Ah, yes. I remember seeing this game on our neighbor's Apple IIc. We were so jealous of him then. But we didn't have the cash for our own high-falootin' computer, so we had to make do with the printed one with counters and dice. Had a lot of fun drawing our maps and playing the console of our minds, though.
I'd love to get my hands on the Origin game, though. Thanks for the Memory Lane trip!
man that game goes way back. there was a squeal too this game for me. you got this massive Vehicle that was a like a monster truck. You drove around the streets Fight a c 64 game forgot the name though. it was a top down game.
@starknight97 Staknight did you ever play a game called Interstate76? I am playing it now and it is the only game that gave me the same feeling as AutoDuel.
@theelusiveone yes i did main thing i remember about that game first 1st person game that you could get in and out of a car i remember anyway. though their 1 other game that game a feel like auto duel just can't remember it name. i remember driving a big foot like vehicular around town improving it. Just got done with statecraft 2 was great game even with crap graphics too play again too.
@theelusiveone originally when i played them C64 for both. yet i looked back at c64 their is so many games. So fare i fond this which seem like a newer version Hard Truck Apocalypse, currently at (version 1.7 stable now). watch?v=aItKf1lREx8 Though the 1 i remember top down graphics like GTA 1. Big ass red truck i even remember parking it in people houses drive ways when i walked out side it. Filled up their hole drive ways too lol.
Great video, brought back so many memories of playing this on our Atari 800XL. I had forgotten about salvaging parts from defeated cars! This game is too good. A remake would be great, as long as they don't mess around too much with the basic design. Or make it 3D. :) Again, awesome video and channel!
I bought this game I think around 86 or 87 when I was still in high gear with my C64 days. Had a lot of fun although I never usually got too far in the game itself.
@starknight97 I don't have a video. I did save the game right before the ending. I can do it over again at any time but I never made a video before and don't even know how to. I played it on an Atari 800 emulator. After the last fight the game still allows you to play on and finish other errands and stuff like that. Im going to jump back into the game soon and finish all the other stuff and see what happens. What system or emulator are you playing on?
@theelusiveone Think mines dos as i had too use dosbox. I should get there soon tough game went broke twice and so tough to come back. lost a car for fuel that so crappy lol. Sweet i love games with freedom like that.
Now I have color using Artifacting with the AtariWinPlus emulator. The color is terrible on this version but the gameplay is even harder then the others. Vicious difficulty, I LOVE IT!
Brings back memories. My friends and I played Car Wars back in the 80s. Autoduel came out when I was older, and it was one of the few video games that I played. I kept dueling in the arena until I won LOTS cash, then loaded up a pickup with armor until it was full. MG or RR front, FT rear, I believe. Remaining cash for Gold Cross, etc. You need armor; pickup is best. MG and rockets are best for ammo. "Punch" in front; "stinging" defense in rear. Forget driving skills; all marksmanship.
Great review blacklilly8. Autoduel is one of my all time favorites. I had it on the atari 800 and 130xe. I wish I still had my Atari to play it. They do have excellent Atari emulators but for some reason I can not get Autoduel to work. I love your review of M.U.L.E also.
Fantastic! I've been a big fan of Steve Jacksons' "Car Wars" since I was a teen and was intrigued by the C64 version of Autoduel but ultimately disappointed with it for various reasons. There should be an updated version more closely related to the original table top game.
Thanks so much for the review. Good job. You have a new subscriber.
Thanks, Konuvis. We've been talking about Interstate 76 a bit over at Armchair Arcade. From what I've heard, it's pretty much a must-play if you're into vehicular combat games. Haven't heard much about Rage.
As recently as two years ago there was still a guy running a server that you could connect to and play i-76 with other players. Unfortunately the game is difficult (but not impossible!) to get running on a modern PC.
Along the lines of Hot Rod, what about my beloved "Motor City Online"? It was like Hot Rod with MMO economy for the car parts. Man I miss that one...
Back on topic, I recently tried Autoduel and wow, really difficult!
Ah, Street Rod. I played that game to death on my Commodore 64. I even considered taking a small engines class just because of my interest in the game. :)
I think "Interstate 76" by Activision was probably the closest thing to a remake of this game to come out. I really wish a proper remake would come out but considering "Car Wars" is now a trading card game, it wouldn't be the same.
