Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote is a Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear platform game based on the Looney Tunes cartoon franchise. Despite sharing the same titular characters, it is an unrelated game to the Mega Drive title Desert Demolition.
The game is a platformer played as the Road Runner, who must make it to the end of each level (marked by an "Exit" sign). The Road Runner can run with and or jump with . The Road Runner can defeat enemies by jumping on them. Each level is timed; the player loses a life if time runs out, but time can be gained by collecting stars throughout the level. There are special bonus areas filled with bonus stars that can be found by locating transporters in the levels. Near the end of each level, Wile E. Coyote chases the Road Runner with a contraption. Wile E. has a different contraption every two levels. The Road Runner cannot harm Wile E. Coyote and must avoid him on the way to the exit.
The Road Runner's health is represented by four yellow circles. If he touches an enemy or other hazard, he loses a circle (it turns red). Health can be replenished by eating bird seed, which is found throughout the levels. The Road Runner can eat bird seed by standing next to a dish and pressing . Some dishes of bird seed also serve as checkpoints, where the Road Runner is revived after losing a life. This is indicated by the "SEED" sign changing to a small picture of the Road Runner's head. However, some dishes of bird seed are booby-trapped and damage the Road Runner instead of healing him. The player loses a try if the Road Runner loses all of his health circles and must start the level over again from the beginning or from a checkpoint. The game ends if the player runs out of tries, but it can be continued as long as the player has continues remaining. During a game, the player can check the number of tries and continues by pressing .
There are three difficulty levels, which affect the length of the game: there are 10 levels on Easy, 12 levels on Normal, and 14 levels on Hard.
Items
Items are found throughout the levels or sometimes appear after defeating an enemy.
Star
Collect to replenish 2 seconds of time.
Extra Time
Increases the total time remaining.
Speed-Up
Increases the Road Runner's speed.
Invincibility
Makes the Road Runner invulnerable to damage for 10 seconds.
Points Multiplier
Multiplies the player's score by 10 at the end of the level.
Bird Seed
Fully restores the Road Runner's health.
Levels
Cliffs and Ledges
Wile E. is riding a rocket in this level and the next.
Cliff Chase
Tired and Feathered
Wile E. is driving a bus in this level and the next.
Highway Runnery
Bird in the Bush
Wile E. is wearing a backpack rotocopter in this level and the next.
Gone to Seed
Rock 'n' Roll
Wile E. is wearing rocket-powered rollerskates in this level and the next.
Coyote Canyon
Down and Under
Wile E. is wearing a jetpack in this level and the next.
Up and Under
Speed Seed
Wile E. is driving an Acme van in this level and the next.
Hop, Skip, and Jump
Wile's Wonder
Wile E. is using a pogo stick in this level and the next.
Wile's Cave
Versions
The Game Gear version of the game has lighter colors.
Localised names
Also known as
Language
Localised Name
English Translation
English
Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote
Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote
English (US)
Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote
Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote
Portuguese (Brazil)
Desert Speedtrap Estrelado Road Runner e Wile E. Coyote