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OutRun 2019 |
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Genesis |
Sims
1993 |
OutRun 2019's roots are probably the most curious in the franchise. The project was originally conceived in the early 90's as a Mega CD racing title under the name of Cyber Road. Sims Co., its creator, transferred the undergoing development to the Genesis while at the same time renaming the game Junker's High. Sega then lended the OutRun brand most likely to give Sims' work the extra marketing push, resulting in the Genesis-exclusive futuristic take on the franchise.
As you can imagine, OutRun 2019 looks and sounds so disconnected from the series' legacy its surprising the most basic play mechanics these games are known for were actually honored and Sims' title refused to jump into the F-Zero or RoadBlasters bandwagon.
4 stages might seem too few, but each is subdivided into multiple routes by both converging and diverging forks, sometimes up to 3 roads at a time. Tunnels and bridges are a common sight (the latter specially difficult during curves due to the lack of guarding rails), and added ramps are good for swift roadway switching or even finding hidden shortcuts.
You'll also notice the sleek futuristic dashboard and a turbo boost that automatically triggers when you reach top speed. 2019's most prominent (and out of place) feature carried over from its beginnings as Cyber Road and Junker's High.
Genesis cover |
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Stages are definitely grittier and darker than its predecessor's sunny California beaches, but these somber landscapes still look good even though they aren't as attractive and inspiring.
The legendary soundtrack was replaced by a collection of techno songs supposedly composed by bands like "Dual Noise" and "Hyper Sonic Gang" (because, you know, that's what people of the future listen to), who suspiciously manage to totally escape my most thorough Googling efforts.
Questionable time warp aside, Sims' work does succeed thanks to solid controls and the best graphics and speed effects the Genesis can put out for a racing title. Its lifespan is quite short despite its many routes and sections, but players who are able to forgive its bastard relation to the series will find a very interesting, good racing title on a system that isn't exactly known for car games. It is, on a technical level, clearly more refined than Sega's port of the original.
Play TV Legends Outrun 2019 |
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Sims' take on futuristic OutRun was released in 2005 as a standalone game system that hooks up directly to the TV. It was marketed as "Play TV Legends Outrun 2019" from Radica Games.
OutRun 2 |
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Arcade
Xbox |
Sega
2004 |
Nearly 10 years after the release of OutRunners and when we all thought this series was a thing of the past, Sega inadvertedly pulls out OutRun 2 off of their hat boasting a beautiful 3D engine that runs on their "Chihiro" board. It's presented in 3 different cabinets, the "Twin" being the most popular for linked racing.
The Chihiro includes a 733 MHZ Intel Pentium III and nVidia graphics processor, exactly the same as the Xbox, which in turn made for an excellent home conversion. OutRun 2 looks and sounds amazing on its vastly upgraded hardware, yet houses the series' spirit so well one could swear it's but a remake of the original.
OutRun 2 twin arcade cabinet |
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The real surprise for hardcore OutRun fans is, of course, Ferrari finally granting Sega their car licenses; yielding 8 beautiful 3D models of the classic italian sports cars that look fantastic and drive like a dream.
Gameplay-wise, the biggest addition are the drift mechanics. By braking and turning at the same time the car will drift, which allows you to take rough corners very easily in a distinct "arcadey" feel. Mastering this lone technique is all you need to know, and the sole key to beating the game.
Arcade flyer |
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OutRun 2 features three single player modes. "Outrun Mode" is the standard arcade mode in which you race thru five out of fifteen possible stages, "Heart Attack Mode" lets you show off your driving skills to co-pilot blondie by performing different tricks and stunts, and last is the mandatory "Time Attack Mode". There's also, of course, a linked multiplayer mode like the one in OutRunners.
We couldn't have asked for a more perfect 3D translation. As hard as it is nowadays to envision, produce, and "upgrade" old-school titles past the second dimension and the 8, 16 and 32 bits; Sega pulls out a rare gem with the looks of a simulator and the simplicity of the original.
The beautiful, charming stage design AM2 was responsible for in the past evolved into breath-taking landscapes aided by an incredibly smooth 3D engine.