It's not an RPG by any stretch of the imagination, but the game Street Rod had a similar feel in some respects. At least, it grabbed me and made me want to learn the basics of engine work. :) I could easily see, though, doing something like that but with a more distinct RPG element. I'm having trouble seeing this as a card game, and this is coming from a guy who played Magic back in the day.
I wanted to add that the manual indicates that there is a unique two player mode for the Apple II (and gs AFAIK). In that mode, one player controls the car and the other aims the guns. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds very interesting--love to hear from you if you have tried it or know anything about it.
Game difficulties have dramatically diminshed over time. Finishing a game these days is usually more a matter of time than it is increasing skills. In fact, games commonly get criticised by reviewers for not walking players through every aspect of a game's story and/or mechanics. Some of the most satisfying experiences of old games are when you stumble upon something important after hours or days of frustration. These days such things are usually considered faults. Alas, how far have we come!?
That's what always impresses me about the early CRPGs. The level of detail and complexity is incredible, and they often had very steep learning curves. I kinda miss that, actually. So many modern games are just too simple. Games like Autoduel really made you do your homework.
It's all about the sales figures now. If someone can finish their game, then it means they might buy the next one or buy any updates or packs. Even some of these modern age arcade/retro games are far too easy. Oh well... :)
When MaximumRD posted his video requesting "which classic games are in need of an update?" Autoduel was the first game that came to mind for me. It is such a great idea that could really use some modern whiz-bang and gameplay tweaks. Autoduel looks way more primitive in your video than I remember it being!
Great work as always, Matt. Perhaps some programmer(s) will find inspiration from this video and get to work on a modern remake of this game.
Perhaps this game was a little ahead of its time. It is really a fantastic concept and well designed, though I think the vision and scope here is really beyond what the machines could handle at the time. A remake could be a hit, if done well.
Don't get me wrong though--I spent many happy hours playing it. Though it can be frustrating (I thought it was a little too easy to die) , I really had a blast.
Once again, Matt, another top-fuel, high-gear, rubber-burning review. Keep on trucking!
I can agree with that. IMO, it was an impressive achievement on the Apple II, but they should have added more bells and whistles to the '88 ports. I think if they had, it would have been about three times as popular. Just imagine what they could do today with all the amazing physics and such in racing games. Mind blowing!!!
I'd never heard of this game before until last year when it polled #46 in The Great Atari ST Game Survey that I held last year. Needless to say, it was a very pleasant surprise! The ST version looks very similar to the Apple one you were playing.
Thanks for watching and commenting, the joyofsticks! I bet it could have been higher up on the list if Origin had only invested more money in enhancing the audiovisuals! The ST was more than capable of putting the Apple II version to shame.
Nice video series! I would like to see more videos, but the quality, production values, and quality narration, makes this series very hard to top on You Tube, particularly with a weekly update schedule! Keep up the good work.
I'm not lucky. The only game I have that you did mention in this review is Twisted Metal, my first psp game. Long time ago I've played a Commodore 64 game called Destruction Derby, but it's not exactly the same style of game you are talking about.
Ah, Destruction Derby. Fun game--you might also like Racing Destruction Set. There are many games that have cars destroying each other, but not as many (at least that I know if; could be wrong) that take an RPG approach. It's a bit surprising given the possibilities. I could see tank games based on this model as well as other types of vehicles (planes, horses, dragons, etc.)
I don't think it's a good thing for a game to have a steep learning curve. As long as there is a curve and not a flat line.
Gooberslot 2 months ago
Ah, yes. I remember seeing this game on our neighbor's Apple IIc. We were so jealous of him then. But we didn't have the cash for our own high-falootin' computer, so we had to make do with the printed one with counters and dice. Had a lot of fun drawing our maps and playing the console of our minds, though.
I'd love to get my hands on the Origin game, though. Thanks for the Memory Lane trip!
