OutRun Series: Let's Talk

[RegSNES]

-Games
-Cars
-Songs
-Stages
-Etc.

I'd heard of the OutRun series but my first exposure to it wasn't until I picked up the Sega Classics Collection on PS2. I know this anthology gets a bad rap for not being the arcade originals but I really enjoyed the visually updated OutRun on that disc. The second OutRun game I ever played was OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast. I guess this was the game that really kickstarted my interest in the series. Not only does it have the full arcade version of OutRun 2SP, but it also has songs from the original 1986 OutRun and songs from an 1989 OutRun game.

I really like this series branching stages, different locations and killer soundtrack. This series to me is getting up there with Burnout and Ridge Racer as one of my favorite arcade racing series.

BTW, does the SMS have a good port of the original OutRun?

[XYXZYZ]

The only Outrun I'm familiar with is the first one, played the arcade game a couple times and wasn't very good at it. :/

I really dig the music, though. Especially.... Passing Breeze? The one that sounds like cheesey 1980 soap opera music.

[Haoie]

Something underlooked is without a doubt the Outrun set in the future, I forget its name. With its branching paths and interesting [if cliched] locations, it was quite appealing to me.

[The Plucky Little Ninja]

I think that was Outrun 2019 on the genesis.

I've always been fond of the Master System version. It's as good an arcade translation as can be expected from an 8-bit machine. The music is actually really good. If you own a SMS pick it up. It's pretty easy to find it cheap.

[itobandito]

Yeah its pretty cool that you can play the original Out Run in Shenmue 2. You see the original arcade cab and everything. I too have just recently regained interest in the series. I also have the sega classic version which I too think get short handed. I also own the original OutRun 2 for xbox as well as OutRun Coast to Coast for xbox. Great games.

[Julio III]

I love the Outrun games. Nothing beats playing them on a real arcade machine, which i've only done a few times but the feeling is just superb.

I played quite a bit of OutRun on the Dreamcast (Shenmue II or whatever) and find it really hard actually, you have to be spot on with your turns to make them count and I've never completed it :/

I caved in and bought a PS2 a few weeks ago and the only thing (until tonight) I played on it was OutRun 2006:Coast 2 Coast. Love the way it contains both Outrun2 and SP tracks. The SP tracks do look like a leap above. I think this game is amazing, so many modes and the music is supurb, of course 90% of the time i just listen to one of the 3 available versions of the 3 original tracks

[Gapporin]

I'm a big fan of OutRun. It's one of the few arcade machines I would shell out the money for if there was one available for sale near here.

The Master System version of OutRun is very good. It's a quite accurate port of the arcade game, and everything looks and sounds smooth. There's also OutRun 3-D, but unless you have the 3-D Glasses to go with it, it's nowhere near as good as the regular version. However, OutRun 3-D also has some brand new songs on it, which are only available on this game.*

...which brings me to the music of OutRun. The music, in my opinion, is great. One of these days I want to pick up the OutRun II OST, which not only contains all the music featured in OutRun II (and the arranged versions of the original music), but also contains the original arcade's music as well. My favorite would have to be Splash Wave, followed by Last Wave.

And I have to agree, the OutRun version on Sega Classics Collection is also very good, as well. The Rival mode is very interesting to play, but I always lose at it.

* = One thing that's always plagued me: Were the original songs on OutRun 3-D composed by Hiroshi Miyauchi, or Tokuhiku Uwabo?

[staxx]

Outrun is a great classic game. It has been ported to the following

ZX Spectrum
C64,
Atari ST
Amiga
SMS
Game Gear
Sega Genesis/Megadrive (excellent version)
Sega Saturn
PS2 (remake)
PC Engine (excellent version)
GBA

Then there are the other Outrun games:
Outrun 2019 (Sega Genesis/Megadrive)
Outrunners (Arcade, Sega Genesis/Megadrive)
Turbo Outrun (Arcade, Sega Megadrive)
Outrun Europa (SMS, Amiga, Game Gear)

If you like the music in Outrun, you should check out the SST Band Arranged albums (Top Notch stuff).

[j_factor]

I have to agree with the other guys, the SMS version of Out Run is awesome. For whatever reason, I preferred that version to the Turbografx and Genesis ports (although the Genesis port is notable for having an exclusive fourth tune).

If you're looking for something "arcade perfect", it was beautifully ported to Saturn, as part of the Sega Ages line (by itself in Japan, or on Sega Ages US). I think the Japanese version has optional remixed music that was removed from the US compilation release.

Out Run 2019 for Genesis is a great sequel. Instead of one track that keeps branching out, it has four different tracks, and they branch out once and then go back together, and then branch out again. The scenery is great, the original music is great, the scaling is pretty damn good for Genesis, and it's just really fun.

