WEC Le Mans

Did You Know?

• The game had several ports by Imagine Software to Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, MSX, and ZX Spectrum.
• A rumored 16-bit port to the Amiga and Atari ST was mentioned but never released.
• Konami's Tanaka Fumihaki cited WEC Le Mans as the chief inspiration for Konami's 1995 game Speed King.

Gameplay

The game emphasizes realistic car driving, with the vehicle jumping, turning, and spinning up to 180 degrees. Acceleration, braking, gear shifting, and counter-steering to avoid spin-outs are all important. Courses were accurately simulated with approval from the Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Force feedback vibrates the steering wheel in reaction to acceleration and off-road bumps. The track is three lanes wide, and any contact with another car causes a spin or flip. Going off-course also results in a spin. Play ends when the timer runs out or after four successive laps.

Arcade cabinet

Konami released three cabinet versions: an upright machine, a mini sit-down cockpit, and a deluxe big spin version with a 360-degree spinning base that turns left or right depending on the corner. The front of the big spin cabinet resembled a real Prototype C Race car. The arcade cabinet was expensive for its time, costing £7000 in 1986.

Reception

WEC Le Mans was a hit in arcades. In Japan, Game Machine’s January 15, 1987 issue ranked it as the top-performing upright arcade unit that month. Its rotating cabinet later became the fourth highest-grossing upright or cockpit arcade game in Japan for 1987, trailing Out Run, Super Hang-On, and Darius. In the United Kingdom, it claimed third place on the Coinslot dedicated arcade chart for July 1988, behind Street Fighter and Continental Circus. Critics praised the arcade version at launch. After its debut at the Preview ’87 show in September 1986, Computer and Video Games ran a positive review in January 1987. Clare Edgeley named it her favorite game at the show, calling it a fast and realistic racing simulation and applauding the rotating cockpit. She felt it edged out Out Run due to superior movement, though she noted many players still preferred Out Run. At the ATEI show in January 1987, Computer and Video Games reported that both Out Run and WEC Le Mans dominated the event. Edgeley reviewed it again in the February 1987 Sinclair User, calling it the most sophisticated and thrilling game she had ever played, and described its movement system as unlike anything before. Top Score newsletter labeled it a superb driving simulator that was unfortunately overshadowed by Out Run. The Spectrum version also earned critical acclaim and reached fourth place on the UK Spectrum chart in May 1989. Konami’s Tanaka Fumihaki credited WEC Le Mans as the main inspiration for Konami’s 1995 game Speed King. Microhobby magazine gave it scores of 30% for originality, 70% for graphics, 80% for motion, 50% for sound, 80% for difficulty, and 80% for addiction.