LEGO Racers (Video Game)

LEGO Racers is a LEGO racing video game developed by High Voltage Software and published by LEGO Media, released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation in 1999 and 2000 and for Game Boy Color in 2000 and 2001. The player races as their own custom-built minifigures and cars to become "the greatest LEGO racing champion of all-time".
An arcade game attraction based on LEGO Racers, initially known by the same name but later renamed to Rocket Racers, opened at LEGOLAND Windsor in 2000, developed by Attention to Detail (ATD). LEGO Racers 2, a full sequel which was also developed by ATD, released in 2001.
== Premise ==
Lego Racers is set in the fictional Legoland universe, the game depicts Rocket Racer, the “greatest racing champion” in Legoland. After becoming bored from beating everyone at racing, he decides to create a racing contest, and finds the best racers in the history of Legoland using a dimensional warp machine created by his friend, Veronica Voltage, a genius scientist and mechanic. The player takes on the hosts and co-racers in an attempt to beat Rocket Racer and become the “Greatest Lego Racer of All Time”.
== Gameplay ==
Being a racing game, the gameplay is centered around racing. You can race against computer-controlled (AI) opponents or against another person. There are four types of races: circuit, single, versus (multiplayer), and time trial.
There are seven circuits, and each has a circuit champion. There are total of 26 tracks. 12 of them are mirror tracks (inverted left-to-right or right-to-left) and one of them is a test drive track, available only in Build mode and used for testing the vehicle, not racing.
The "champions" of the game (of the seven circuits) were some of the most popular LEGO minifigures of the time. They are:
Joan of Kart.png|Joan of Kart
Turbo Charger.png|Turbo Charger
Scooter1.PNG|Scooter
Roboracer.png|Roboracer
Captain Redbeard LR1.png|Captain Redbeard (Pirates)
Governor.png|Governor Broadside
Rob N Hood.png|Rob-N-Hood
Pharaoh's Mummy.png|Pharaoh's Mummy
King Kahuka LR1.png|King Kahuka (Islanders)
Islander.png|Islander
Royal King.png|Royal King
Commander Cold-LR1.png|Commander Cold
Achu LR1.png|Achu
Basil The Batlord.png|Basil the Bat Lord (Fright Knights)
Willa the Witch.png|Willa the Witch
Blackjack.png|Blackjack Hawkins
Slyboots-LR1.png|Sam Sinister
Alpha Dragonis LEGO Racers.PNG|Alpha Dragonis
Johnny Thunder-LR1.png|Johnny Thunder (Adventurers)
Sam Sinister LR1.png|Baron von Barron (Adventurers)
Gypsy Moth-LR1.png|Gypsy Moth (Insectoids)
Rr lr1.png|Rocket Racer
Blak knight.png|Black Knight
Admiral (LEGO racers).png|Admiral
Pippinanranadini Reed.png|Gail Storm
Nova Hunter.png|Nova Hunter
Veronica Voltage.png|Veronica Voltage
The exception is the final boss of the game, Rocket Racer, which never officially appeared in a physical set until Minifigures Series 18 in 2018, when he appeared as the Race Car Guy.
Each circuit has four race tracks and all of them are hosted by other characters - a full list of these are in the Racers section below. These characters can be made to race with as well as the champions, as soon as you win the circuit. The tracks from circuits 4 and 5 and 6 are mirrored. Rocket Racer's circuit (7) has only one track, although this one does have a hidden mirrored track that can be played with an official cheat code in a Single Race.
The tracks are based of different lines of LEGO themes released at the time. The only exception is the final track, Rocket Racer Run, which is an original creation for LEGO Racers.
===Build Mode===
In the mode, you can create your driver (where you choose a hat or hair, head, body, and legs and can also mix them where it quickly builds a driver for you) and make license (where you write your name and can also change your photograph) and choose from different car frames to build upon them. 
