

RETRO NEWS

Happy Friday, retro friends! Hope you all had a great week and that the weekend allows plenty of retro gaming time. o7

This week’s retro news has ghosts, Pokémon, and one very slow moving balloon.

I’ve been playing this Ghostbusters fan hack through several of its previous updates, and it continues to be one of my favorite fan projects out there. The latest update adds even more to the 1990 Genesis game, including new characters, costumes, cheat codes, a minigame, and plenty more.

RetroSync is also bridging generations with a wireless adapter that will let players trade Pokémon between original Game Boy Advance hardware and Nintendo Switch, with a launch planned for early December.

And Taito’s 1980 arcade shooter Balloon Bomber is back, joining Hamster’s ever growing Arcade Archives lineup on modern consoles.

PRESS START

An Introduction To Today’s Game

Some games earn the title of hidden gem so often that it almost stops meaning anything. Racing Gears Advance might actually deserve it.

You will find this one all over hidden gem lists and videos for racers and the Game Boy Advance in general. I did not discover it until I was an adult, but I have loved it ever since.

It is an arcade racer built around drifting, shortcuts, weapons, licensed cars, and just enough challenge to keep you coming back.

This is one of those games that will eat up your time without you knowing it.

BEHIND THE PIXELS

Let’s Dive Into The Game

If you have never played it, Racing Gears Advance is a combat racer played from an angled overhead view. Think Micro Machines, but with weapons, upgrades, and actual licensed cars.

It was developed by Orbital Media, and despite the small GBA screen, there is a surprising amount going on once a race gets started.

There are twelve racers to choose from, driving cars like the H2 Hummer, Dodge Super 8 Hemi, Lotus Typhoon, and Chevrolet SSR. The drivers are more than different faces, too.

Each has their own ability that can change how you approach a race. One sends opponents spinning if they make contact with you, while another gets a speed boost every time they are hit by a weapon.

The controls are simple. Press A to accelerate, B to brake, and let off the gas in a corner to powerslide. Before each race you can spend that racer's funds on oil slicks, smoke screens, nitro boosts, and land mines.

The computer drivers are capable racers. They can make mistakes just like you do, which keeps the challenge honest. One of my biggest pet peeves in racing games is rubber banding. When the computer falls behind, it will rubber band or cheat, and give advantages to AI cars in order to catch up to you (hello modern Mario Kart). But not here. If you lap an opponent, you earned it.

The main mode is the championship, and there are five of them with five tracks each. Finishing races earns funds for upgrades like tires, engine, and weapon storage, and tires matter because tracks switch between snow, dirt, and other conditions. Here is the catch: upgrades and unlocked tracks belong to each racer, so every driver has to earn their own.

Up to four players can race over link cables but very player needs their own cartridge, since single cartridge play is not supported.

The graphics are beautiful and clean, with 2D sprites that show a fair amount of detail. The screenshots here don’t do the game justice due to the games motion blur but I really do dig the graphics.

The camera is tuned so scenery does not hide your car, and a small arrow marks your spot if you drive behind something. The game also runs smoothly even when a lot is happening on screen.

Hire anyone, anywhere — compliant in under 3 days

Found the right person, but they’re in a country where you don’t have an entity? Setting one up can take months and significant cost.

Remote removes that barrier by becoming the legal employer through our own entities — handling compliant contracts, local benefits, tax setup, and onboarding for you. In fact, an employee is onboarded to Remote every 7 minutes.

Once they’re hired, the same in-house teams that support employment locally also run payroll — so you’re not bouncing between disconnected providers. Less setup, less complexity, and less time between finding the right person and getting them started.

See how it works

GAME INFORMATION

WHERE TO PLAY

• The original copy or emulation will be your best bet in playing the original version.

• Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)

  • Loose: $44

  • Complete: $61

  • New/Sealed: $134

COVER ART

Analytics on Live Data Without Leaving Postgres

When analytics on Postgres slows down, most teams add a second database. Then they manage pipelines, sync lag, and drift forever. TimescaleDB extends Postgres instead. Analytics run on live data, in the database you already have. No pipeline. No migration. No new query language.

Get $1000 Credit

GAME OVER

Why You Should Play This

So why play it today? The controls are tight, the frame rate stays smooth, and the computer drivers do not cheat to catch you. When you lose a race, you know exactly why. This is one of the best racing games on the GBA period.

With twenty five tracks and a long list of upgrades, there is plenty to dig into and there’s hidden shortcuts to reward anyone willing to replay a course a few times.

You will need an original cartridge and a way to play it. A Nintendo DS sequel was announced but later cancelled, which makes this the only finished game in the series. Which is a shame, because this one is a blast to play.

SUPPORT

This is a passion project made with love, and every open or read means the world.
If you’d like to show extra support, you can use the button below.

RETRO HARDWARE

The Miyoo Flip V2 is a tiny clamshell retro handheld that lets you carry a whole library of classic games in your pocket. With a bright screen, solid controls, and the nostalgic flip design we all remember, it’s perfect for quick gaming sessions anywhere. Click the picture to check it out. My readers can use the following code for a 12% discount: NY12