Checkered Flag (Jaguar)

This page details pre-release information and/or media for Checkered Flag (Jaguar).

To do: Bit more detail on differences. Things like the stages and backgrounds. Interpret the blurry text in screenshots.

EGM Issue 57 (April 1994)#

At this point the game is named Checkered Flag 2, noted by EGM as a working title. Earlier in the issue, The Quartermann reports that:

Not satisfied with a simple name for a racing game like Checkered Flag 2, Atari has gone shopping for a big name endorsement for their polygon racer. The odds-on favorite of the minute is Bobby Rahall

Ultimately, the game would go for the even simpler title Checkered Flag, although not before some other attempts. Despite not having nailed any license down, the article incorrectly claims Bobby Rahal will race against the player in-game.

None of the maps shown in the article match with any in the final game.

Prerelease	Final

• The HUD's are completely different. The text is in red rather than yellow and the various parts of the HUD were moved around.
• There is no tachometer, Gear or Lap indicator in the preview.
• The minimap is made up of a thick red line rather than a thin black one. There are no icons for any cars other than the player's.
• The car looks flatter and less detailed in the preview. (This may require a double check with different loadouts.)
• The position says there are eight drivers in the race. In the final this was changed to a maximum of six per race. Additionally, the final drops the ordinal suffixes, with 1st just becoming 1.

Prerelease	Final

The design of the menus was completely changed for the final. While the previews show multiple different screens for each set of options, the final just has everything in one menu.

The preview has five different racing options to choose from: ???, Practice ????, ??? Race, Championship Season and ???? Track. The final only has three, Single Race, Free Practice and Tournament.

Pre-race Tuning has three options: ???, Opposition Drivers (set to Amateur), and Indestructible. There are no settings for the AI drivers in the final game, and cars can take no damage.

Prerelease	Final

The preview pics show a satellite above the selected race track for the weather forecast. The final ditches the race track visual and uses a different satellite design.

While Rain and Fog match up with the final games' weather conditions, the preview has Sunshine (according to the article) instead of Sun.

Courses seem to be based on countries in the preview, featuring Australia, Italy, the United States and Great Britain. Despite this, all the courses pictured are identical. The course used, while not matching any in the final game, seems to most closely resemble Green Valley. The final game does not have any courses based on specific countries.

Some unreadable options seem to be at the bottom of the screenshots.

GamePro Issue 60 (July 1994)#

The game has undergone a name change to Redline Racing. Despite the name change, the game seems to be a similar build to the older preview, with GamePro even noting some screens still read Checkered Flag II.

Alongside Bobby Rahal, another famous racer is mentioned as having been considered for a licensing deal, Emerson Fittipaldi.

EGM Issue 61 (August 1994)#

Redline Racing, now with a updated HUD and menus.

Checkered Flag II	Redline Racing	Final

• The tachometer and Gear indicator were added to the hud. The Lap indicator is still missing. The tachometer is made up of a flat line rather than the more dynamic shape of the final.
• The font was changed to a larger one.
• MP/H was changed to MPH, and the 0 in front of double digit numbers was removed.
• The number of racers has been changed from eight to six, and the ordinal suffixes have been dropped.

Checkered Flag II	Redline Racing	Final

• The options menu is a mixture of the earlier previews and the final design. The color scheme matches the earlier ones, with the name running across the top changed to Redline Racing and losing the checkered flag. All the options are on one screen, much like the final game.
• The buttons were changed from red to grey. This was then replaced with transparent buttons in the final.
• Car Color was shortened to Color.
• Sunlight has been shortened to Sun.
• An option to adjust your Steering was removed from the final. The position was replaced with Drones (CPU drivers).
• Race Choice was shortened to Race.
• Laps has Championship selected. The final changes this to adjustable numbers from 1 to 99.
• No Tournament track exists in the final.

1994 Summer Consumer Electronics Show (August 1994)#

Watch on YouTubeAt 7:51 is a short preview of Checkered Flag for the Jaguar. The final game has been decided.

Prerelease	Final

• The car icons are all yellow rather than multicolored.
• The map used, Green Valley, has no tunnels and a different background in the final.