Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Released in 1992, F1 ROC: Race of Champions is a Formula One-inspired racing game developed by SETA Corporation for the Super Nintendo. Known as Exhaust Heat in Japan and Europe, it combines Mode 7 racing with qualifying, car upgrades, weather, damage, and championship progression.
Rating: 7/10
The main Grand Prix mode takes you through 16 circuits inspired by real Formula One tracks such as Monaco, Monza, Silverstone, Spa, Suzuka, and Adelaide. Although the game lacks an official F1 license, its fictional teams and drivers are obvious stand-ins for the major names of the period.
Before each race you complete a solo qualifying lap to determine your grid position. The race itself features eight cars in total, and good finishes earn both championship points and prize money. That money is central to the game's progression, because your starting car is relatively weak and needs to be upgraded throughout the season.
The garage system is one of F1 ROC's strongest features. You can improve the engine, chassis, transmission, brakes, suspension, wings, diffuser, tires, and nitro. Better parts noticeably affect speed, acceleration, grip, and braking, so upgrades feel meaningful rather than cosmetic. Faster engines can make the car harder to control, encouraging you to balance outright performance with handling.
Controls are simple and responsive. B accelerates, Y brakes, A activates nitro, and the D-pad steers, while manual gear shifting is available with the shoulder buttons. Automatic transmission makes the game easy to approach, but learning braking points and racing lines is still important. Trying to take every corner at full speed quickly sends you onto the grass, where momentum disappears.
Damage also adds a light simulation element. Collisions gradually deteriorate the car, and pit stops can be used for repairs. Crashing therefore costs more than just time, since excessive damage can also hurt your finances. Weather affects races as well, making tire choice more important when rain appears.
Graphically, F1 ROC relies heavily on the SNES's Mode 7 hardware. During qualifying or practice, when you're alone on the circuit, the rotating and scaling track creates an impressive sensation of speed for a 1992 console game. Unfortunately, the engine struggles when several rival cars appear at once. Crowded starts can produce noticeable slowdown, making the controls feel less responsive until the field spreads out.
The tracks are another mixed area. Their layouts differ and they are clearly modeled after famous circuits, but the environments are often flat, sparse, and visually repetitive. Grass, road textures, and advertising boards are reused heavily, causing locations that should feel distinctive to blend together.
Opponent AI is fairly passive. Rival cars generally stick to their racing lines rather than aggressively fighting for position, so most of the challenge comes from learning the circuits, improving your car, and avoiding mistakes. Once you've purchased the strongest upgrades, the difficulty also drops considerably.
A welcome feature is battery-backed saving, which stores championship progress and upgrades directly on the cartridge. There is also a Training mode for practicing tracks and experimenting with different setups. Unfortunately, the game is entirely single-player, which limits its long-term appeal.
Overall, F1 ROC: Race of Champions is an ambitious and enjoyable early SNES racer. Its slowdown, sparse environments, passive AI, and repetitive presentation prevent it from becoming a true classic, but the upgrade system gives it much more depth than many contemporary racing games. Building an initially underpowered car into a championship-winning machine remains satisfying, and the mixture of arcade accessibility and light simulation makes it well worth trying for fans of 16-bit racing games.
Released in 1992, F1 ROC: Race of Champions is a Formula One-inspired racing game developed by SETA Corporation for the Super Nintendo. Known as Exhaust Heat in Japan and Europe, it combines Mode 7 racing with qualifying, car upgrades, weather, damage, and championship progression.
Rating: 7/10
The main Grand Prix mode takes you through 16 circuits inspired by real Formula One tracks such as Monaco, Monza, Silverstone, Spa, Suzuka, and Adelaide. Although the game lacks an official F1 license, its fictional teams and drivers are obvious stand-ins for the major names of the period.
Before each race you complete a solo qualifying lap to determine your grid position. The race itself features eight cars in total, and good finishes earn both championship points and prize money. That money is central to the game's progression, because your starting car is relatively weak and needs to be upgraded throughout the season.
The garage system is one of F1 ROC's strongest features. You can improve the engine, chassis, transmission, brakes, suspension, wings, diffuser, tires, and nitro. Better parts noticeably affect speed, acceleration, grip, and braking, so upgrades feel meaningful rather than cosmetic. Faster engines can make the car harder to control, encouraging you to balance outright performance with handling.
Controls are simple and responsive. B accelerates, Y brakes, A activates nitro, and the D-pad steers, while manual gear shifting is available with the shoulder buttons. Automatic transmission makes the game easy to approach, but learning braking points and racing lines is still important. Trying to take every corner at full speed quickly sends you onto the grass, where momentum disappears.
Damage also adds a light simulation element. Collisions gradually deteriorate the car, and pit stops can be used for repairs. Crashing therefore costs more than just time, since excessive damage can also hurt your finances. Weather affects races as well, making tire choice more important when rain appears.
Graphically, F1 ROC relies heavily on the SNES's Mode 7 hardware. During qualifying or practice, when you're alone on the circuit, the rotating and scaling track creates an impressive sensation of speed for a 1992 console game. Unfortunately, the engine struggles when several rival cars appear at once. Crowded starts can produce noticeable slowdown, making the controls feel less responsive until the field spreads out.
The tracks are another mixed area. Their layouts differ and they are clearly modeled after famous circuits, but the environments are often flat, sparse, and visually repetitive. Grass, road textures, and advertising boards are reused heavily, causing locations that should feel distinctive to blend together.
Opponent AI is fairly passive. Rival cars generally stick to their racing lines rather than aggressively fighting for position, so most of the challenge comes from learning the circuits, improving your car, and avoiding mistakes. Once you've purchased the strongest upgrades, the difficulty also drops considerably.
A welcome feature is battery-backed saving, which stores championship progress and upgrades directly on the cartridge. There is also a Training mode for practicing tracks and experimenting with different setups. Unfortunately, the game is entirely single-player, which limits its long-term appeal.
Overall, F1 ROC: Race of Champions is an ambitious and enjoyable early SNES racer. Its slowdown, sparse environments, passive AI, and repetitive presentation prevent it from becoming a true classic, but the upgrade system gives it much more depth than many contemporary racing games. Building an initially underpowered car into a championship-winning machine remains satisfying, and the mixture of arcade accessibility and light simulation makes it well worth trying for fans of 16-bit racing games.
