Re-Volt

Re-Volt, released in 1999 by the now-defunct Acclaim Entertainment on the PC, Nintendo 64, PlayStation and Dreamcast, is a unique approach to the racing genre. It pits radio-controlled cars against each other in a series of realistic and not-so-realistic tracks while using Mario Kart–style pickups. The gameplay is unique due to the physics engine that successfully emulated RC car movement.

The game itself wasn't a big hit on the market (now classified as abandonware), but it has given way to a cult following that exists to this very day. Eleven years from when it was first released, new cars, new tracks and even an online multiplayer client have been developed.

Distinct tropes of this game:

 * Car Tiers: Rookie, Amateur, Advanced, Semi-Pro and Pro.
 * Flying Saucer: The Probe UFO "car".
 * Idiosyncratic Difficulty Levels: From easiest to hardest: Junior RC, Console, Arcade and Simulation. Needless to say, this affects how the cars handle.
 * Joke Car: The Phat Slug
 * Living Toys: The guy who made these RCs put a bit too much of their magic spark in them. They race for no reason. Have fun.
 * Nitro Boost: The battery pickup, which speeds up your car for a bit.
 * Not Quite Flight: The Probe UFO (available through cheats only) can hover for a while after leaping off a ramp.
 * Oil Slick: One of the powerups.
 * Poison Mushroom: Pickups come with the added risk of getting the bomb, which sets your car on a timer and you have to pass the bomb to other cars before you explode.
 * Shout Out: The "Toys in the Hood" track.
 * Toy Time: The Toy World tracks.
 * Track Editor
 * Water Guns and Balloons: A water balloon is one of the powerups - it can be shot at opponents.