Each of the real world locations look stunning as you drive past the Eiffel Tower at night, along the pyramids of Egypt, through the tulip-covered plains of Holland, and back to the classic beachfront. Even the rundown industrial complex looks gorgeous.
Arcade flyer |
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Audio-wise, you can count on the three classic OutRun tunes making an appearance and sounding their best ever, with four new songs joining the track list that are actually pretty good.
Sega tops the package off with plenty of old-school fan service: the "Extend Time" line when you cross a checkpoint is still misspelled, the girl's voice that yells out "Checkpoint!" is there too, goofy endings make a return, and depending on how good a driver you are you'll still get to see cameos from other Sega games. Just like in 1986.
American Xbox cover |
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U.K.-based company Sumo Digital was put in charge of porting the game to the Xbox, resulting in a spectacular job even though the amount of original RAM had to be reduced from 512 to 64. Its success was mostly due to the original hardware's similarity to Microsoft's console. Hidden cars, stages, and tunes (don't miss the wonderfully remixed original 1986 tracks) to unlock were added; with an expansive mission mode that puts the player through various parts of each level attempting to fulfill certain goals Heart Attack mode-style.
Additional new tunes courtesy of Richard Jacques (known for his work on Sonic 3D Jam and Jet Grind Radio), online head-to-head for up to 8 players through Xbox Live, and the unlockable 1986 original arcade version round up an excellent package that is hard to resist.
OutRun 2 SP /
OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast |
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Arcade
Playstation 2
Xbox
PSP
PC |
Sega
2005/2006 |
Hooked on OutRun 2 and still want more? Supped up OutRun 2 SP delivers more cars, 15 additional new stages (for a total of 30), friendlier physics and controls, an expanded soundtrack, and most of the extras the Xbox version had to offer to the arcade floor.
Lots of minor upgrades took place before SP actually hit the streets, but the most prominent are the use of the "slipstream" technique during racing (in which tailgating other cars reduces wind resistance therefore leading to higher speeds), a linear 15-course long mode in which you marathon throughout all stages, and increased ease of play (crashing and grinding into other cars isn't as detrimental as before). The latter definitely good news for newcomers, but might cause expert players to fall asleep at the wheel.
Arcade flyer
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Graphics also received an upgrade even though SP still runs on Sega's Chihiro board. Some of the new gorgeous levels take you across the Golden Gate bridge, through gigantic sequoia trees, past an arctic oil refinery, see the Moai heads of Easter Island, and under a starry night sky next to a space shuttle launch.
American Playstation 2 cover |
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Two special edition cabinets saw a limited release under the denomination of "deluxe" (DX) and "super deluxe" (SDX), the first one supporting 4 players and the second up to 8. Strangely, the exclusive cooperative mode this version was created for allows up to four teams (SDX cabinet) of 2 players each to alternate control of the car throughout a race.
These special cabinets house bigger screens with resolutions of 800 x 480, Sega's "Lindbergh" hardware instead of the former Chihiro, an electronic billboard indicating real-time ranking of players, CCD
cameras pointed at the players faces, and a "public announcement" system for an attendant or race official.
OutRun 2 SP SDX cabinet |
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The home version was released in Europe and America in 2006 under the title OutRun 2006: Coast to Coast, and a year later in Japan as OutRun 2 SP on the PS2. Not only does it feature tracks from both OutRun 2 and OutRun 2 SP (for a total of thirty), but it includes a mission mode that manages to outclass the original: You now earn points when you play, which lets you buy different tracks, cars, music and other bonuses. The Xbox version also has support for custom soundtracks.
Japanese Playstation 2 cover |
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OutRun 2 SP kept its original title when released for the home market in Japan. |
Even though it may seem like a mere "director's cut", there's more than enough material here to keep fans elated. While the Xbox version is considered the best, the PS2 port is still an outstanding port even if it's mandatory to link to the portable version to unlock some of the extra content. The PSP port is no slouch either, but it runs at a lower framerate.
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