Players race on either a motocross bike or street bike, depending on the track. The PC version features a total of eight tracks, four of which are unlockable, while the PlayStation version adds two tracks for a total of ten. A multiplayer option is also available, allowing two players to compete over a LAN or Internet on the PC or split screen on the PlayStation version. The single player modes include "Time Attack" and "Championship". The most laps a player can do is eight on the Practice Race.
Reception
Moto Racer was met with positive reception. On GameRankings it held a score of 75.50% for the PC version based on 4 reviews and 80.09% for the PlayStation version based on 11 reviews. Next Generation reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it five stars out of five, and stated that "Moto Racer GP fills the vacant niche of the PC motorcycle racing genre admirably." Critics widely praised the PlayStation version for its sharp graphics and strong sense of speed. Tim Soete of GameSpot remarked that "the gut-turning velocities achieved during parts of the game - and the requirement that your reflexes one-up this pace - is definitely where the challenge lies in Moto Racer." The vast majority also applauded the controls, particularly when using analog joypads. Jay Boor of IGN disagreed, saying the realism and precision of the bike's handling frustrated him. Crispin Boyer of Electronic Gaming Monthly acknowledged that while the game is too easy on easy difficulty, medium difficulty is rather unforgiving, but he and co-reviewers John Ricciardi and Kelly Rickards found this outweighed by the strong controls and overall fun of the game. EGM guest reviewer David Siller gave Moto Racer one of its few negative reviews, citing poor track design. GamePro gave it a 4.5 out of 5 in both control and sound and a perfect 5.0 in graphics and fun factor, citing the exhilarating sense of speed, "instant onscreen responsiveness" of the controls, low-key musical score, and variety of tracks and options. Reviewers for IGN and Next Generation agreed that the PlayStation port, while clearly inferior to the PC version in terms of graphics, is an exemplary conversion given the PlayStation's limitations and provides the same essential gaming experience as the PC original. Next Generation stated that "Although perhaps not quite as technically proficient as the PC version, Moto Racer for PlayStation loses nothing in the essence of the gaming experience it offers. A remarkable achievement."
Sequels and spin-offs
Several sequels and spin-offs followed, including Moto Racer 2, Moto Racer World Tour, Moto Racer 3, Moto Racer 4, Moto Racer Advance and Moto Racer DS.
Remake
In 2011, Anuman and Nobilis released a remake called Moto Racer 15th Anniversary for iOS and Microsoft Windows.