=== Circuit Races ===
In this mode, you race AI opponents on one of seven circuits. Each circuit consists of four three-lap races on different tracks (with the exception of circuit 7, which contains only one track). Depending on how you place in each race, you get a certain number of points: 30 points for 1st place, 20 points for 2nd, 10 for 3rd, three for 4th, 5th is two points, and last is one point. The points from each track are added to determine the winner of the circuit. If you do not have certain number of points during the circuit race except for the last race (10 points for 1st race, 20 points for 2nd race, and 30 points for 3rd race) then the circuit ends. (If you tie with an AI opponent, you will receive the higher place.)
=== Single Races ===
In this mode, you race against AI opponents around a single track. (You can only race on tracks you have unlocked) You can change the number of opponents you want to face against from 0 to 5. This mode is useful if you are having trouble with a certain track and want to practice without doing an entire circuit or if you just want to race on one track only or if you just want to explore the track. This mode is also used for enabling and using cheats.
=== Versus Races ===
In this mode, you race against a human opponent around a single track. (You can only race on tracks from circuits you have unlocked) You can also change the number of laps in this mode. In the PC version, you can only use this mode if you have a gamepad for your PC connected to it.
=== Time Races ===
In this mode, you race against a "ghost" of Veronica Voltage (and the ghost record of you after your first try). This means that neither of you can affect the other in any way. There are only 12 tracks that you need to race through and none of them are mirrored tracks and Rocket Racer Run track is out. They are the tracks from Circuit 1 and 2 and 3. Also unique to this mode is the placement of power-ups. They are arranged differently than they are in the other modes: the most common are green and white, red only appears when there is a shortcut that can only be accessed with it, blue only appears when there is a hazard on the course that can be avoided with it, and yellow never appears. If the player completes all of the courses for Time Races, then they receive Veronica's car set.
=== Powerup bricks ===
Each track has a number of powerups in the form of bricks placed on it. There are five different colors of bricks. Four of them (red, green, blue and yellow) allow the player to activate their respective power-up whilst the fifth one (white) increases the power of the powerup. The following table displays the properties of each brick, and the affect white bricks have on it:
Color 	Type 	Basic Powerup 	1 Power plus (White) Brick	2 Power plus Bricks 	3 Power plus Bricks
Red 	Projectile	Cannon ball 	Grappling Hook 	Lightning Wand 	3 Guided Rockets
Yellow	Hazard 	Oil Slick 	Barrel ofGun Powder 	Magnetic Trap 	Mummy's Curse
Blue 	Shield 	5 Second Shield(blue)	6 Second Shield(green) 	8 Second Shield¹(yellow)	10 Second Shield¹(red)
Green 	Turbo 	Turbo Boost 	Extra Turbo Boost 	Flying Turbo Boost 	Warp Turbo Boost
:¹ - Reflects Cannon Balls and Rockets. Spins Opponents on Contact.
=== Hazards ===
Almost all tracks have hazards which slow down the player and other racers. They are physical obstructions (giant rolling stones, swinging axes and a falling pillar); hazards which mimic power-ups (cannon fire, falling bombs, electrical discharges, swinging boxes and ground volcanoes which make the player slip and turn, and mummy's curses); or unique hazards (a ghost which spooks the racer and a flying saucer which drags the racer backwards). All hazards can be countered using shields or by avoiding them.
=== Shortcuts ===
Every track in the Game except the Knightmare-Athon has at least one shortcut. Shortcuts can be open (e.g. a tunnel which turns from the track), hidden (e.g. a tunnel hidden by a waterfall), or can only be blasted open by projectile power-ups (e.g. a passage hidden by barrels). However, all the computer racers (with the exception of Veronica Voltage) ignore them.
== Race tracks ==
In the game, there are seven circuits. Placing first, second, or third on a circuit unlocks the next circuit and continues the game.
