Pole Position is hailed as one of the most successful racing games in history, critically and financially. The game deserves every bit of praise it has been given. Pole Position is an impressive technical achievement, showing for the first time many tricks that became commonplace in both racing games and other games designed to give a first-person perspective without actual 3-D rendered graphics. Later racing games like OutRun may have cranked up the eye and ear candy, but Pole Position's smooth game mechanics were never bettered in the pre-3-D era. On top of all that, the game is addictively fun to play.
Unfortunately not everyone has an opportunity to play Pole Position as intended. Design issues have lead to many damaged circuit boards, making a fully functional Pole Position arcade cabinet something of a rarity. Those who have had the privelege will tell you, if you have the chance, definitely give it a shot, so you can appreciate the best founding father of the racing genre.
Grade: A+.