Game versions

The game named Stunts is a creation of Distinctive Software studio, authors of Test Drive and Test Drive 2 before. A number of different versions of the game were published and are still circulating.

PC versions

• Brøderbund versions (referred to as BB versions) :
  
  • Stunts 1.0 (05 Oct. 1990)
    
  • Stunts 1.1 (12 Feb. 1991)

• Mindscape versions (referred to as MS versions) :
  
  • 4D Sports Driving 1.1 (13 Dec. 1990)
    
  • 4D Sports Driving 1.1 (25 Feb. 1991)

There are several gameplay differences between these versions; the principal ones are summarized below:

• Crashes when landing from jumps happen very often in BB 1.0 and MS 1.1 (1990 one), as the maximum angle allowed for hitting the ground without crashing was much smaller.
• Unlike on the various 1.1 versions, with BB 1.0 it is generally not possible to gain speed when landing from jumps - as you hit the ground, the horizontal velocity of the car will remain unchanged. That makes an enormous difference in car behaviour, specially for the slow cars, and also means it becomes virtually impossible to reach powergear with Ferrari and Corvette.
• Some track elements characteristics also change. For instance, tunnel roofs are completely penetrable in BB 1.0, and while it is possible to land on them with MS 1.1 versions, you will often be spared from a crash when hitting them from below.
• There are also minor performance and handling differences. Overall, cars are slowest in BB 1.0 and fastest in BB 1.1.

All these differences cause replays performed with different game versions incompatible regardless of the tracks being exchangeable, as the game engine will process the input stored in the replay file differently for each version.

The most used version in competitions nowadays is Stunts BB 1.1. At the dawn of Stunts competitions (1998-2000), however, it was Stunts BB 1.0 that was most popular. When the user share of Stunts BB 1.1 began to grow, a cheated car named Contest Car was created by Lukas Loehrer to allow Stunts 1.0 users be as fast as 1.1 users, because Indy car is slightly faster in BB/MS 1.1 versions than in BB 1.0 version.

According to the countries, Mindscape or Broderbund had the contract for selling the game. In USA, Germany and Eastern Europe the publisher was Broderbund; in France, U.K. and Belgium it was Mindscape. Overall, Broderbund versions are much more well known worldwide.

Amiga version

It seems that only publisher for Amiga was Mindscape; therefore, the game was published under the name 4D Sports Driving.
Only one version was available : it was version was 1.2, converted to Amiga from PC version.
This version has less bugs than PC versions.

• 4D Sports Driving 1.2 (1992-01-10)

FM Towns version

Stunts was also adapted to FM Towns computers.

Title screen of FM Towns version 1.0

FM Towns/Marty computers were i386 CPU-based computers NOT compatible with classic IBM-compatible PCs, made by Fujitsu (FM meaning Fujitsu Micro) and sold only in Japan. A console FM Towns, compatible with FM Towns/Marty computers, was also created.

• 4D Driving 1.0 (1993-01-18)

The editor for this version was Electronic Arts (E.A.) - Victor, as Distinctive Software has been bought by E.A. in 1991 to become E.A. Canada.
This version was also converted from PC, and with less bugs than PC versions.

As name "Stunts" was property of Brøderbund and "4D Sports" name was property of Mindscape, the game was released as "4D Driving" (to remember 4D Sports - Driving name that was already known in Japan due to Amiga version of the game).

• 

  Box, manual and CD box of FM Towns version 1.0

• 

  Rear view of FM Towns box

PC-9801 version

Title screen of PC-9801 version 1.0

Another Japanese port was made for the NEC PC-9801. It was produced by the same team as the FM Towns version and the two ports shared graphics and new opponents. Due to hardware limitations this version had fewer colors and the music were synthesized. Otherwise, it is quite similar to the FM Towns version.

• 4D Driving 1.0 (1993-01-18)

Other versions

Kevin Pickell mentioned, in an Wikipedia edit of the Stunts article, that a Sega Genesis (AKA Mega Drive) version was planned and realized, but the port never made it to the stores as it was not possible to make it work at an acceptable frame rate.

Comparison of game versions

General information

	BB 1990	MS 1990	BB 1991	MS 1991	MS Amiga	EA FM Towns	EA PC-9801
Release title	Stunts	4D Sports Driving	Stunts	4D Sports Driving	4D Sports Driving	4D Driving	4D Driving
Version number	1.0	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.2	1.0	1.0
Build date	05 Oct. 1990	13 Dec. 1990	12 Feb. 1991	25 Feb. 1991	10 Jan. 1992	18 Jan. 1993	18 Jan. 1993
Publisher	Broderbund	Mindscape	Broderbund	Mindscape	Mindscape	Electronic Arts Victor	Electronic Arts Victor

Driving

	BB 1990	MS 1990	BB 1991	MS 1991	MS Amiga	EA FM Towns	EA PC-9801
Jump boost	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes
Power gear	Flexible (Indy/Acura)	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	No
Aero slowdown bug	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	No
Easy sharp drops	No	No	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes
Penetrable tunnel roofs	Yes	Partially	No	No	?	?	No
Left corner bias	No	No	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes
Instant finish bug	Yes	Yes	Nontrivial	Nontrivial	?	?	Nontrivial
Faster Indy	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?

Miscellaneous

	BB 1990	MS 1990	BB 1991	MS 1991	MS Amiga	EA FM Towns	EA PC-9801
Fast rewinding	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes
Terrain editor	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	No
Opponent tracks	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes
HERROTTO.TRK	No	No	No	No	?	Yes	Yes
VANCOUVR.TRK	?	DEFAULT.RPL	DEFAULT.RPL	DEFAULT.RPL	?	Yes	Yes
Tournament mode	No	No	No	No	?	Yes	Yes

External links

• Lukas Loehrer on the differences between PC versions
• Kalpen's evaluation of Indy performances on different versions