History Main / WackyRacing

* The ''Destruction Derby'' series is a textbook example, especially in ''RAW''; the 'Wrecking Racing' mode in particular. A number of beat-up cars must race each other around a series of increasingly improbable and dangerous courses with wacky themes; ''RAW'', for example, features a course shaped like a dragonfly with a four-way crossover, [[FourIsDeath a track shaped like the number four]], [[DownTheDrain a course set in a sewer system]], another set in a prison courtyard with no inner boundaries, and one which requires racers to drive head-on into other racers over a giant central ramp. You're rewarded with points both for finishing in a certain place and for [[CarFu smashing into other racers]] and making them do flips, spins, and corkscrews, with lots of points if you knock an opponent out of commission. You can only advance in Wrecking Racing by getting a certain number of points, and in later races you are ''[[ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption required]]'' to drive like a maniac and smash into everyone as simply coming in first won't get you enough.

* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': The second summer event "Dead Heat Summer Race" has the Servants (many of them in swimsuits) racing in various vehicles and allowed to attack each other. Every quarter of the race has them interrupted by some wacky obstacle like Atalanta growing apple trees on ''the racetrack'' or Boudicca lashing out because she doesn't have a playable swimsuit version. And then it turns into the GreatEscape as they get locked up in prison with Medb acting as a warden [[spoiler:and the whole event was orchestrated by Ishtar to revive her great bull Gulganna.]]

* The ''VideoGame/DestructionDerby'' series is a textbook example, especially in ''RAW''; the 'Wrecking Racing' mode in particular. A number of beat-up cars must race each other around a series of increasingly improbable and dangerous courses with wacky themes; ''RAW'', for example, features a course shaped like a dragonfly with a four-way crossover, [[FourIsDeath a track shaped like the number four]], [[DownTheDrain a course set in a sewer system]], another set in a prison courtyard with no inner boundaries, and one which requires racers to drive head-on into other racers over a giant central ramp. You're rewarded with points both for finishing in a certain place and for [[CarFu smashing into other racers]] and making them do flips, spins, and corkscrews, with lots of points if you knock an opponent out of commission. You can only advance in Wrecking Racing by getting a certain number of points, and in later races you are ''[[ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption required]]'' to drive like a maniac and smash into everyone as simply coming in first won't get you enough.

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->''"The idea is very simple. The car on the bottom has a throttle, brakes, and gears, but no steering wheel -- because that's fitted to the car on the top."''
-->-- '''Creator/JeremyClarkson''' describing the madness seen at right, ''Series/TopGearUK''

%%* ''VideoGame/FullAuto'', which can be boiled down to ''Film/DeathRace: The Video Game''.

%%* ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'' follows on the footsteps of ''Mario Kart'' and adds its own twists, like Boss Battles and different vehicles, plus a surprisingly elaborate overworld.

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[[folder:Web Comics]]
%%* In ''Webcomic/{{Misfile}}'', we see it done by Cassiel in Ash's race against Logan.

* ''VideoGame/KirbyAirRide'' is a seems to combine the normal gameplay of the ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' franchise with a racing game. Racing in environments such as space stations, giant beanstalks, and active volcanos, Kirby also finds himself in battle with various enemies using powerups. (Of course, Kirby being Kirby, he can also just swallow them.)

* ''VideoGame/GensouSkydrift'': How much wackier can you get than the cast of ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' using each other as {{Body Sled}}s and using all manner of bizarre {{Limit Break}}s, ranging from {{Nue}} turning into a FlyingSaucer to [[spoiler:[[OurVampiresAreDifferent Flandre]] pulling out a FlamingSword that is [[{{BFS}} bigger than she is]]]].

* ''Videogame/Interstate76'': The ''Nitro Pack'' expansion had one mission where Taurus had to race against Drinky, a clown in an armed VW Beetle. It was considered to be [[ThatOneMission one of the worst missions in the entire expansion pack]] due to the game not counting a lap if one of the tires of the car Taurus was driving went off the track but placing no such restrictions on his opponent. While both vehicles were armed, shooting Taurus's opponent also failed the mission (and given how ''annoying'' Drinky's taunting was, the player would definitely want to shoot him).

In RealLife, the racing of any kind of vehicle is very dangerous, and many people have died or suffered serious injury while doing so. Things have gotten better, but it is still a potentially deadly sport truly only kept in the reins of safety by [[BadassDriver the skill of the drivers]]. However, there is also the fact that in real life, except for off-road rallies and endurance races, most races simply involve going from point A to point B, or driving in an oval for a few dozen or a few hundred laps. Because of this, writers tend to spice things up a bit. The result is a Wacky Race, a race so improbable, so outrageous, so dangerous, that it makes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7amgj1DpSA Pikes Peak]] look like a Sunday drive.

* ''VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon'', of all games, had a mode ("[[IncrediblyLamePun Motor Kombat]]") for this. Why it was felt ''a fighting game'' needed a RacingMiniGame mode, we couldn't tell you.

* ''VideoGame/LooneyTunesRacing'' is a UsefulNotes/PlayStation karting game, featuring weapons from cream pies to heat-seeking cream pies to, of course, anvils.
* ''VideoGame/LooneyTunesSpaceRace'' is a Dreamcast and UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 game that takes things InSpace, but with the same general principle.

* The UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} version of the ''Speed Racer'' film, which transposes the insane courses and CarFu tactics of the movie.

* The TropeNamer ''Wacky Races'' has [[VideoGame/WackyRaces2000 a video game]] based on it made for the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast and for UsefulNotes/PlayStation2. Unlike other Mario Kartlikes, you don't pick up power-ups along the track -- you chose three from a list specific to the character you choose before every race, and pick up tokens along the track that let you use the powers you chose.