Play Top Rider (Japan) Online

Top Rider came out on the NES in 1988, published by Varie. It was one of those games that tried to capture the feel of arcade motorcycle racing at home, back when split-screen multiplayer was still a novelty on the console. You don't see many games like it now, but at the time, it offered something a little different from the usual platformers and action titles.

You control a rider on a motorcycle, racing against either the computer or a second player on a vertically split screen. The main goal is simple: finish each course without crashing too many times. The signature mechanics involve weaving through dense traffic, using a turbo button for short bursts of speed, and executing tight drifts around corners. The controls are a bit stiff and the perspective can make judging distances tricky, which adds to the difficulty. It feels satisfying when you finally get the hang of sliding past a row of cars without scraping the handlebars.