Initial D games (Arcade Stage and others)

[FFStudios]

Today I happened to be 90 or so miles from home when I stumbled on an arcade tucked into the corner of this raggedy looking mall. They had a bunch of machines, 5 TimeCrisis 3 machines, 2 TimeCrisis 2 machines, a few Tekken machines and a handful of others, but one game in particular stood out to me. A lone machine between a few non-operational games was lit up and ready to go. It was Initial D Arcade Stage 4, and the card dispenser/reader still worked. I don't know, I probably spent over an hour and at least $15 in quarters playing it. It was the first Initial D arcade game I've ever seen in my area and I was really disappointed that I had found it so far away from home (2 hour drive). But I did get my cool magnetic card with my name and car stamped onto it!

The game itself was for sale, but I definitely didn't have enough money to match the $4995 price tag. Does anyone else still play these games, both the arcade and PS2 versions?

[BricatSegaFan]

I've played em all. I don't know what I did with my card but it was red Evo VI TME. I think I had one more stage to beat and I had some cup of water on my dash, I forget what it did.

All in all it was pretty fun. That and wangan midnight which was like initial D and Tokyo extreme racer in one.

[FFStudios]

I was compelled to pick the AE86, I didn't think I could play it any other way. It was awesome listening to such classic songs like Speedy Speed Boy (lol) while actually racing an uphill climb.

This is my card:

http://i.imgur.com/VexJgjP.png

[BricatSegaFan]

Wtf? I've never seen a card with a green F40 on it

[FoxNtd]

I'm pretty sure Initial D Special Stage was my first NTSC-J PS2 purchase. :)

Hard game but insanely awesome nonetheless.

[GhostDog]

I played the Initial D games in the arcades once in a while but they're too expensive for me to keep going. I have Initial D Extreme Stage for PS3 and while it's not the same as sitting in an arcade with the wheel and pedals, the PS3 version captures the look of the arcade well and the music is just as awesome. The menus are in Japanese but there is a guide on GameFAQS that will help you navigate through them. You can just have fun on your own in the arcade mode, play two-players with a friend or even try out the online mode that remains active with a handful of people usually at night that I assume are mostly Japanese players.

You can buy Initial D Extreme Stage for PS3 for $37.90 at Play-Asia:

http://www.play-asia.com/initial-d-extreme-stage-playstation3-the-best-paOS-13-49-en-70-472h.html

[eskobar]

I am a fan of the anime and manga. In fact I love Initial D so much that I traveled from my city, Monterrey, Mexico to Mc Allen, TX every month for every new manga release from Tokyopop on Barnes and Noble.

I haven't been fortunate enough to find an Initial D arcade on Mexico ... I have always wanted to purchase one cabinet, but no luck so far .. very expensive for me :)

Every initial D console game is worth it ?

[FFStudios]

My favorite part of the cockpit machine is that the wheel spins a full 360' unlike most racing games, and that the gas and brake pedals are actually spongy and feel like the type of things you could definitely stomp on if you had to. A very robust game, no doubt.

[davidbrit2]

I didn't care for Extreme Stage all that much. The handling felt like Battle Gear 3 on ice. I've played the hell out of the PS2 and PSP versions, though.