DRM and Motorcycle Music

Most publishers are happy to lock up their games behind product keys and elaborate online server checks but some forms of DRM, like the recent vuvuzela-filled Michael Jackson: The Experience on DS, are a little more creative. Last week, Good Old Games pulled Moto Racer 2 from their online store after irate buyers informed them it was broken. Turns out the site missed the cunning DRM hidden in the 1998 source code that limits bikes to lower gears, making it impossible to win races.

All this reminded me of Moto Racer World Tour, a later sequel in the series put out by Infogrames in 2000 and sent my way for review. I’ve never been into motorcycle racing (especially without weaponry) but the music in this budget-priced PSone release was surprisingly good. The in-race music is fittingly fast paced and electronic but two tracks feature the audio and vocal talents of Luc Van Acker who I already knew from the Revolting Cocks album I bought because half of Ministry was behind it. Coincidences where gaming and the kinds of music I like collide on U.S. retail shelves are pretty rare.

Since you read through both of those stories I might as well reward you with one of the songs from the game. It should load up just underneath that big image above but if it’s not working that means you’re probably looking at this post from an RSS reader and should click on over to the actual site.