=== Circuit 1 ===
Imperial Grand Prix map.PNG|Imperial Grand Prix (Pirates)
Dark Forest Dash map.PNG|Dark Forest Dash (Dark Forest)
Magma Moon Marathon map.PNG|Magma Moon Marathon (Exploriens)
Desert Adventure Dragway map.PNG|Desert Adventure Dragway (Egypt)
=== Circuit 2 ===
Tribal Island Trail map.PNG|Tribal Island Trail (Islanders)
Royal Knights Raceway map.PNG|Royal Knights Raceway (Royal Knights)
Ice Planet Pathway map.PNG|Ice Planet Pathway (Ice Planet 2002)
Amazon Adventure Alley map.PNG|Amazon Adventure Alley (Jungle)
=== Circuit 3 ===
Knightmare Athon map.PNG|Knightmare Athon (Fright Knights)
Pirate Skull Pass.PNG|Pirate Skull Pass (Pirates)
Adventure Temple Trail map.PNG|Adventure Temple Trail (Combination of Egypt and Amazon themes)
Alien Rally Asteroid map.PNG|Alien Rally Asteroid (Combination of Insectoids and UFO themes)
=== Circuit 4 ===
Note: Circuits four through six contain mirrored versions of the courses in circuits one through three.
Desert Adventure Dragway map.PNG|Desert Adventure Dragway (Mirror)
Magma Moon Marathon map.PNG|Magma Moon Marathon (Mirror)
Dark Forest Dash map.PNG|Dark Forest Dash (Mirror)
Imperial Grand Prix map.PNG|Imperial Grand Prix (Mirror)
=== Circuit 5 ===
Amazon Adventure Alley map.PNG|Amazon Adventure Alley (Mirror)
Ice Planet Pathway map.PNG|Ice Planet Pathway (Mirror)
Royal Knights Raceway map.PNG|Royal Knights Raceway (Mirror)
Tribal Island Trail map.PNG|Tribal Island Trail (Mirror)
=== Circuit 6 ===
Alien Rally Asteroid map.PNG|Alien Rally Asteroid (Mirror)
Adventure Temple Trail map.PNG|Adventure Temple Trail (Mirror)
Pirate Skull Pass.PNG|Pirate Skull Pass (Mirror)
Knightmare Athon map.PNG|Knightmare Athon (Mirror)
=== Circuit 7 ===
Rocket City Run map.PNG|Rocket Racer Run
===Non-circuit===
Test Track map.png|Test Track
== Racers ==
=== Featured cars ===
* Joan of Kart
* Turbo Charger
* Scooter
* Roboracer
=== Opponents ===
These are all the computer characters in the game and their LEGO themes of origin.
* Circuits 1 and 4
** Captain Redbeard (circuit 1 only) (Pirates)
** Johnny Thunder (circuit 4 only) (Adventurers)
** Governor Broadside (Note: It actually isn't Governor Broadside, only Admiral Woodhouse minifigure with different name) (Pirates)
** Rob-N-Hood (Dark Forest)
** Ann Droid (Exploriens)
** Pharaoh's Mummy (Egypt)
* Circuits 2 and 5
** King Kahuka (circuit 2 only) (Islanders)
** Baron von Barron (circuit 5 only) (Adventurers)
** Islander (Islanders)
** Royal King (Royal Knights)
** Commander Cold (Ice Planet 2002)
** Achu (Amazon)
* Circuits 3 and 6
** Basil the Bat Lord (circuit 3 only) (Fright Knights)
** Gypsy Moth (circuit 6 only) (Insectoids)
** Willa the Witch (Fright Knights)
** Blackjack Hawkins (Pirates)
** Sam Sinister (Egypt)
** Alpha Dragonis (UFO)
* Circuit 7
** Rocket Racer (LEGO Racers original)
** Black Knight (Black Knights)
** Admiral (Pirates)
** Gail Storm (Adventurers)
** Nova Hunter (Exploriens)
* Time Trials
** Veronica Voltage (LEGO Racers original)
==Console versions==
=== Nintendo 64 ===
5703 LEGO Racers is the only LEGO title available on the Nintendo 64. The most obvious distinction that it has from its other 3D versions is the complete absence of FMV sequences. Instead, the N64 version of LEGO Racers reuses the PC demo’s simplified intro that was rendered directly on the game’s engine. Some speculate that this was due to the console’s limited cart space. The physics also make no distinction between motorcars according to the placement and number of their bricks, a feature that it shares with the PSX port and the 2001 revision of the Windows version.
