Sure, you COULD fight other players online in warzones and space stations…but why bother with such samey, cookie-cutter locations when you can spar outside of Santa’s workshop or in a lousy burger joint instead? But the silliness doesn’t stop there. These are five ridiculous video game multiplayer maps.
Shadow Racer – Shadow Warrior
Duke Nukem 3D’s Asian-inspired spiritual-sequel was home to a peculiar map deathmatch-exclusive map. ‘Shadow Racer’ is a city-centric level with a road curving its way around numerous buildings. The gimmick here is that once you take a step on the road, you’ll be thrusted along uncontrollably by an invisible force, lapping your way around the track. You can leap off of it in order to collect items or dodge attacks. It’s not the best map for a legitimate race – the road forces you along at a set speed, meaning overtaking people cleanly would be impossible – but it’s most certainly an odd twist. Just imagine trying to hit a target moving around at 70mph.
Action shot of Lo Wang speeding along through the city without moving his legs.
North Pole – Twisted Metal III
The vehicular-deathmatch series Twisted Metal pits weapon-toting racers around the globe to battle one another in various battlegrounds, one of which is set in the North Pole. The terrain is bumpy and surrounded by snow-covered mountains, trees, and a chasm. In the center of the map is none other than Santa’s workshop, which can be destroyed in order to acquire some powerful weapons. Funnily enough, the level song is a Xmas-themed remix of ‘More Human Than Human’ by White Zombie, with a few riffs from ‘Jingle Bells’ played on guitar in between as well. It’s nutty, but fitting for a game where you can play as a crazy killer clown with a missile-launching ice cream truck.
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