Skitchin' was a rollerblading race and stunt video game from Electronic Arts released for the Sega Genesis in 1994.
Similar to Road Rash, you control an inline skater who can hold onto the bumper of a passing car (hence the term "skitch") to gain a leg up in the competition. Other racers can also skitch on the same car as you, meaning you will have to fight them off. You can pick up weapons to protect yourself along the road ranging from metal pipes to stun rods.
Finishing in fifth place or better gives you a cash reward, and it allows you to move onto the next course. You can use the money to buy improved safety gear or pay for hospital bills and tickets (as the races are illegal in-universe). You also earn bonus money for performing stunts, fighting your opponents and skitching police cars without getting arrested. Run out of money, and the game is over.
This game contains examples of:
- Carry a Big Stick: Clubs are scattered throughout the streets and can be used to attack other skitchers.
- Chain Pain: A less common weapon which you can also use to fight opponents.
- Classic Cheat Code: Pressing B, A, Down, A, Start, Start in that order unlocks the ability to put in secret passwords. These include starting on later levels (PIZZA to start on Chicago, for example), changing your character's head or hairstyle (MOHAWK to get... you can guess), and getting items to use during races (THRASH for the most powerful weapons).
- Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Every opponent you race has the same color scheme except for you, the second player uses the opponents' colors.
- The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard: Sometimes present in the Rubber-Band A.I. of the other racers where they are more competent than you at taking difficult turns, fighting or hanging onto bumpers. At the same time, it's averted as they are just as susceptible to knocking each other down and cars hitting them.
- As you progress, roughly every three stages, the computer racers will get a large, free bonus to their stamina and attack power. You do not get these bonuses, and it's best to just stay the hell away from the other racers during the endgame levels.
- Content Warnings: The box and the intro screen for this game warn against engaging in any of its activities; doing so will risk severe injury.
- Crowbar Combatant: You can attack other racers with crowbars.
- Difficult, but Awesome: Skitch a cop car! Earn money for every single second you're doing so! Risk the immediate end of the race in your loss the moment you do anything to draw their attention (don't stand up or let them hear the punching noises near their back bumper), or maybe just if you're on a little too long!
- Enemy Chatter: Before and after the races, some competitors will either give you pointers or talk smack.
- Face Plant: Happens if you lose control of the car you're skitching or improperly land after performing a trick.
- Green Hill Zone: Vancouver. Your opponents generally never engage in combat, and traffic is just as tame. They only drive in the left lane.
- Hello, [Insert Name Here]: You enter your name with "Blader A/B" as the default.
- Honest John's Dealership: One of the signs you pass on tracks advertises "Very Used Cars".
- It's a Wonderful Failure: Getting caught by the police treats you to a silhouette of your skater getting arrested. If you run out of health, your skater's shadow will appear on a hospital bed complete with an IV.
- Oil Slick: Many tracks have oil on the roads which will slow down your skater.
- Outside Ride: You skitch cars by hanging onto their bumpers.
- Password Save: The game provided an alphanumeric password code which saves your total cash and status.
- Ramp-rovisation: You can jump over knocked down signs to perform tricks.
- Regenerating Health: After other racers attack you, your health will slowly regenerate.
- Second Place Is for Losers: Averted. You will advance to the next track if you finish in at least fifth place.
- The Smurfette Principle: The few female skaters are Jezebel and Malice.
- So Last Season: The first few races will have your equipment on par with the other skitchers. As the races get more dangerous and your competitors become tougher, you will be forced to upgrade.
- Totally Radical: The game makes use of skating slang prominent in 1990s culture.
- Vehicular Assault: In later tracks, cars will change lanes, and if they catch you skitchin', they may decide to pop their trunks open in your face. Stay ducked.
- X-Ray Sparks: Happens when you zap other skaters with a stun rod.
