The Duel: Test Drive II

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The Duel: Test Drive II
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Ballistic
Developer: Distinctive Software, Accolade
Licensor: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche
Sound driver: Accolade sound driver
Genre: Racing
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1992-03 $59.9959.99 ACLD008 US (Video Game Classics) 199x EU 1992 ACLD008 UK 1992-05-06 £39.9939.99 ACLD008 AU 1992
Non-Sega versions Amiga Amstrad CPC Apple IIGS Atari ST Commodore 64 IBM PC Macintosh MSX Super NES ZX Spectrum

The Duel: Test Drive II is a racing game released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1992. It is the sequel to Test Drive.

Gameplay

Test Drive II is a racing game where the player can race against an AI opponent or against the clock. The player initially is given the opportunity to choose a car to drive and a level of difficulty. The two lower difficulty levels use an automatic transmission, and the two higher difficulty levels use a manual transmission. Races take place on two to four lane public highways with many turns; each course is different and may include obstacles such as bridges, cliffs, and tunnels in addition to other cars. Each course also has one or more police cars along the course.

The goal of each course is to reach the gas station at the end of the course in the least amount of time. The car is steered with and . A dot on the steering wheel indicates the direction that it is pointed. The car accelerates with and brakes with . When equipped with a manual transmission, upshifts and downshifts.

Police cars appear in every course, and if the player is driving faster than the speed limit when encountering one of them, the police car follows in pursuit. If at any point while being pursued, the police car is able to pass the player's car, the player is forced to pull over and receives a ticket stating the offense and the speed of the vehicle. This does not cost the player a life but costs time. Players can avoid being pursued by police by slowing down before encountering them, anticipating them through the aid of a radar detector, which comes standard in all vehicles in the game.

The car can crash into other traffic or off-road obstacles such as trees or by falling off the cliff, which costs the player a life. The car can also sustain too much damage by staying off the roadway for too long. Players can lose a life when using a manual transmission by redlining and consequently blowing the engine. Crashing into a police car instantly ends the game, regardless of the number of lives the player has left.

Cars

	Porsche 959
	The Porsche 959 has a 2.8 L twin-turbocharged six-cylinder boxer engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. It is rear-engine and all-wheel drive. It was produced from 1986 to 1993.
	Ferrari F40
	The Ferrari F40 has a 2.9 L twin-turbocharged V8 engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. It is mid-engine and rear-wheel drive. It was produced from 1987 to 1992.
	Lamborghini Diablo
	The Lamborghini Diablo has a 5.7 L V12 engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. It is mid-engine and rear-wheel drive. It was produced from 1990 to 2001.

Courses

	City
	Mountain
	Desert

Versions

Test Drive II was originally released for home computers in 1989, with the Mega Drive and Super NES console conversions arriving three years later in 1992. Both console versions run at a faster frame rate with more colourful graphics, though sound effects are lacking in comparison to the Amiga version, and neither console ports offer all the features obtainable by using the game's many computer expansion disks.

The Mega Drive version is the more accurate of the two 16-bit console ports, with the Super NES deviating from the original design in terms of track layouts and scenery. However, the Super NES version has a noticeable performance advantage over all other versions, although this might be achieved by its decision to render fewer objects on screen at any one time. The Mega Drive version is also the only version to have in-game music by default. In the SNES version, music may be enabled on options.

Accolade released expansion disks for the home computer versions that added additional cars and courses.

Production credits

• Developed by: Distinctive Software Inc. Burnaby,B.C.
• The Duel - TEST DRIVE II was programmed by: Brad Gour, Chris Taylor, Richard Kiss
• Artwork: David Gibbs, Jackie Ritchie, Ian Verchere
• Sound and Music: Alistair Hirst, Russell Shiffer
• Produced by: Pam Levins, Brad Gour

Original Version of The Duel: Test Drive II designed and developed by Distinctive Software Inc.

Software Libraries copyright (c) 1992 Distinctive Software Inc.

All other software and materials copyright (c) 1992 Accolade, Inc.

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: The Duel: Test Drive II/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in GamePro (US) #34: "May 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #41: "December 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Game Informer (US) #8: "January/February 1993" (199x-xx-xx)
• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #45: "April 1993" (1993-xx-xx)

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #126: "May 1992" (1992-04-15)

Print advert in Joypad (FR) #8: "Mai 1992" (1992-04-1x)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 50 Consoles + (FR) 50 Cool Gamer (RU) 70 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 40 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 43 Game Power (IT) 75 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 58 Game Informer (US) NTSC-U 73 Joypad (FR) PAL 85 Joystick (FR) NTSC-U 70 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL 68 Mega (UK) PAL 65 Mega (UK) 65 Mega Action (UK) 84 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 77 Mega Play (US) NTSC-U 40 MegaTech (UK) PAL 60 Mean Machines (UK) PAL 67 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 57 Play Time (DE) 49 Power Play (DE) 47 Sega Power (UK) PAL 89 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 90 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 86 Sega Zone (UK) PAL 65 Sega Force (UK) PAL 71 Supergame (BR) NTSC-U 85 Todo Sega (ES) 70 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 76 Video Games (DE) 45

	66
Based on 30 reviews

The Duel: Test Drive II

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual Poster

Mega Drive, US (alt)
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Mega Drive, US/EU (Video Game Classics)
Cover
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Mega Drive, US/EU (Accolade)
Cover
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Mega Drive, EU
Cover
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Mega Drive, EU (ALT) White Cart
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Technical information

Main article: The Duel: Test Drive II/Technical information.

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
✔	CRC32 f9bdf8c5 MD5 6995faa82bbb2ff6a985a1505d1092d8 SHA-1 cb70e5de149521f20723413cd11c5e661ec63c3e	1MB	1992-02	Cartridge (US/EU)