I also recommend Out Run Europa for Master System and Game Gear. It's Out Run in name only, but it's still quite a fun game.

[PapaStu]

**Paging DavidBrit**

I repeat

**Paging DavidBrit**

[Push Upstairs]

Ahh Outrun.

I hold it's music dear to my heart (except some of the cheesy stuff in 2 and C2C).

I'm still rather pissed there is no arcade perfect port of "Turbo Outrun".

[cyberfluxor]

I have it for the Genesis and love it. Great racing game with nice graphics, handling, sound, music, everything is there!

...That's the only Outrun I own and have played. Sorry. :/

[GrayFox]

Magical Sound Shower

Let's motha frackin' roll.

[dreamcaster]

I have OutRun (SMS), Battle OutRun (SMS), Turbo OutRun (Mega Drive) and OutRun 2 (XB).

I used to have OutRun 2019 on Mega Drive but I got rid of it because I thought it was shit. And apparently, in Japan it wasn't even an OutRun game, just some generic racer. Sega of America looked at it and thought: "OUTRUN IN THE FUTURE", and renamed it for a western release.

I found it generic, yet highly reminiscent of Top Gear 2. TG2 is FAR better though.

The SMS port of OutRun is VERY good, considering the hardware, although there's quite a lot of sprite clipping which can be quite annoying.

Battle OutRun is pretty much just a Chase HQ clone and is pretty fun.

Turbo OutRun is excellent - pretty much just the original OutRun remixed with nitro.

OutRun 2 is by far my favourite in the series and will go down as one of my favourite racing games of all time. The mission mode is AWESOME. I've only got a couple missions to go before I finish it.

I haven't bothered getting OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast as I heard it was just OutRun 2 with some extra tracks. That said, I'll probably pick it up on PSP so I have portable OR2 with me.

[MegaDrive20XX]

Magical Sound Shower

Let's motha frackin' roll.

*Power Driftin' to the beat* That BGM was the first videogame music that stuck with me forever...the first time I heard it was in 1988 on my SMS and I still love it to this day...

[RegSNES]

14 replies already? Didn't think this thread would do this well.

I can find some complete versions of the SMS OutRun easy at this one place where I frequently shop for retro games. Battle OutRun, however, may be a bit more difficult to come by.

And yes, the music of this series is just freaking sweet. The original OutRun tunes rock and I love the new songs from OutRun 2. I also love the songs from OutRun 1989. Shake The Street, Who Are You, Keep You Heart, Rush A Diffilcuty all rock hard. Oh and the Euro Remix for Magical Sound Shower is too good.

For those that have played OutRun 2 but not Coast 2 Coast, the games are very similar from what I've read but IMO, Coast 2 Coast is still worth the $30. Plus you get the arcade version of OutRun 2 SP available from the get go. There's a lot of stuff you can buy with OutRun miles, too. I've bought most of the songs, but I need the PSP version of Coast 2 Coast be able to get the last 5 songs (lame). My only gripe with Coast 2 Coast is your girlfriend. Her dialogue is limited but she's still annoying. I prefer my girlfriends in OutRun games to be seen, not heard.

[klausien]

I haven't bothered getting OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast as I heard it was just OutRun 2 with some extra tracks. That said, I'll probably pick it up on PSP so I have portable OR2 with me.

Don't do it! The PSP version is frame rate hell. Actually ruins the experience. I have all 3 versions of C2C, and the PSP game is awful. PS2 & XBox are both excellent.

As for the series itself, I have almost every console iteration, including 3-D & Battle, minus Europa. Battle is the worst. 3-D is much better than most people care to admit, though not as good as the original on the SMS and not quite worth its going price for the non-collector.

[tom]

I got Out Run Europa on C-64 and SMS, and Out Run and Out Run Europe for GG.

The C-64 of Out Run Europa version is excellent.

[slip81]

I love OutRun. It's easily my favorite arcade game of all time, and I definately plan on trying to get an original evo cab when I have the space.

I used to have pretty much every version of the game, but over the years have traded or sold them for other things. I loved OutRun 2 on the Xbox when I had it (especially on live), but since I don't own an orginal XB anymore and it's not BC I'm gonna have to pick up the PS2 version.

[dreamcaster]

I haven't bothered getting OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast as I heard it was just OutRun 2 with some extra tracks. That said, I'll probably pick it up on PSP so I have portable OR2 with me.

Don't do it! The PSP version is frame rate hell. Actually ruins the experience. I have all 3 versions of C2C, and the PSP game is awful. PS2 & XBox are both excellent.

I played it on an in-store unit, and I didn't find any frame rate issues. I only played one race though, so I'm guessing that wasn't a good showcase for the game as a whole - but I found it decent enough.

Might wait 'til it's dirt cheap as I could live with the frame rate issues, given it's portability.