History VideoGame / PolePosition

* NonstandardGameOver: If you fail to fulfill the qualifying time, the game will not move on to race mode. You'll just keep driving until the time runs out.

[[quoteright:284:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pole_position_cover_3529.jpg]]

A sequel, ''Pole Position II'', was released in 1983. It added somewhat improved graphics and the ability to choose from one of four courses, including the Fuji Circuit from the original game, and the famous Suzuka International Racing Course (by far the hardest of the four). It also adds wheel spin, making the game slightly harder.

* ProductPlacement: Seen on the billboards in certain versions.[[note]]That said, the Dunlop Tires arch is replaced by a spectator bridge in the non-Japanese versions (the Namco Museum keeps the arch, but replaces the Dunlop reference with "Namco Musuem".[[/note]].[[/note]]

* EveryCarIsAPinto: Your car explodes spectacularly when you even touch another car, costing you time.[[note]]Indeed, while the first game just has the car explode, the second game has the car exploding "into pieces" (that is, with parts playing).[[/note]] Though apparently your ''driver'' is invincible or something. (This went on to be [[InVehicleInvulnerability a common trope]] for Atari, NES and Genesis-era racing games.)

''Pole Position'' is a racing game released by [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco]] in 1982 (and published by Creator/{{Atari}} in the United States that same year). Your goal is to drive your Formula One race car around the Fuji Speedway while avoiding crashing into other cars. The game is broken up into two segments: a qualifying round, where you try to complete a lap of the course for positioning and points; and a race segment, where you have to complete four laps around the track before time runs out. Crossing the start/finish line gives you a time bonus.

A sequel, ''Pole Position II'', was released in 1983. It added somewhat improved graphics and the ability to choose from one of four courses, including the Fuji Circuit from the original game, and the famous Suzuka International Racing Course (by far the hardest of the four). It also adds wheel spin, making the game slightly more difficult.

''Pole Position'' turned out to be the most popular arcade game in 1983 due to its realistic-for-the-time graphics, and was one of the pioneers of the pseudo-3D "rear-view racer" format, though Sega's ''Turbo'' beat it by one year.[[note]]Atari's Night Driver is even older, although in that game, the "car" was simply a decal that was put on the monitor.[[/note]]

* NonStandardGameOver: If you fail to fulfill the qualifying time, the game will not move on to race mode. You'll just keep driving until the time runs out.

A sequel, ''Pole Position II'', was released in 1983. It added somewhat improved graphics and the ability to choose from one of four courses, including the Fuji Circuit from the original game, and the famous Suzuka International Racing Course (by far the hardest of the four).

* EveryCarIsAPinto: Your car explodes spectacularly when you even touch another car, costing you time. Though apparently your ''driver'' is invincible or something. (This went on to be [[InVehicleInvulnerability a common trope]] for Atari, NES and Genesis-era racing games.)

* ProductPlacement: Seen on the billboards in certain versions.

''Pole Position'' turned out to be the most popular arcade game in 1983 due to its realistic-for-the-time graphics, and was one of the pioneers of the pseudo-3D "rear-view racer" format (though Sega's ''Turbo'' beat it by one year[[note]]Atari's Night Driver is even older, although in that game, the "car" was simply a decal that was put on the monitor.[[/note]]).

''Pole Position'' is a racing game released by [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco]] in 1982 (and published by Creator/{{Atari}} in the United States that same year). Your goal is to drive your Formula One race car around the Fuji Speedway while avoiding crashing into other cars. The game is broken up into two segments: a qualifying round, where you try to complete a lap of the course for positioning and points; and a race segment, where you have to complete four laps around the track before the time runs out. Crossing the start/finish line gives you a time bonus.

A sequel, entitled ''Pole Position II'', was released in 1983. It added somewhat improved graphics and the ability to choose from one of four courses, including the Fuji Circuit from the original game, and the famous Suzuka International Racing Course (by far the hardest of the four).

''Pole Position'' is a racing game released by {{Namco}} in 1982 (and published by Creator/{{Atari}} in the United States that same year). Your goal is to drive your Formula One race car around the Fuji Speedway while avoiding crashing into other cars. The game is broken up into two segments: a qualifying round, where you try to complete a lap of the course for positioning and points; and a race segment, where you have to complete four laps around the track before the time runs out. Crossing the start/finish line gives you a time bonus.

* EveryCarIsAPinto: Your car explodes spectacularly when you even so much as touch another car, costing you time. Though apparently your ''driver'' is invincible or something. (This went on to be [[InVehicleInvulnerability a common trope]] for Atari, NES and Genesis-era racing games.)
* NonStandardGameOver: If you fail to fulfill the qualifying time, the game will not move on to race mode. Instead you'll keep driving until the time runs out.

* NonstandardGameOver: If you fail to fulfill the qualifying time, the game will not move on to race mode. Instead you'll keep driving until the time runs out.

->Prepare to qualify!

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pole-position_700.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Prepare to qualify!]]

! Pole Position contains examples of:

* TimedMission

''Pole Position'' turned out to be the most popular arcade game in 1983 due to its realistic-for-the-time graphics, and was one of the pioneers of the pseudo-3D "rear-view racer" format (though Sega's ''Turbo'' beat it by one year[[note]]Atari's Night Driver is even older, although in that game, the "car" was simply a decal that was put on the monitor[[/note]]).

''Pole Position'' turned out to be the most popular arcade game in 1983 due to its realistic-for-the-time graphics, and was one of the pioneers of the pseudo-3D "rear-view racer" format (though Sega's ''Turbo'' beat it by one year).

* EveryCarIsAPinto: Your car explodes spectacularly when you crash, costing you time. Though apparently your ''driver'' is invincible or something. (This went on to be [[InVehicleInvulnerability a common trope]] for Atari, NES and Genesis-era racing games.)

->''"Prepare to qualify!"''

''Pole Position'' is a racing game released by {{Namco}} in 1982 (and published by {{Atari}} in the United States that same year). Your goal is to drive your Formula One race car around the Fuji Speedway while avoiding crashing into other cars. The game is broken up into two segments: a qualifying round, where you try to complete a lap of the course for positioning and points; and a race segment, where you have to complete four laps around the track before the time runs out. Crossing the start/finish line gives you a time bonus.

The 1984 cartoon [[WesternAnimation/PolePosition of the same name]] has nothing to do with the games, even though DiCEntertainment did in fact pay Namco to use the name.

''"Prepare to qualify!"''

The 1984 cartoon [[PolePosition of the same name]] has nothing to do with the games, even though DiCEntertainment did in fact pay Namco to use the name.

* EveryCarIsAPinto: Your car explodes spectacularly when you crash, costing you time. Though apparently your ''driver'' is invincible or something. (This went on to be a common trope for Atari, NES and Genesis-era racing games.)