Note: As I've said many times before, I greatly enjoy both old and new school--especially the GTA series. No hate! Only trying to educate!
I hear the words "originality" and the "Grand Theft Auto" license being tossed around like salad at the Olive Garden around every corner of the web now that the third 3-D addition, GTA: San Andreas, is slated for release later this year and discussion about the series is rising again.

What most people don't seem to know is running down people in vehicles, senseless murdering, and an insane glorification of violence via AKs, gatling guns, and various weapons of mass destruction were all done way back in 1990...on the NES! The name of this violent game is "Death Race."

"Running over people is fun!"

"Death Race" first became public in 1976 by distributor Exidy at the local arcades. The game revolved around the '75 Carradine (Kill Bill)/Stallone film of the same name. The basic premise had the player drive an automobile inside of a walled-in space to collect flags while being encouraged to run over any "gremlins" in way (which we actually meant to act as human beings but censorship declared the swap to monsters instead). Much controversy followed, granting "Death Race" a special report on CBS's 60 Minutes and stirred the very first organized protest over a video game in the industry's whole history, led on by activist Ronnie Lamm. [wikipedia.org] For only a small amount of arcade units available, "Death Race" was destined to topple at the hands of concerned parents.

"GTA-type gameplay on the NES and based on the pioneer of video game indecency... What a combination!"

"Death Race" seemed, well, quite literally "dead" until the ruthless unofficial Nintendo publisher AGCI, Inc. decided to port the title directly from the controversial 70's arcade black-and-white version. That means, of course, copies arrived at the toaster's slot in unlicensed format--sporting the oddly smooth, top-shaped trademarked AGCI gray cartridge. Exidy had apparently developed a partnership with AGCI, Inc. since another infamous port, Chiller, had also been based on an early Exidy arcade cabinet. In its only console form, the developers took the liberty to switch the arcade version's monsters to walking pedestrians. Thus, the "original Grand Theft Auto" was born.

The next time a misinformed GTA/casual gamer walks up to you and shoves GTA in your face and bad mouths the old school Nintendo, you can calmly and intelligently educate the person about the 8-bit's own killing machine--in fact the only port of the first controversial game on home system. While their jaws are down, give them the old 'one-two' and go on to tell them that it could be argued that Rockstar North borrowed a large portion of the series' renown gameplay ideas as inspiration from an NES game! And it's certainly true.

"Death Race" is the grandfather of video game controversy and sick digital mayhem. It's time we remind the masses of the fact.

Head-to-head comparisons between GTA 1-3 for the PC and "Death Race" on the NES:

Running over pedestrians; [they] are armed. Very addictive.	Ditto. Pedestrians are armed and similarly casually stroll along. Also an unhealthy addiction.
Gameplay, when after upgrading car engines, is very smooth and very fast. Tries to be realistic and simulated by allowing skidding, actual turn radius, and sensitive driving mechanics affect movement. Damage reflects upon vehicle's performance.	Automobile stick-shift-like physics. Ditto.
Take too much time and a helicopter will come, follow suit, and shoot you on the spot.	Have too many badges and a police helicopter will follow and shoot.
The thrill of being chased!	Ditto.
Mission based: collect all of the scattered flags to reach the exit.	Mission based: complete errands to open up sealed parts of the cit(y)ies.
Final level is held in New York City.	GTA3 takes place entirely in Liberty City, an all-too obvious play off of NYC and the Statue of Liberty.
Top-down view.	Ditto for GTA1-2.
Obstacles all over the place that block car's path. Rocks, buildings, etc.	Obstacles all over the place that block car's path. Street signs, trees, environment, etc.
Hard, hard, hard! I was unable to pass the New York level without restarting a dozen times. Which adds a lot of replay value. Tip: To win, I basically chose to upgrade my chasis at every chance I got in the armor department. Memorization of maps for flag placement is almost a necessity.	Relatively moderate challenge. Replay value of just driving around is through the roof.
Guns, guns, guns! Weapons of mass destruction, too.	Large assortment of weaponry, including but not limited to machine guns, flamethrowers, baseball bats, and shotguns. WMD's include rocket launchers.
Upgrades for vehicles, such as improved tires and engines for enhanced speed. Repairs can be made, also.	Upgrades for vehicles rely on carjacking, specs affect movement, and special cars are unlocked after doing certain missions. Repairs on automobiles can be made at garages.
Levels include: San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Houston, New Orleans, Chicago, Raleigh, New York. Uses US map as stage select.	Levels include: San Andreas, Liberty City (NY), Vice City (Florida) Uses US map as stage select.
Rage-Releaser without committing the real-life act: Fairly high, although the aforementioned difficulty may leave you at the end with more rage than you began venting.	The GTA series has it up over "Death Race" in this category for one big reason: carjacking.
Explicit dialogue text in-game.	Extremely vulgar and violent dialogue.
Sound department: 1980's-style beeps and bloops	7 full CD's of 1980's soundtrack (Vice City)

I'll be frank, "Death Race" hasn't aged very well, except in regards to the universal instant-fun accessibility at first. Just take a look at all of the inspiration it gave to help produce one hell of a series of games though. Grand Theft Auto may have the technology and superior sound over "Death Race"'s base gameplay, in this the winner is clear. But nevertheless all of the blood-thirsty NESers out there can at least say they had the chance to run over little 8-bit people... again and again... causing them to come apart into even tinier pieces. This is gaming history: pure and simple. I suggest tracking down a copy for collecting sake. These carts happen to be a tad on the rarer side. If nothing else, "Death Race" is a fantastically gruesome way to count down the days until the next GTA installment.

*flyer from coinop.org