The main cast of Interstate '76.
A brief description of the main characters of Interstate '76 can be found in notes Jade wrote to her brother. In those notes, she describes her team members and the investigation that led to the main story. The notes were attached to her Auto Vigilante Compendium, a comprehensive document only members of the Auto Vigilante Guild (AVG) receive. The compendium was left to Groove.
Aside from an arm on the steering wheel, a hand on the CB or an arm pointing a gun out a side window, the characters are only shown in prerendered cutscenes. This was due to the game engine's technical limitations. The figures were constructed of colored but untextured ("flat") polygons. Combined with 70's fashion, this gave the game its typical look. Part of Interstate '76's introduction takes the form of opening credits for a television action series. In this cutscene, each of the characters is credited to a fictional actor.
Main Characters
Minor Characters
- Disco Cat: This cat is one of the higher ranking creepers in Malochio's organisation of auto-villains. Disco Cat is first heard over the CB in the cut scene before the third mission telling Playboy to stay at the Bar-D. In the fifth mission, he orders Ballrog to attack Skeeter in the van. He's also one of the creepers chasing down Groove. Finally, in Scene 12, Groove faces him one-on-one. Disco Cat can also be heard on the CB in Nitro Riders.
- Playboy: Makes his first appearance before the third mission talking to Disco Cat over the CB.
- Cloaker: Mentioned by Disco Cat right before the third mission. He also ranks high in Malochio's army, and is in charge of taking out the gas stations early on in the game. Initially, this makes Taurus and Groove believe him to be the man in the suit. He's later radioed in by Malochio in the final showdown.
- Patriot: Some creeper that Jade waxed years ago. Groove has a dream in which Patriot sees him driving Jade's car, and challenges him to a race, believing it's Jade. He rides with a creeper named Road Knight and another one by the name of Gas Bandit. His car is a ABX AMZ which is sprayed in the colors red, white, and blue.
- Road Knight: One of Patriot's buddies Groove races in a dream. He drives a Vikea International 420LG Wagon, painted in the color Gold.
- Gas Bandit: Races Groove along with Patriot and Road Knight. He drives a orange/white Phaedra Palomino.
- Ballrog: A creeper in a helicopter who is ordered by Disco Cat to take out Skeeter's van in the fifth mission.
- Inferno: A friend of Jade's who comes to help protect the gas station in the sixth mission. She drives a black Phaedra Pony SS with flames painted on it.
- Calisto: Caught in Scene 9, when Taurus spots him and he tries to run. Groove takes him back to the van where Skeeter works his magic. Calisto reveals the H-Bomb is being built in Roswell, New Mexico.
- Oktoberfest: When Groove tries to gain entry to V&N Pneumatics, Oktoberfest is overheard giving the passcode "unseasonably warm." This creeper aso appears in the Mondo Burger instant action mission, as an "Auto-Vigilante for a Meatless America." He has a German accent.
- Nostromo: He is the guard who opens the gate for Oktoberfest and Grover in the twelfth mission.
- Various other characters: Pacer X, Wolf Raiders, Torque Daisy, Firefly, and Spitfire are all mentioned by Taurus at the Gas 4 Cash in the first cutscene with Groove. They were all allies of Vixen and Stampede, but were killed.