1manwalkingfreakshow 10 months ago
This game was surely very good by the time Mad Max came out.. i used to watch that movie over and over again when i was a kid :P
00Miedo 11 months ago
man that game goes way back. there was a squeal too this game for me. you got this massive Vehicle that was a like a monster truck. You drove around the streets Fight a c 64 game forgot the name though. it was a top down game.
starknight97 1 year ago
@starknight97 Staknight did you ever play a game called Interstate76? I am playing it now and it is the only game that gave me the same feeling as AutoDuel.
theelusiveone 1 year ago
@theelusiveone yes i did main thing i remember about that game first 1st person game that you could get in and out of a car i remember anyway. though their 1 other game that game a feel like auto duel just can't remember it name. i remember driving a big foot like vehicular around town improving it. Just got done with statecraft 2 was great game even with crap graphics too play again too.
starknight97 1 year ago
@starknight97 Hmmm what system did you play that other car game on? PC, Commodore, Atari? Maybe it was a game called Car wars.
theelusiveone 1 year ago
@theelusiveone originally when i played them C64 for both. yet i looked back at c64 their is so many games. So fare i fond this which seem like a newer version Hard Truck Apocalypse, currently at (version 1.7 stable now). watch?v=aItKf1lREx8 Though the 1 i remember top down graphics like GTA 1. Big ass red truck i even remember parking it in people houses drive ways when i walked out side it. Filled up their hole drive ways too lol.
starknight97 1 year ago
This game is in such desperate need of a modern remake.
blacbraun 1 year ago
Asian wives waiting # lushfmlk.info #
fififamiliya 1 year ago
The easy way to get going in this game was to go to AC and gamble till you had a HUGE bankroll!
stormcrow7878 1 year ago
Great video, brought back so many memories of playing this on our Atari 800XL. I had forgotten about salvaging parts from defeated cars! This game is too good. A remake would be great, as long as they don't mess around too much with the basic design. Or make it 3D. :) Again, awesome video and channel!
niceandgames 1 year ago
I bought this game I think around 86 or 87 when I was still in high gear with my C64 days. Had a lot of fun although I never usually got too far in the game itself.
cygon72 1 year ago
I just beat the GAME.........YEssssssssssssssss!
theelusiveone 1 year ago 4
@theelusiveone Grats!
blacklily8 1 year ago
@theelusiveone you have i'm playing it again i love too video of the mr big fight?
starknight97 1 year ago
@starknight97 I don't have a video. I did save the game right before the ending. I can do it over again at any time but I never made a video before and don't even know how to. I played it on an Atari 800 emulator. After the last fight the game still allows you to play on and finish other errands and stuff like that. Im going to jump back into the game soon and finish all the other stuff and see what happens. What system or emulator are you playing on?
theelusiveone 1 year ago
@theelusiveone Think mines dos as i had too use dosbox. I should get there soon tough game went broke twice and so tough to come back. lost a car for fuel that so crappy lol. Sweet i love games with freedom like that.
starknight97 1 year ago
Now I have color using Artifacting with the AtariWinPlus emulator. The color is terrible on this version but the gameplay is even harder then the others. Vicious difficulty, I LOVE IT!
theelusiveone 1 year ago
LOL the Atari XL version is in black and white.
theelusiveone 1 year ago
YEA!!!! Just got AutoDuel working on Atari emulator. Love it. 20 years later I am going to finish this vicious game.
theelusiveone 1 year ago
I played this game quite a bit on my apple 2c back in the day. I used to spend alot of time at the casino in Atlantic City
Motard98 2 years ago
What happens if you go into the FBI building?
Unless I missed it, this is the first Matt Chat that you didn't plug your books.
vintagevideogamegeek 2 years ago
Nothing happens in the FBI building until the end of the game when a special task is presented
Motard98 2 years ago
Autoduel was amazing, Steve Jackson who created Car Wars, was a visionary.
A1R5N1P3R 2 years ago
"More patient, had a lot more tolerance, didn't mind a steep learning curve"....
What you mean is 'more intelligent' - as in 'not dumbed down'!!!!
Very diplomatic!
HardWarUK 2 years ago
Brings back memories. My friends and I played Car Wars back in the 80s. Autoduel came out when I was older, and it was one of the few video games that I played. I kept dueling in the arena until I won LOTS cash, then loaded up a pickup with armor until it was full. MG or RR front, FT rear, I believe. Remaining cash for Gold Cross, etc. You need armor; pickup is best. MG and rockets are best for ammo. "Punch" in front; "stinging" defense in rear. Forget driving skills; all marksmanship.
Tubes12AX7k 2 years ago
Great review blacklilly8. Autoduel is one of my all time favorites. I had it on the atari 800 and 130xe. I wish I still had my Atari to play it. They do have excellent Atari emulators but for some reason I can not get Autoduel to work. I love your review of M.U.L.E also.
theelusiveone 2 years ago
Thanks! These are both games that are long overdue for a good remake.
blacklily8 2 years ago
Fantastic! I've been a big fan of Steve Jacksons' "Car Wars" since I was a teen and was intrigued by the C64 version of Autoduel but ultimately disappointed with it for various reasons. There should be an updated version more closely related to the original table top game.
