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I seem to remember this cartridge being announced as USAC Auto Racing. Apparently that licensing scheme fell through. Perhaps Electronic Games did that?

Graphics: 3 Sound: 3 Replay Value: 3 Notes: 1- or 2-player game; ROM variation (steering); Easter Egg Screen Shots

If you're not into the raw speed aspects of car racing games, you'll find that Auto Racing is a solid, fun racing game. We all know about the "secret corridor" that lets you drive forever around the race track's globe, right? We found that all by our lonesome waaay back when. One of the few early games that had "multicolored" sprites - i.e. the car and its shadow.

The original Intellivision box showed an interesting notion - a fork in the road! This image is from a GTE Sylvania Intellivision box, which shows Auto Racing as a Coming Soon! title.

Prerelease Auto Racing Shot
Note the fork in the road!

A total of thirteen Auto Racing box variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0810	1980	U.S.A.	Plastic tray; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0810	1980	Hong Kong	Plastic tray; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0710-G1	1980	U.S.A	Trayless pocket; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0810-G1	1980	Hong Kong	Plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	1113-0810-G1	1980	U.S.A.	Plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; Keyboard Component reference removed; texture of this box feels like a Hong Kong box, but clearly states MADE IN U.S.A. on bottom flap
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0510	1980	Hong Kong	French-Canadian; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada on back
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0410	1980	Hong Kong	International version with slots on back for manual; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	1113-0410	1980	Hong Kong	International version; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; NO SLOTS in back; slots inside for overlays; reported by Intellivotion
	Intellivision Inc.	1113	1980	U.S.A.	Standard Intellivision, Inc. box
	Intellivision Inc.	1113	1980	U.S.A.	Has FOR 1 OR 2 PLAYERS text; UPC barcode on bottom flap, but no game title as per usual for I.I. packaging; otherwise, standard Intellivision, Inc. box
	Sears	3860-0910	1979	Hong Kong	Plastic tray; blue game title on top and back
	Digiplay	N/A	None	Brazil	Digiplay version; 'Rua Acará' address / 'Av Açaí' sticker; Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number or copyright apparent; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots
Image not available.	Digiplay	N/A	None	Brazil	Digiplay version; 'Av. Açaí' address printed on back; Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number or copyright apparent; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots

The Intellivision, Inc. boxes come in several variations, with and without the 'FOR 1 OR 2 PLAYERS' text on the front of the box. Some copies also have a UPC on the bottom flap of the box instead of the game title.

The other most notable box variant I've seen (though only once) is the French-Canadian version that has a cardboard sleeve that slips around the game box. If anyone out there has this, or other 'sleeved' games, drop me a line!

Two different versions of this game exist - the original screen-oriented steering version, and the "first-person" steering method. You can identify which version you have by how you need to steer the car. If you're driving east, and must press "North" on the disc to turn the car "North", then you have the older ROM version. The differences in steering control are explained in the manual variations section below.

A total of twenty-four Auto Racing manual variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0820	1980	U.S.A.	Original screen-oriented steering instructions
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0820-G2	1980	Hong Kong
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0820-G3	1980	Hong Kong	This manual has also surfaced in some PlayCable packages (at least two known sightings); thanks to Hankster for noting this
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0820-G5	1980	U.S.A.
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0820-G5	1980	Hong Kong
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0720	1980	Hong Kong	Same part number as the French-Canadian bilingual manuals, but English only and printed in Hong Kong; purplish artwork; screen-oriented steering instructions
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0720	1980	Hong Kong	French-Canadian; purplish artwork
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0720	1980	Hong Kong	French-Canadian; blue artwork
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0121	1980	Hong Kong	German version (standard purple / black); localized title 'AUTORENNEN'; revised steering mechanic is documented; reported by scalpel
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0121	1980	Hong Kong	German version (blue artwork); localized title 'AUTORENNEN'; documents revised steering mechanic
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0161	1980	Hong Kong	Dutch; noted, and image contributed by cmart; need confirmation of part number, other appearance details
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	1113-0111	1980	Hong Kong	French version; not sure which steering mechanic is documented; blue monochrome; title localized to COURSE D'AUTOMOBILES
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0141	1980	Hong Kong	Spanish version (standard purple / black); localized title 'CARRERAS DE AUTOS'; revised steering mechanic is documented; reported by, and many thanks to, intellivotion
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	1113-0131	1980	Hong Kong	Italian version; not sure which steering mechanic is documented
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0131	1980	Italy	Italian version (black and white); not sure which steering mechanic is documented; noted, and image contributed by Spadafermo51
	Mattel Electronics	1113-0151	None		Swedish translation from LEAB; black and white; no copyright date or origin provided; translated as GRAND-PRIX-TÄVLING FÖR BILAR
	Mattel Electronics	PC-1113-0920	1980	U.S.A.	PlayCable version, which appears to have deployed the screen-oriented steering version; submitted by Hankster
	Bandai	1113-0201	None		Japanese release by Bandai; shows stylized game graphics
	Intellivision Inc.	1113-0820-G5	None	U.S.A.	Stapled along top edge
	Intellivision Inc.	1113-0820-G5	None	U.S.A.	Accordion-style folding
	Intellivision Inc.	1113-0820-G5	None	U.S.A.	Map-style folding
	Sears	3860-0920	1980	Hong Kong
	Digiplay	N/A	1979	Brazil	Mattel/Digiplay edition; no part number; copyright info on back; 'Rua Acará address printed on back, 'Av. Açaí' sticker on back
Image not available.	Digiplay	N/A	1979	Brazil	Mattel/Digiplay edition; no part number; copyright info on back; 'Av. Açaí' address printed on back

