Jet Moto (PlayStation)

Jet Moto
Also known as: Jet Rider (EU), JetMoto (JP) Developer: SingleTrac Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Platform: PlayStation Released in JP: July 8, 1997 Released in US: October 31, 1996 Released in EU: February 10, 1997 This game has a hidden developer message. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused music. This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences.

Jet Moto is the result of a corner-cutting measure for saving polygons in a "sci-fi motocross" game whilst maintaining its chaotic concept of twenty bikes fighting each other in a packed field. Despite being frequently compared (often unfavorably) with the remotely similar Wave Race 64, it was successful enough to make Sony's "Greatest Hits" program and warrant a sequel.

Unused Graphics

STANDING.TMS contains graphics for text/icons used in the race results and season standings screens. This sheet in particular goes mostly unused, with the ELIMINATED text being the lone exception.

• D.N.F. is a leftover from a previous stage in development, when riders could be taken out of a race by falling off cliffs three times.
• ELIMINATION, CHAMPIONSHIP and RALLY denote the three custom circuit modes, but never see any use as the standings screen only discriminates the modes through the way score is laid out on the screen - Championship uses points, Rally uses time and Elimination lacks standings entirely.
• RACES and COMPLETED appear to be additional header text to identify the number of races finished at any given point in a season, but never are used as the background files already include text baked onto their graphics.

(Source: Jay Barnson (intended use of "D.N.F."))

PRIZE.TMS stores the button icons used by the secret code prize screens. Since no code uses the Cross button, as that would select whatever option is highlighted on the title screen, its corresponding graphic goes unused.

Unused Music

WIN.DA is a Red Book audio track that may be played in a CD player by skipping to track #12. Its filename suggests that it is intended as a victory theme, but is never played in-game.

LOOSE.DA is the same deal as above, playable by skipping to track #13. It is suggested to be a losing theme, but again never sees any use by the game.

Secret Message

Present in CREDITS\SCREDITS.TIM is a dedicatory message from SingleTrac director and developer Mike Mason to his children. It may be accessed in-game by selecting Dakota as Player 1's rider (this is set by default), then setting Laps per Race to "2" and Trophy Presenter to "Female" in the Options menu. After this, hold R2 and select the Credits option.

A similar message is present in Jet Moto 2, but the method for accessing it is unknown.

Debug Functions

Two test modes are accessible from the Options menu in similar manner to the secret message above. As a prerequisite, set Difficulty to "Amateur" and both Turbo and Grapple to "Off."

The first mode allows for viewing of every valid combination of post-race screen background (three per track) and race winner pose (20 per track). With the above settings in place, hold L1 and select the Credits option. Note that one may not back out to the Options menu with the Triangle button, instead being forced to cycle through each of the 600 possible combos.

The second mode allows for a preview of every rider's ending screen. To access this, hold L2 and select the Credits option.

Regional Differences

North America	Europe

Jet Moto was released in Europe under the title Jet Rider, with all instances of the game's logo in the menus being replaced to reflect this.

North America	Europe	Japan

Text in menus and loading screens is changed to replace instances of "Jet Moto" with "Jet Rider" (or, in the Japanese version of the game, "JetMoto"), as well as "JM" with "JR."

North America	Japan

Some items on the Options menu are labeled differently in the Japanese release. Additionally, Stunt Race is unlocked from the get-go along with all tracks, whereas the Western versions lock this content behind Full Season progression.

North America	Europe/Japan

The in-game chase cameras are looser during movement in the European and Japanese versions of the game.

European and Japanese versions of the game have a prompt asking if the player really wants to quit the ongoing race from the pause menu, while the original North American release goes straight to the "RACE ABORTED" message.