Lotus Turbo Challenge 2

by Magnetic Fields · published by Gremlin Graphics Software Ltd., Electronic Arts · Lotus Challenge series

1991 · Amiga, Genesis/MegaDrive, Atari-ST

The second Lotus game shifted focus to arcade-oriented gameplay. Being the first of the series released for a game console (for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive under the title Lotus Turbo Challenge), the fuel limit and difficulty levels were dropped, and the lap-based levels were replaced with course-based time trials, (not unlike arcade games such as Out Run), with the player required to complete each course within a specified time to qualify for the next one. In addition to the Esprit Turbo SE, Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 also featured the Lotus Elan SE, hence 'Esprit' being dropped from the title. There was no choice of car however; the player runs with the Elan SE on odd levels, and with the Esprit on even levels. Lotus 2's single-player mode uses all of the game screen instead of half, and opponent cars appear in a variety of colors (opponent cars in the original game were all white). However, music is absent from racing altogether; the player instead hears the car's engine sound. Lotus 2 was developed for the Amiga and then converted for the other platforms.