Format: HuCard
Genre: Racing
Developer: Hudson Soft
Publisher: Hudson Soft

Victory Run looks a little like the later Road Rash titles on the Mega Drive, or even like shooters such as Space Harrier, what with its striped terrain and scaling algorithm. The game is colorful and pretty, although due to the way the sprites are drawn it is a little difficult to tell where on the road the various other vehicles are.

The player car's engine not only avoids "grating" territory, but plays a functional role in the gameplay. The soundtrack makes fairly sophisticated use of the PC Engine's sound chip, and fits the action well.

As a sort of thinking man's Out Run, Victory run requires not just standing on the throttle, but on modulating throttle over hills and around bends, managing repair parts, as well as changing gears. Gear changes themselves involve strategy, particularly in the dirt track sections.

Victory Run is a very sophisticated racing game, particularly since it was a 1987 release, as the player must be constantly paying attention to multiple factors during the races. The biggest problem with the game is that it doesn't really do anything beyond minimally fulfill its "rally" vision. Still, it's a solid entry in the PC Engine's library.