Thanks so much for the review. Good job. You have a new subscriber.
Adventurestud 2 years ago
Thanks! I hope you also enjoy the new episodes.
blacklily8 2 years ago
Looks like an interesting game! Nice ending line by the way! haha
BackForwardPunch 2 years ago 2
Thanks!
blacklily8 2 years ago
Another great one Matt!
I had never heard of this game but it looks good, very involved.
The battle cars also reminded me of Interstate 76 (such a great game) though it's not an RPG you could consider all the car upgrades semi RPGish.
Another game that might be reminiscent of this is the upcoming Rage but we have to see more.
Konuvis 2 years ago
Thanks, Konuvis. We've been talking about Interstate 76 a bit over at Armchair Arcade. From what I've heard, it's pretty much a must-play if you're into vehicular combat games. Haven't heard much about Rage.
blacklily8 2 years ago
What really makes Interstate '76 so great is the great voice work and the amazingly funky soundtrack.
Rage is the new Carmack property and seems to mix FPS with vehicular combat/races in a post apocalyptic world.
Konuvis 2 years ago
As recently as two years ago there was still a guy running a server that you could connect to and play i-76 with other players. Unfortunately the game is difficult (but not impossible!) to get running on a modern PC.
Along the lines of Hot Rod, what about my beloved "Motor City Online"? It was like Hot Rod with MMO economy for the car parts. Man I miss that one...
Back on topic, I recently tried Autoduel and wow, really difficult!
illy5603 2 years ago
Another great review!
tgaskill 2 years ago
Thanks!
blacklily8 2 years ago
Most excellent review sir! Thank you!
sys2074 2 years ago
Thanks!
blacklily8 2 years ago
Street Rod was a great game- great replayability despite a limited amount of scope and randomness.
I wanted to mention Activision's previous car combat game- Death Track. Again, it's wasn't an RPG, but was a terrific action game.
Monchanger 2 years ago
Ah, Street Rod. I played that game to death on my Commodore 64. I even considered taking a small engines class just because of my interest in the game. :)
blacklily8 2 years ago
Great review Matt,
I think "Interstate 76" by Activision was probably the closest thing to a remake of this game to come out. I really wish a proper remake would come out but considering "Car Wars" is now a trading card game, it wouldn't be the same.
illy5603 2 years ago
It's not an RPG by any stretch of the imagination, but the game Street Rod had a similar feel in some respects. At least, it grabbed me and made me want to learn the basics of engine work. :) I could easily see, though, doing something like that but with a more distinct RPG element. I'm having trouble seeing this as a card game, and this is coming from a guy who played Magic back in the day.
blacklily8 2 years ago
I wanted to add that the manual indicates that there is a unique two player mode for the Apple II (and gs AFAIK). In that mode, one player controls the car and the other aims the guns. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds very interesting--love to hear from you if you have tried it or know anything about it.
blacklily8 2 years ago
Hi Matt. you re doing good... we miss you guys.....
NickPaidaros 2 years ago
Thanks! We miss you, too!
blacklily8 2 years ago
Game difficulties have dramatically diminshed over time. Finishing a game these days is usually more a matter of time than it is increasing skills. In fact, games commonly get criticised by reviewers for not walking players through every aspect of a game's story and/or mechanics. Some of the most satisfying experiences of old games are when you stumble upon something important after hours or days of frustration. These days such things are usually considered faults. Alas, how far have we come!?
marcusmalone 2 years ago
If I remember correctly there is a trick to winning a lot of money and there is an easy way to 'win' the game..
Yakumo9275 2 years ago
I don't doubt it! Though I'd prefer not to know about it. Ruins the fun! ;)
blacklily8 2 years ago
This game looks like a lot of fun! Never seen it, but will be sure to check it out now. Thanks for this one Matt, another great entry in your series.
This game would be great material for a remake. It could use the touch up in the presentation, but the mechanics look fine as they are!