===PlayStation===
The PlayStation port of the game retains the original PC game's intro and FMV sequences, thanks to the system's CD-ROM media as opposed to Nintendo 64. However, control by analog sticks is not supported. It also has relatively long loading times. Like the Nintendo 64 port, its graphical output is slightly below the PC version's smoothness.
=== Game Boy Color ===
This version shares very common similarities with other platforms. Other than just graphics and shortcuts, the only thing that is different from other platforms is the car building because of the Game Boy Color's technical limitations. Players can choose the number of tires and the color of the car but can only put three bricks on their car.
== Gallery ==
LEGO Racers - PSX-Box.jpg|North American NTSC PlayStation Cover Art
LR PS1UKCover.jpg|European PAL PlayStation Cover Art (UK English Release)
RacersGBC.jpg|Game Boy Color Box
LR1 Green Disc.jpg|PC 2001 Release Green Disc
LR1 Purple Disc.jpg|PC 2001 Release Purple Disc
LR1 Silver Disc.jpg|2001 Release Silver Disc
SLUS-00581-D-ALL.jpg|PlayStation North American NTSC Disc
LEGO Racers - PSX-Disc.jpg|PlayStation European PAL Disc
1236_5bb3ea6ebc66f8.57559228_N64_20-_20Lego_20Racers_large_8178127f-a54d-4f4d-96d8-c0a119e26f60.jpg|LEGO Racers Nintendo 64 catridge
149664-lego-racers-nintendo-64-front-cover.jpg|N64 cover US version
==Notes==
* The original PC version was re-released on 2001, featuring bug fixes and compatibility with Windows NT-based operating systems.
* The Knightmare-Athon track had at least two shortcuts in the beta-version of the game, however they were removed in the final version, but the bricks that were inside the shortcuts can still be seen behind the walls.
* Rocket Racer is the only circuit leader without any relationship with another. The Islanders are part of the Pirates theme so Redbeard and Kahuka met each other. Baron von Barron is the arch-enemy of Johnny Thunder. Also according to this video the Insectoids invaded Castle Planet, which is where Basil's castle is. 
* Out of all Nintendo 64 games, this is the only LEGO game released for it.
* The following voice files are set or switched each other for the wrong hosts, usually for the ones that are the opposite:
*# Captain Redbeard's voice and Johnny Thunder's voice.
*# King Kahuka's voice and Baron von Barron's voice.
*# Basil the Bat Lord's voice and Gypsy Moth's voice.
* This is the only LEGO game to be developed by High Voltage Software, except for the Game Boy Color.
* In the PlayStation version, the music tracks for "Dark Forest Dash" and "Royal Knights Raceway" are switched with each other, compared to the Microsoft Windows PC and Nintendo 64 versions.
* The soundtrack when the player does not finish in 1st place on the console versions plays a different soundtrack compared to the Microsoft Windows PC version.
* The Nintendo 64 version has a different introduction scene, even though it was developed by the same people from the same company (High Voltage Software). This is likely due to the Nintendo 64's limitations.
==Goofs==
*In the Circuit 7 intro, Rocket Racer's left arm is blue and his right arm is red.
*In the Circuit 7 intro, however, Captain Redbeard and Governor Broadside's hats make characters' faces invisible when the garage door opens.
==External Links==
*
*Article on the PlayStation Wiki
Category:2000 media
Category:Video Games
Category:Racers
Category:1999 media
 
Category:1999