Vehicular Combat

Vehicular combat games (also known as just vehicular combat or car combat) are a sub-genre of vehicle simulation video games where the primary objectives of gameplay include vehicles armed with weapons attempting to destroy vehicles controlled by the CPU or by opposing players. The genre normally features a variety of different vehicles available for play, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, and special attack abilities. Players may also unlock hidden vehicles by completing certain in-game tasks. Traditionally, vehicular combat games focus on fast-paced action inside the vehicle, rarely, if ever, concerning themselves with role-playing or other elements, '' Metal Max'' series being an exception. Games may include racing themes, but they are generally secondary to the action.

Gameplay

Vehicular combat games normally follow a simple play pattern; the player must defeat increasing numbers of not very skilled enemies before facing off against a final, super-powerful, boss character. Vehicular combat games differ from traditional racing games both in the combat aspect and in the general lack of any set path for players to follow, instead allowing them to explore each level at their leisure.
The complexity and strategy required to complete games vary, from the careful resource maintenance and intense story-driven plotlines of the ''Interstate '76'' series to straightforward smashups like '' WWE Crush Hour''. Often the primary plot will involve a contest or competition of some sort, encouraging the various characters to fight and destroy one another to obtain a reward. The ''Twisted Metal'' has been attributed as the first "true" vehicular combat game, without cartoony graphics as seen in kart racing games.

Subgenres

Car

Futuristic racing

* ''S.T.U.N. Runner'' (1989)
* ''F-Zero'' series (1990 debut)
* '' Battle Cars'' (1993)
* '' DethKarz'' (1998)
* '' Hi-Octane'' (1995)
* '' Wipeout'' series (1995 debut)
* '' Fatal Inertia'' (2007)

Aircraft

* ''Ace Combat'' series
* ''After Burner'' series
* ''Air Combat'' series
* ''Altitude''
* '' Digital Combat Simulator''
*'' IL-2 Sturmovik'' series
* '' M.A.C.H.''
* ''Mach Storm''
* ''Microsoft Flight Simulator''
* '' SkyDrift''
* '' Airfix Dogfighter''
* ''War Thunder''
* ''World of Warplanes''
* ''World of Warships''
* '' Jetfighter'' series

Boat, ship and submarine

Tank

Motorcycle

Space vehicle

Multi-vehicular

(''List of games in which players use more than one vehicle type during gameplay'')

Mecha

This subgenre of vehicular combat involves mech robots, or mecha, as the vehicle for combat. For most mech games, they are played in either first-person or third-person view style. Other games are based on popular Anime television shows such as the various Gundam series, ''Robotech'', and '' Evangelion''. Also, games with a mech theme are featured in RPG games such as ''Xenosaga'' and the ''Front Mission'' series.

Kart racers with battle modes

Battle modes for kart racing games are deathmatch battles influenced by the characters, go-karts and weapons used in the mode. The ''Mario Kart'' series demonstrates this kind of mode in its previous installments.

''Mario Kart'' series

*''Super Mario Kart''
*''Mario Kart 64''
*'' Mario Kart: Super Circuit''
*'' Mario Kart: Double Dash''
*'' Mario Kart DS''
*''Mario Kart Wii''
*''Mario Kart 7''
*''Mario Kart 8''
**'' Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''
*''Mario Kart Tour''

''Crash'' kart series

*'' Crash Team Racing''
*'' Crash Nitro Kart''
*''Crash Tag Team Racing''
*''Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled''

Other kart racers with battle modes

*''Cel Damage''
*''Charinko Hero''
*''Cocoto Kart Racer''
*''Diddy Kong Racing''
*''Diddy Kong Racing DS''
*''Freaky Flyers''
*'' Jak X: Combat Racing''
*'' LittleBigPlanet Karting''
*'' Looney Tunes: Space Race''
*''Muppet RaceMania''
*''Pac-Man World Rally''
*''R.C. Pro-Am''
*'' Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed''
*'' Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing''
*'' Speed Punks''
*''Team Sonic Racing''
*''Wacky Races''
*''Wacky Wheels''

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vehicular combat game list

Video game genres
Video game lists by genre
Video game terminology