Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally
- "3D Hot Rally" redirects here. For the soundtrack album, see3D Hot Rally (album).
| Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally | |
|---|---|
 For alternate box art, see therelated gallery. | |
| Developers | Nintendo EAD HAL Laboratory |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Platform | Family Computer Disk System |
| Release date |  April 14, 1988[1] |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Racing |
| Mode | Single player |
| Format | FDS:  Disk Card |
| Input | Famicom: |
| Serial code | FSC-TDRE |
Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally is a racing video game released inJapan for theFamily Computer Disk System. It is the sequel toFamicom Grand Prix: F1 Race, although the two games are very different. Like its predecessor, it too was the subject of a tournament, which was held from April 14 to May 31, 1988. The top 100 players of each class of car received a trophy in the form of a gold car of their class encased in quartz crystal with their name and rank on the base. Thus, there are 300 such trophies. They, along with thousands of runners-up and raffle winners, received a "Pretty Mini," which is a yellow stationery set in the form ofDiskun, the Famicom Disc System mascot. It is similar to a white stationery set that was sold in stores.[2][3] They also received mock driver's licenses.[4] The game supports theFamicom 3D System, allowing the player to see the screen in three-dimensions by wearing a specialized set of goggles. The game's name makes note of said capabilities.
Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally marks the first time thatLuigi appears taller and thinner thanMario on a game's box art, though this distinction was established in official artwork in the filmSuper Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!
This game, along with its predecessor, is a possible ancestor to theMario Kart series, most likely due to the fact that it features Mario and possesses similar 2D racing mechanics, which was later carried on toSuper Mario Kart.
Gameplay[edit]
Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally is a racing game with similar gameplay to that ofOut Run. There are three different courses in the game, and they all have several multiple paths that split up that players can choose between. Before the race begins, the player can choose a repair point. This acts as a check point that repairs damage sustained by the vehicle, such as when it crashes into obstacles. A damage indicator on the bottom right of the game will display the vehicle's condition; once the damage indicator is fully depleted, the game will end. The player can opt to pause the game and select "Repair" from the menu to avoid this, but depending on how much damage the vehicle has sustained, the longer this repair will take. Prior to each race, the player can set one check point as a designated repair point with flashing signs, instantly recovering some damage when it is passed through.
The game is not a traditional racing game in the sense the goal is not to finish first, but rather to finish before the timer ends. The player starts with 20 seconds in the "Time Bank." Each alternate path, or "leg," of the course has a predetermined expected time frame of completion. If players do not meet that time frame, the seconds from the Time Bank will subtract. However, if players finish the leg in under the expected time indicated, the seconds remaining from it will be added on to the Time Bank. If the Time Bank is fully depleted, the vehicle will automatically switch to neutral transmission and begin gradually slowing down as long as it is not angled downhill; if the vehicle stops with an empty time gauge, the game will end.
Scattered throughout the course, usually in groups of five, areHot Dots: collecting eight of them will grant the vehicle an additional gear for a temporary 15 seconds that allows it to speed up to 300 km/h.
Characters[edit]
Main characters[edit]
Vehicles[edit]
| Name | Image | Top Speed | 1/4 Mile | Highway | Grass | Snow | Sand | Dirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kattobi Sports car |  | 220km/h | 13.71 sec. | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★☆☆ | ★☆☆ | ★☆☆ |
 Yonque 4WD |  | 200km/h | 17.03 sec. | ★★☆ | ★★☆ | ★★★ | ★★☆ | ★★☆ |
 Monster Buggy |  | 180km/h | 15.59 sec. | ★☆☆ | ★☆☆ | ★★☆ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
Obstacles[edit]
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Opponent
| Other racers which drive along the track, potentially getting in the way. They are the only obstacles that actively move around. |
| Abunaiwa
| Angry rock piles that most often appear in desert areas. They are usually on the sides of the road, but occasionally appear in the middle. |
| Nanisuruki
| Leering shrubs that most commonly appear in grasslands. They are generally alongside the road, though in rougher terrain they may appear on it. |
| Jamadatō
| Tall streetlamps that appear regularly spaced alongside roads, most commonly in city areas. Due to their height, they cannot be jumped over without the Hot gear being active. |
| Pillar
| Medium-sized stone plinths that appear rarely in unpaved areas. They can appear anywhere beside or on the road an can only be leaped by the tallest standard jumps. |
| Sign
| Inverted checkpoint signs appear in a few areas, usually cities. They are medium height. |
Helpful objects[edit]
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Hot Dot
| Exclamation marks that occasionally appear in clusters along the track. Collecting eight allows a temporary, but substantial speed boost. |
| Check Point
| These mark the areas between each course's sections. They must be reached within the time limit. |
| Repair Point
| These Check Points are set before the race begins, with one taking the place of a single normal Check Point. Passing through them instantly restores damage. |
| Goal
| This special Check Point appears at the very end of each stage. Reaching it is required to set a record. |
Courses[edit]
Each course goes through various environments across its length. The road on each course splits and merges back at various point, but no matter which route is taken, the player will go through eight check points before the goal. Each segment between check points has different scenery.
