Jet Moto

Lore & Background

The Jet Moto series began with the original Jet Moto in 1996, developed by SingleTrac, known for Twisted Metal and Twisted Metal 2. The game was seen as Sony's response to Nintendo's Wave Race 64. Players control hoverbikes that hover close above the ground and can traverse both land and water. Courses include traditional road courses and suicide courses, where racers start in the center and race to checkpoints at either end, turning back and forth while navigating oncoming traffic. Characters are split into teams, and bikes feature real-world sponsor logos such as Mountain Dew and Butterfinger. The magnetic grapple system lets players attach to red energy poles to slingshot around tight turns or swing over large chasms, and players receive four boosts per lap.

Jet Moto 2 (1997) was also developed by SingleTrac, but a disc printing error caused a special edition, Jet Moto 2: Championship Edition, to be printed instead of the original, featuring fewer competitors but faster 30 frames per second gameplay. After SingleTrac left Sony, Jet Moto 3 (1999) was developed by Pacific Coast Power & Light and published by 989 Sports, introducing stunt tracks and a hop button. Two subsequent titles were cancelled: Jet Moto 2124, developed at Sony's 989 Studio, was set in the future with off-Earth locations and freestyle motocross tricks, but was cancelled two years into production due to lack of marketing support, camera issues, and flawed physics. Jet Moto: SOLAR, a PlayStation 2 project by RedZone Interactive, was cancelled in 2003; no screenshots or gameplay footage were officially released, though gameplay footage was uploaded to YouTube in December 2022.

Reader's Guide

The Jet Moto series holds significance as a distinctive entry in the PlayStation's early racing library, offering a unique blend of hoverbike mechanics and unconventional track design. The magnetic grapple system and suicide courses set it apart from traditional racers, creating a gameplay dynamic that required players to manage oncoming traffic and tight turns. The series' use of real-world sponsors like Mountain Dew and Butterfinger mirrored real-life racing sponsorship, adding a layer of authenticity. Despite mixed reviews for the original game, which was praised for its soundtrack but criticized for high difficulty, Jet Moto earned a spot in the PlayStation Greatest Hits in August 1998. The series' legacy is marked by its ambitious but cancelled sequels: Jet Moto 2124, which aimed to take racing to Mars and Europa with Wipeout-level speed, and Jet Moto: SOLAR, which remained largely unseen until leaked footage emerged in 2022. The series' development history reflects the challenges of maintaining a franchise after its original developer departed, with later entries struggling to recapture the original's balance of innovation and accessibility.

Did You Know?

• The original Jet Moto was released in Europe as Jet Rider.
• Jet Moto 2's Championship Edition was created due to a disc printing error.
• Jet Moto 2124 would have been the first in the series to feature locations off Earth, including Mars and Europa.
• Gameplay footage of the cancelled Jet Moto: SOLAR was uploaded to YouTube in December 2022.