HalfBlindGamer 2 years ago
I agree. I really would enjoy a remake of this game. Maybe someone will see this video and be inspired!
blacklily8 2 years ago
I am a amazed at the level of depth/detail.
skateblind007 2 years ago
That's what always impresses me about the early CRPGs. The level of detail and complexity is incredible, and they often had very steep learning curves. I kinda miss that, actually. So many modern games are just too simple. Games like Autoduel really made you do your homework.
blacklily8 2 years ago
It's all about the sales figures now. If someone can finish their game, then it means they might buy the next one or buy any updates or packs. Even some of these modern age arcade/retro games are far too easy. Oh well... :)
skateblind007 2 years ago
When MaximumRD posted his video requesting "which classic games are in need of an update?" Autoduel was the first game that came to mind for me. It is such a great idea that could really use some modern whiz-bang and gameplay tweaks. Autoduel looks way more primitive in your video than I remember it being!
Great work as always, Matt. Perhaps some programmer(s) will find inspiration from this video and get to work on a modern remake of this game.
rowdyrob3d 2 years ago
Perhaps this game was a little ahead of its time. It is really a fantastic concept and well designed, though I think the vision and scope here is really beyond what the machines could handle at the time. A remake could be a hit, if done well.
Don't get me wrong though--I spent many happy hours playing it. Though it can be frustrating (I thought it was a little too easy to die) , I really had a blast.
Once again, Matt, another top-fuel, high-gear, rubber-burning review. Keep on trucking!
RichardEllwood 2 years ago
I can agree with that. IMO, it was an impressive achievement on the Apple II, but they should have added more bells and whistles to the '88 ports. I think if they had, it would have been about three times as popular. Just imagine what they could do today with all the amazing physics and such in racing games. Mind blowing!!!
blacklily8 2 years ago
I think a modern version of this game would be really fun to play. Of course I'm an RPG whore so that might be why.
6thfloormadness 2 years ago
I'm with you on that one. I could even see it working as an MMO--at least it'd be something radically different than the other stuff out there.
blacklily8 2 years ago
Well there was Auto Assault, but that didn't really catch on to well...
HalfBlindGamer 2 years ago
Comment removed
6thfloormadness 2 years ago
Oops, didn't see your post there halfblind gamer.
6thfloormadness 2 years ago
Hey no problem at all man!
HalfBlindGamer 2 years ago
Actually, that's been done. Auto Assault, I never played it but from what I heard it was really bad.
6thfloormadness 2 years ago
Cool episode. Not plugging the book anymore actually works improve the lengh of the footage.
wrestletube1 2 years ago
I think he should continue to plug the book, who writes a book and doesn't want people to know about? It is his job. Keep plugging away Matt! :)
skateblind007 2 years ago
Amen, brother!
blacklily8 2 years ago
I'd never heard of this game before until last year when it polled #46 in The Great Atari ST Game Survey that I held last year. Needless to say, it was a very pleasant surprise! The ST version looks very similar to the Apple one you were playing.
Great vid, Matt!
thejoyofsticks 2 years ago
Thanks for watching and commenting, the joyofsticks! I bet it could have been higher up on the list if Origin had only invested more money in enhancing the audiovisuals! The ST was more than capable of putting the Apple II version to shame.
blacklily8 2 years ago
The scale of this game is really impressive for it's time. Despite the difficulty, it looks like a lot of fun!
n8great321 2 years ago
It's got a steep learning curve, but once you get into it you're pretty well hooked.
blacklily8 2 years ago
Nice video series! I would like to see more videos, but the quality, production values, and quality narration, makes this series very hard to top on You Tube, particularly with a weekly update schedule! Keep up the good work.
AirPhforce 2 years ago 2
Thanks for watching and commenting, AirPhforce!
blacklily8 2 years ago
Again, another great video!
I'm not lucky. The only game I have that you did mention in this review is Twisted Metal, my first psp game. Long time ago I've played a Commodore 64 game called Destruction Derby, but it's not exactly the same style of game you are talking about.
newcoleco 2 years ago
Ah, Destruction Derby. Fun game--you might also like Racing Destruction Set. There are many games that have cars destroying each other, but not as many (at least that I know if; could be wrong) that take an RPG approach. It's a bit surprising given the possibilities. I could see tank games based on this model as well as other types of vehicles (planes, horses, dragons, etc.)
blacklily8 2 years ago
They need to make a 360 version of this! It"s a cool idea!
chadt4 2 years ago
And a Wii version! :)
blacklily8 2 years ago