Skate or Die: Bad 'N Rad

Gameplay

Skate or Die: Bad 'N Rad is a 2D action game, which contrasts to the original Skate or Die. The player controls an unnamed skateboarder, whose quest is to rescue Miss Aerial from the antagonist, ElRad the Evil One. The game consists of seven stages in total, including the first four stages that are selectable by the player. Each stage is played in one of two perspectives: a side-scrolling "horizontal mode" and a top-down "vertical mode", and has a time limit given to complete it. At the end of a horizontal stage, the player must confront one of the game's bosses, including Wart Monger and Bionic Lester.

During gameplay, the player can move the skateboarder with the Game Boy's directional pad, while A and B buttons are used for jumping and crouching respectively. The skateboarder can also attack enemies by jumping on top of them with his skateboard. The player gains points by collecting aluminum cans and ice creams. At the start of the game, the player is given three lives. An extra life is granted if the score reaches certain thresholds, or when the player obtains a 1-UP item during a stage. One life is lost when the skateboarder's health meter runs out, or if he fall into bottomless pits or traps. The game ends when all lives are lost.

Development

Skate or Die: Bad 'N Rad was programmed by Toru Hagihara and Yukari Hayano, and the game's sounds were created by Hidehiro Funauchi and K. Noguchi. The game was released in September 1990, in North America by Konami. The European version was published by Palcom, and was released in June 1991.

Reception

In his review for AllGame, Jonathan Sutyak criticized Skate or Die: Bad 'N Rad for its difficulty, and stated that "the action [...] moves too fast and it is sometimes difficult to react quickly enough when something appears on the screen." Sutyak also praised the game's graphics, but found it "difficult to distinguish between what you are skating on and what is background."