Atari 2600
1982
Grand Prix uses the same game engine as Barnstorming, so clearly we’re looking at garbage, but it still serves a useful counterexample to showcase everything Barnstorming did wrong. Instead of flying a crop duster, you are driving a racecar. Instead of aimlessly flying over barns, you are trying to win a race. Instead of trying to avoid geese and windmills, you are trying to avoid colliding with other racecars.
I don’t wish to be unclear; Grand Prix is one of dullest racing games you can play. However, compared to its airborne cousin, it seems like a nonstop thrill ride. Such is the evil power of Barnstorming.
