In 1985, Atari released an Arcade cabinet based on the classic Road Runner cartoons. You know the show I'm talking about unless you're some kind of bizarre luddite. The game received ports for multiple micro computers as well as the NES. This is one of those unlicensed Tengen carts. Usually, they're pretty good. This one? Well, it's complicated.

Road Runner is a bizzare experience. Presentation ranges from "wow" to "what am I looking at?" The game was developed by Beam Software, infamous for the NES version of Back to the Future. While I don't think that game is nearly as bad as every claims, it's still bad. Come to think of it, the two games are surprisingly similar in context. The object of the game is to run down the road. As you do so, you collect objects that replenish a timer and avoid obstacles. Which game did I just describe?

Don't get me wrong, that kind of gameplay suits Road Runner far better than Back to the Future. You avoid the coyote while collecting bird seed and navigating increasingly more complex stages. It's a dense experience that doesn't last too long but it makes a vivid impression.

I had a hard time picking up bird seed at first because of what I perceived as poor hit detection. The more I play though, the more I think that it was a conscious decision to make it harder to pick up. Had they made the seed easier to collect, there'd be no challenge. Beyond that, the controls are fine. I'd recommend an NES Max of Advantage joystick. Your left thumb with thank me later.