Burning Rubber on the Amstrad’s Most Impressive Racer
Chase H.Q. stunned Amstrad owners in 1989 when Ocean Software somehow managed to squeeze this acclaimed arcade racing game onto the humble 8-bit machine. As Special Criminal Investigation officers Tony Gibson and Raymond Broady, players engaged in high-speed pursuits to chase down criminal vehicles within strict time limits, ramming them until they surrendered.
What made the Amstrad version particularly impressive was how it maintained the essence of the arcade experience despite the hardware limitations. The pseudo-3D road effect creates a convincing sensation of speed, while the detailed sprites and smooth animation push the CPC hardware to its absolute limits. The distinctive siren wail and engine sounds (as good as they could be on the Amstrad’s basic sound chip) complete the experience, creating one of the most atmospheric arcade conversions on the platform.
System Requirements:
While Chase H.Q. will run on any Amstrad CPC model, it performs best on the CPC 6128 with its 128K of RAM and built-in disk drive for faster loading times. The game showcases technical wizardry in its optimization, managing to maintain a relatively smooth framerate even during the most action-packed moments. If playing on cassette with the CPC 464, expect longer loading times between levels, giving you a perfect opportunity to rest your thumbs between those intense pursuits!
This website was created with AI Engine, celebrating a time when ambitious developers pushed 8-bit hardware far beyond what anyone thought possible.