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Time to whack on a helmet and go for a ride. Seibu Kaihatsu's motorcycle-themed racing game Shot Rider is officially joining Arcade Archives this week, bringing a gas-guzzling mix of bike-themed thrills and spills to modern platforms.
Hitting arcades back in 1985 — some accounts peg the date as 1984, but we're willing to defer to Hamster's authority on the subject here — Shot Rider is a top-down, vertically scrolling racer that predates the slightly more famous 1988 racing game Rally-Bike from Toaplan (which I'm personally surprised to see is still missing from the Arcade Archives catalogue).
Similar to Rally-Bike, the focus here is on driving really fast while avoiding obstacles and managing your fuel, but there are a few major differences to speak of. Whereas in Rally-Bike hitting another opponent will cause you to crash out, in Shot Rider you're actively encouraged to bump into other riders to take them out of the race and earn extra points. Not very sporting, but needs must! Also, in Shot Rider, there are no helicopters to drop useful power-ups, with the game ultimately being a lot simpler in that respect.
Here's the official description for the release:
"SHOT RIDER" is a racing game released by SEIBU KAIHATSU in 1985.
Drive your bike as the protagonist and crash into enemy riders to take them down as you race toward the finish line.There are junctions along the stage where the route splits, allowing you to enjoy a variety of courses such as the highway, rocky, and snow courses depending on your choice. Watch out for cars and obstacles, as crashing into them will significantly reduce your fuel."
If you fancy giving it a go, the game will be released on November 12th, 2026 on Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S. As always with Hamster releases, it will come with some additional modes (including a Hi-score mode and Caravan mode), with the Arcade Archives 2 release for Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 also packing a bonus Time Attack mode.
The game will cost $7.99/$9.99 depending on your platform of choice.