Grand Prix

Grand Prix is the Watara Supervision’s attempt at high-speed Formula One racing, trading the pseudo-3D "behind-the-car" perspective of its sibling title Super Formula for a classic top-down view. In the early 90s, top-down racers were a staple for handhelds, but on the Supervision, the genre faced a unique uphill battle against the laws of physics - specifically, the laws governing how fast a liquid crystal can actually move.

The game puts you in the cockpit of an F1-style open-wheel racer, competing on a variety of international circuits. The goal is straightforward: navigate the twists and turns of each track, overtake rival drivers, and cross the finish line before the timer runs out. Unlike more complex simulators, Grand Prix is pure arcade. You have two gears (Low and High), a brake, and an accelerator. Success depends entirely on your ability to memorise the track layouts and anticipate sharp corners before they zoom into view.

Visually, Grand Prix is one of the biggest "victims" of the Supervision’s hardware. Because the game features a fast-scrolling background and tiny, rapidly moving opponent cars, it is the ultimate stress test for the system’s notorious screen ghosting. At top speeds, the black asphalt and the white track boundaries often blend into a vibrating smear of charcoal gray. To play it effectively, you almost have to develop a "sixth sense" for where your car is located within the blur. The sprites for the cars are tiny - barely more than a few clusters of pixels - but they are distinct enough to tell which direction they are pointing.

The audio is equally minimalist, featuring a high-pitched, buzzy 8-bit engine drone that increases in frequency as you accelerate, accompanied by the occasional "crunch" when you inevitably clip a barrier or rear-end a rival. While it lacks the personality of Micro Machines or the polish of the Game Boy's F1 Race, Grand Prix remains a fascinating example of the "no-frills" era of mobile gaming. It’s a challenging, occasionally eye-straining experience that rewards persistence and serves as a perfect reminder of why 1992 was a very difficult year to be a digital race car driver.