LED STORM (C64)/ MAD GEAR

You'd probably say I should have posted some other 8bit racer here. Well, no. This gem, and particularly its c64 version has it all. A jumping car vertically scrolling from level to level, jumping on/over cars or overtaking  them , the frog-like creatures that slow you down when they get stuck to your car if you don't shake them off, driving  damaged roads or open fields, taking boosters, enjoying  beautiful structures and sprites, jumping off ramps over missing bridge parts etc- it was the first time I saw any of that in a racing video game . I admit it, all the other versions of the game have everything I stated and some (the Amiga and the Atari ones) even finer graphics. What makes the commodore 64 version stand out is Tim Follin's masterful adaptation of themes from the arcade version, making them into something completely different on the C64. His greatness as a music composer really shines here. He introduces racing beats that skillfully combine techno and his ever-present prog-tinged melodies. Tim is/was one of the very few composers who managed to  push the  natural lushness of the SID chip way above its capabilities and trick you into thinking that your c64 had an additional sound chip installed. 16bit computers came nowhere near Commodore 64 when it came to the quality of sound. As you drive , it's the combined efort of excellent graphics and powerful music that keeps you glued to your seat  all throughout the game.

I loved Led Storm  and I played it so much that I ended up thinking  Deep Purple stole the riff from Tim Folin's opening theme. I never liked Deep Purple , and I still think Follin  is one od the greatest rebels in the history of original game soundtracks. The melody always comes first and I wish more game music composers realized this.