As a child, one of the first skateboarding games you probably played was probably Drebin. As with many classics, the gameplay is simple but the fun is unmatched. You are a motorbike rider, zooming around a track pursuing criminals. The only difference is that instead of racing against another player, you are racing against the clock.
If you’ve ever played it, you’ll know that it’s basically impossible to describe. But, if you’ve never played it, here’s a short explanation of what it’s like:
The Basics
As with many classic racing games, Drebin is quite simple to understand: you are in a race against the clock. However, in this case, you do not race the others; you race against them, which is a bit like playing chess against the computer. This makes things a little bit more difficult, because you have to think ahead and decide how to play. But once you figure it out, you’ll find it’s one of the best games out there.
The object of the game is to become the first one to cross the finish line. To do this, you need to steer your bike, jump over obstacles, and hit as many pedestrians as you can. While it may sound easy, the moment you start playing, you’ll see that it’s anything but that. The trick is to practice and become good at anticipating the actions of others. This will help you gain an advantage over them, which in turn will make you cross the finish line first.
In addition to trying to win, there’s also the fun of seeing how many crimes you can commit along the way. While the game does have a “good” ending, i.e., you win, it can also end in a variety of ways. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can even make the game keep going, just like in real life.
In these moments, you are not just playing the game, but you are living it.
The Physics
To make things even more realistic, the developers of Drebin included a lot of physics in their creation. For example, when you run into walls or other obstacles, the rider will lose some speed and may even come to a stop. The same goes for hitting pedestrians, which will result in you crashing and losing some points. All of this is governed by realistic physics, which is one of the reasons why the game is so much fun.
Another great aspect about the game is that the sound effects are absolutely essential. When you hit a pedestrian or a car, it will make a sound. You’ll also hear sirens and screaming as you speed around the streets of San Francisco. It adds a great deal of realism to the experience, so make sure you enable the sounds on your device.
The Graphics
Needless to say, being realistic is also one of the aspects of the game that make it look so good. Just like in real life, when you run into something, it will slow you down a bit, which is why the graphics are so realistic. It’s also worth mentioning that when you make a mistake, the game will often times make you crash, which will result in you losing some of your progress. This, too, adds a great deal of realism to the game as you’ll understand how difficult it is to win on your first try, especially since you don’t know the rules or the track layout perfectly.
The Theme Song
Last but not least, we have the theme song. If you’ve ever played a racing game, you’ll know that the songs are an integral part of it. Since this song has become such an important part of the game, it was given a proper title: “Theme from Drebin.” If you’ve never heard of Drebin, however, the lyrics should give you an idea of what the song is about:
The cars are revving, you’re racing for position, And your fingers are itching to get on the throttle. The sirens are wailing, the lights are flashing, And you’re praying that you won’t lose your head. But just as you’re about to make a dash for it, An accident happens that places you in a dead stop.
It’s at this point that you realize you’re not in Kansas any more, And there’s no telling what might happen next. So just ride on, if you want to live this life, As reckless as you want, Because behind you is a track full of cops and criminals, who are all praying that you crash.
To wrap things up, it’s important to remember that even though this may be a racing game, it’s still a game. You are not supposed to be having real interactions or dialogues with the NPCs (Non-Player Characters), which are other racers or pedestrians you’ll come across on your journey. Nevertheless, it’s certainly possible to have fun interactions with them, which can further extend the lifespan of the game. Just make sure you don’t do or say anything that could land you in legal trouble. And last but not least, make sure you’ve got an internet connection so you can keep up with the times and have access to all the new content that gets added periodically.