Supplemental Materials

The following supplemental materials have been found for Auto Racing.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Intellivision Inc.	N/A	None		Correction notice stating that there aren't any overlays included with the game

Due to the ROM variant, some significant revisions were necessary to describe how to steer the car.

Originally, Auto Racing used a "directional" steering model. You pressed the direction on the disc that you wanted the front of the car to point on the screen. To point the car to the bottom of the screen, you pressed the bottom of the disc. Frankly, I think this method of steering is terrible!

The revised method of steering was more "realistic" in that you used the left or right edge of the disc to steer left or right as if you were sitting in the car - i.e. from a "first-person" perspective. I find this much easier than the original method.

Also, note the change in description of braking behavior. Seems that perhaps the original instructions were more descriptive of the model used (forward momentum will increase) rather than oriented toward the layperson (speed increases). Too much physics for the casual gamer?

There were also some variations of the 'Running Man' and Mattel logo on the back cover.

A total of ten Auto Racing overlay variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	1113-4289	1980	U.S.A.	Original variation; has outline around title; missing background fill near left front tire
	Mattel Electronics	1113-4289	1980	U.S.A.	No outline around title; no background color fill near right front tire
	Mattel Electronics	1113-4289-G1	1980	U.S.A.	No outline around title; background fill missing near left front tire
	Mattel Electronics	1113-4289-G1	1980	U.S.A.	No outline around title; finally got all the background colors filled in correctly
	Mattel Electronics	1113-4289-G1 GM	1980	U.S.A.	No outline around title; all background color fill correct; uses same materials as Imagic overlays, but only spotted in versions outside the U.S.A. so far; image submitted by Hankster
	Intellivision Inc.	1113-4289-G1	None		Located in Intellivision, Inc. copies; copyright information removed; all background color fill correct
	Intellivision Inc.	1113	None		Located in Intellivision, Inc. copies; paper-like material; two-color print—yellow background with blue art; copyright information removed; image courtesy of Scoubidou
	Digiplay	N/A	1980		Mattel copyright, but localized in Brazilian Portuguese; note that the body color is incorrectly painted between the body and front driver's side tire
	Phil Boland	49 75205	1980	U.S.A.	Part of the Sears Super Video Arcade Overlay Set (2013)
	Intellivision Productions	N/A	2014	U.S.A.	Part of the Supplemental Overlay Pack for Intellivision Flashback; note that the body of the car near the front driver's side tire is drawn incorrectly, filling out entirely to the tire; this is similar to the defect on the Digiplay overlay, but that one does have proper borders drawn

A total of seven Auto Racing label variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	N/A	None		No origin
	Mattel Electronics	N/A	None	Hong Kong	Origin upper right
	Intellivision Inc.	N/A	1980	U.S.A.	Origin lower right; © I.I. 1980 to left of origin; ™ small, centered vertically on right edge; smaller label, rounded corners
	Intellivision Inc.	N/A	1980		Date lower right; no copyright, origin; larger label, square corners
	Intellivision Inc.	N/A	None		No origin, copyright or date info; larger label, square corners
	Digiplay	N/A	1980		Digiplay edition; no origin; © M.I. 1980 bottom center; name not localized
	Phil Boland	N/A	None		Part of the Sears Super Video Arcade Overlay Set (2013)

	Title screen for Auto Racing.
	An interesting array of five different courses are available to choose from. One of the features this game is most famous for is that the tracks are all laid out on one large 'globe'. With some careful observant driving, you can find them all!

Credit: Joe Zbiciak's post to the intvprog group on Yahoo on 23. March, 2001

Either Controller: Press and hold [1], [6], [9]
Reset
Easter Egg: Toggles from "directional" to "first person" steering. Note: This feature is only available on the older ROMs that have the "directional" steering by default. The setting applies per controller.

If you find new, contradictory, or other information you wish to share, please send a message!