Racing games have seen a resurgence in popularity since they first appeared in the early to mid-1980s with the release of BC’s Quest For Tires, par Moby Games.
This kind of video game has caught the attention of the public thanks to games like Temple Run, Despicable Me : Minion Rushand even the infamous Flappy Bird. However, they were designed for mobile devices – a platform that suits the genre perfectly due to their straightforward gameplay.
But did you know that there is also a runner game on video game consoles?
Here is the story of the video game titled Pepsiman.
Pepsiman Game History and Gameplay
Pepsiman is an action game developed and published by Japanese game development company KID (short for Kindle Imagine Develop) for the Japanese gaming market. PlayStation le 4 mars 1999, selon Old Games Download.
According to the game’s IMDb page, the game focuses on the story of Pepsiman, the Japanese mascot of the Pepsi Co. as he rushes to the aid of various people who are in danger of becoming dehydrated if they don’t drink something. This situation means that Pepsiman must get to the afflicted person as quickly as possible, but to do so he must, through the player, run, dash, and jump over obstacles.
Players or anyone in general who has ever played Temple Run would be familiar with how Pepsiman is played. The titular character of the game automatically runs at the start of each stage and will remain so until the player commands them to go elsewhere or until they crash into an obstacle too many times, such as speeding cars, construction cranes, people, and even Pepsi-branded obstacles.
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Contrary to Temple Run and other similar games, Pepsiman isn’t endless – as mentioned earlier, Pepsiman’s run will end if the player takes it to the person who needs something to drink, which can vary depending on the location of the stage.
Speaking of locations, there are four locations available in-game for Pepsiman, three of which are actual towns. This is San Francisco, New YorkTexas and the fictional town of Pepsi.
Additionally, Destructoid reported that the game comes with gadgets that provide variety to its otherwise monotonous experience. During a stage, Pepsiman can ride a skateboard or have a steel drum on his body, which requires players to navigate Pepsiman to avoid all obstacles or control the titular character with reverse controls.
Pepsiman reception and possible remakes
Pepsiman received mostly negative reviews due to its simplicity and similarities to another PlayStation 1 game, Crash Bandicoot. Towards the end of each stage, Pepsiman will be chased by a giant object and must be outrun to complete it.
However, it’s this simplicity and bizarre absurdity that gave the game its popularity with the masses, turning it into a cult classic, according to Game Rant.
As a result, the game has undergone numerous fan-made remakes, with Banana Pictures’ one coming closest to a playable and usable game. However, this remake is only a personal product, as Pepsi still owns the rights to the Pepsiman character, according to Dualshockers.
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