Humanity's been driven to near extinction in the year 2112. An alien force has invaded the Earth, killing or enslaving most of mankind. The few that remain free have gone into hiding, or have become fighters for the resistance -- like Mach Rider. This early first-party NES effort puts players in his role, as a lone biker racing through an arid, post-apocalyptic vision of future, endlessly searching for any clue that might point to the location of the aliens' home base.
He never finds it. The ending is just the beginning again with Mach Rider, as, like many other early 8-bit titles, the plot simply cycles back onto itself after you've cleared the final level. It's been almost 22 years now, and the Rider's fate remains unknown; there's never been a sequel, never any resolution. So maybe the revisitation will rekindle interest in this story. And maybe not. Either way, Wii owners now have the chance to enjoy a superior Mach Rider experience.
Gamers unconcerned with blazing their own trails can keep to Mach Rider's three other modes of play -- Fighting, Endurance and Solo. Fighting Mode is the one with the plot progression, simple and cyclical as it is where you guide the Rider through 10 enemy-filled "sectors" on a quest to find the alien Quadrunners' secret base. Endurance Mode is similar, but removes the story in favor of focusing on the countdown clock. It's essentially a Time Trial mode. And Solo Mode is simpler still, again pitting you against the clock but also removing any and all aliens from the roadways. You ride alone.
And it's not such a lonesome experience, really. Mach Rider's dated, no doubt, and visually it's perhaps the choppiest racer you'll ever play. But its sense of speed is still keen even after over two decades -- having only a split second to react before you crash into a rock or enemy road warrior is pretty intense for an 8-bit experience. You can see how Mach Rider's design and style influenced later Nintendo racers, like the F-Zero series, but even then the Rider has his own unique qualities. Captain Falcon's hovercar doesn't come equipped with a machine gun like this battle bike does.