Cisco Heat

Assume the role of a police officer competing in the inaugural National Championship Police Car Steeplechase within Cisco Heat, a driving game released by Jaleco in 1990. Players navigate twisting San Francisco streets from a chase-view perspective, choosing between two squad cars – one optimized for speed and the other for cornering – to tackle five distinct stages. The gameplay involves skillfully maneuvering through traffic composed of civilian vehicles like taxis, trams, and fire engines while also avoiding rival police cruisers. Cisco Heat presents a challenging experience requiring precise control as players negotiate sharp ninety-degree turns and contend with the demanding race environment. While visually ambitious for its time, the game’s graphics occasionally exhibit some flickering and sprite behavior due to hardware limitations. A single player controls their vehicle using a paddle controller and five buttons. The game’s technical specifications include three 68000 CPUs and several sound chips including Yamaha YM2151 and OKI6295, delivering the soundtrack for this racing challenge. Versions of Cisco Heat were also released as upright and two-seater arcade models.