| Course | Map | Segments |
|---|---|---|
| Course-1 |  |  |
| Course-2 |  |  |
| Course-3 |  |  |
Staff[edit]
- Main article:List of Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally staff
Development[edit]
This game is one of eight that is compatible with theFamicom 3D System. The flyer for the tournament advertised this system.[5]
Gallery[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally.
Mario holding a tire
A tired Mario andLuigi, resting
Mario popping champagne in front of Luigi
Mario and Luigi riding in theMonster
Multimedia[edit]
Title ThemeReferences in later games[edit]
- The box art's artwork of Mario and Luigi driving theMonster is replicated on the "Racecar Driver/Mechanic" page.
- A trophy of the Monster is obtainable.
- An arrangement of the title theme, named "Title (3D Hot Rally)," appears in both games. It can be played in theMario Circuit stage.
- TheTiny Titan is designed after the Monster; its Japanese name translates to "Hot Rally," a further reference to this game.
- TheMario Motors logo features the artwork of Mario holding a tire from this game.
- The Monster tires make a return but the rim of the wheel sports a different color, being gray.
- The Mechanic Outfit and Mechanic Hat from this game are references to Mario's appearance inFamicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally.
- The artwork of Mario and Luigi driving the Monster appears as aspirit in this game.This versionMedia:SSBU MONSTER Spirit.png removes the extra sixth finger from Luigi's right hand.
- The Tiny Titan returns in this game.
- The logo for Mario Motors was redesigned to be based on the "3D Hot Rally" part of that game's logo.[6]
- Mario and Luigi's Pro Racer outfits, along with their Mechanic outfits, are based on promotional artwork from this game.
- On the 2025 rerun of theSunshine Tour, Mario and Luigi's Mechanic outfits and the Tiny Titan, along with variants, return in this game.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ファミコングランプリII スリーディーホットラリー[1] Famikon Guran Puri Ni: Surī Dī Hotto Rarī | Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally |
References[edit]
- ^abFebruary 13, 2024.FAMICOM GRAND PRIX Ⅱ 3D HOT RALLY.Nintendo (Japanese). Retrieved December 1, 2024. (Archived February 13, 2024, 16:51:02 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ディスクシステム - パッケージアート6.箱のすみっこげーむ資料 (Japanese). Archived April 21, 2023, 01:38:43 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^Holy Grails – Stationary Set.Famicom World (English). Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^駄菓子屋ゲーム博物館チャンネル (August 2, 2020).【激レア賞品】 入賞トロフィー＆プリティミニ（文具セット）！ ファミコンの３Dホットラリーの入賞賞品を紹介しちゃうよ！.YouTube (Japanese). Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^Tournament flyer (JPG).箱のすみっこげーむ資料 (Japanese). Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^Nintendo of America (Jaunary 16, 2025).Nintendo Switch 2 – First-look trailer.YouTube. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
[Edit] Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characters | Mario •Luigi | |
| Vehicles | Kattobi •Yonque •Monster | |
| Obstacles | Abunaiwa •Nanisuruki •Jamadatō | |
| Courses | Course-1 •Course-2 •Course-3 | |
| Other | 3D Hot Rally (album) •Check Point •Gallery •Hot Dot •Repair Point •Staff | |
