OutRun 2

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OutRun 2
Developer(s) Sega-AM2
Publisher(s) Sega
Release date(s) 2003
Genre(s) Racing game
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer
Platform(s) Arcade, Xbox
Input Steering wheel
Arcade cabinet Sit-down, upright
Arcade system(s) Sega Chihiro
Arcade display Raster, horizontal orientation

OutRun 2 is a racing game released by Sega in 2003. Although this is the first official sequel to Out Run, it is actually the 4th title in the Out Run series, (preceded by Turbo Outrun, and OutRunners).

Contents

[edit] Description

OutRun 2 stays true to the format laid down by the 1986 original, in which the player drives a Ferrari sports car with a young lady in the passenger seat through 5 of 15 stages. As before, the player can choose their course, and the soundtrack to which they drive.

OutRun 2 takes this basic concept and expands on it, giving the player more. As well as the Testarossa of the original, seven other Ferraris are driveable, thanks to an official Ferrari licence. Each car has different handling characteristics, but the eight cars are broadly sorted into four groups based on difficulty - one novice group, one expert group, a lower intermediate group of cars with better handling and higher top speed, and a higher intermediate group of cars with better acceleration.

The soundtrack, too, has also been broadened. The original's three tracks are present, in forms somewhat more faithful than the renditions of OutRunners, but rendered in broader, more realistic instrumentation than the older versions. In addition to the original three, four more tracks are available, with styles ranging from instrumental rock to upbeat ballad (with vocals).

Finally, the game received a complete graphical overhaul with 3D graphics and fully rendered environments. It was also given a network connection system, allowing multiplayer races.

[edit] Single-player game modes

In-game screenshot of OutRun 2
Enlarge
In-game screenshot of OutRun 2

OutRun 2 further improves on its parent by providing three single-player game modes: Outrun Mode, Heart Attack Mode, and Time Attack Mode.

Outrun Mode is basically the rules of the original OutRun game - the player drives through 5 of 15 stages, selecting them en route. As before, there is a time limit which is extended when the player passes checkpoints.

Heart Attack Mode is Outrun Mode with a twist. As well as driving the open-ended course to the time limit, the passenger will frequently request certain stunts and actions. These requests, carried out through marked sections of the course, can include passing cars, drifting around bends, driving through marked lanes, knocking over cones, and simply not crashing into anything for as long as possible. If successfully done, the player will receive 'hearts' and, at the end of the request section, be graded on their performance. The player's performance is also graded at the end of the stage. Crashing into the scenery at any time will result in the player losing 'hearts'. Should the player reach a goal with a satisfying grade, a (relatively) more romantic ending is displayed instead.

Time Attack Mode has the player race a 'ghost' car over a pre-selected course to the time limit. Time checks are presented to the player at various points on each stage.

[edit] Cars

  • Intermediate class (Acceleration - 6; Handling - 8; Top Speed - 8)
  • Intermediate class (Acceleration - 10; Handling - 6; Top Speed - 6)
  • Professional class (Acceleration - 6; Handling - 5; Top Speed - 11)

[edit] Courses in the Game

Just like the original, the courses are laid out in the branching triangle format. Most of these courses have fairly obvious European themed environments.

Stage Number Goal name
1 2 3 4 5
Tulip Garden A
Cloudy Highland
Castle Wall Metropolis B
DeepLake Industrial Complex
Palm Beach Coniferous Forest Ancient Ruins C
Alpine Snowy Mountain
Desert Imperial Avenue D
Ghost Forest
Cape Way E

[edit] List of music tracks

  • Splash Wave
  • Magical Sound Shower
  • Passing Breeze
  • Risky Ride
  • Shiny World
  • Night Flight
  • Life Was a Bore

[edit] OutRun 2 SP

In 2004, Sega released an upgrade to the OutRun 2 arcade game, titled OutRun 2 SP (or OutRun 2 Special Tours). The upgrade added 15 all-new courses which are predominantly based around a 'United States' theme, in reference to OutRun's first (un-official) sequel; Turbo OutRun. Two more references to Turbo OutRun are; the inclusion of race 'rivals' (not just road-users) who offer bonus points when passed and a 15 stage continuous mode that espoused the stage selection concept for linear progression (this needed to be enabled by the arcade operator and cost additional credits).

OutRun 2 SP utilised a revised scoring system and an important slipstreaming element. As well as improved visuals and a more detailed and informative heads-up display, OutRun 2 SP also included some of the tweaks made to the Xbox conversion including the two new cars (512BB and 250 GTO) that appeared in that version. It also had additional music tracks taken from Out Run and Turbo Outrun.

Other less prominent changes included;

  • Changed physics; It was harder to crash and leave the track (the main kind of crash in 1986 Out Run), this now required a sharper angle. (So the game was made slightly more forgiving)
  • A certain crash that spun the car around 360 degrees was removed.
  • Crashing whilst drifting isn't as detrimental to your performance.
  • Passing cars played a new, realistic, engine sound (and passing Rivals played a race car variation), both obeying the Doppler effect.
  • Crashes used more realistic and dramatic animation and sound effects.
  • A flame effect appeared from the cars exhaust when changing gears.
  • Sparks appear when scraping the side of the car across a car or roadside object.
  • Enemy cars rapidly 'blink' and disappear from the track when badly hit.
  • More varied objects and creatures flew across the sky in the junction sections. These ranged from aeroplanes, circling seagulls and flocking birds, to more mythical creatures including a dragon and two winged horses.

OutRun 2 SP's new courses, songs and game elements now appear (alongside the originals and new content) in the home video-game OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast.

[edit] New Courses

Stage Number Goal name
1 2 3 4 5
Giant Statues A
Lost City
Waterfall Legend B
Bay Area Casino Town
Sunny Beach Big Forest Floral Village C
National Park Ice Scape
Canyon Milky Way D
Jungle
Skyscrapers E

[edit] OutRun 2 SP SDX

An update entitled OutRun 2 SP SDX was shown at a privately held Sega show on July 7, 2006. SDX is based on Sega Lindbergh hardware. [1]

[edit] Xbox port

In 2004, after numerous rumours, OutRun 2 was ported to the Xbox. The task of coding this port was shared by Sega-AM2 and UK-based developers Sumo Digital, who were left with the unenviable job of condensing a game for a 512MB platform into one for a system with only 64MB. They succeeded in doing so (to critical acclaim), with a European release on 1 October 2004 followed by the U.S. release on 27 October 2004.

The port preserves the look and feel of the arcade original, but tweaks it slightly to make it more suitable for home play. The arcade game was imported to provide a game type for the port, named simply "OutRun Arcade". This joins two other game types: OutRun Challenge, which includes 101 'missions' distributed over the 15 stages; and OutRun Xbox Live. The Tracks from Scud Race and Daytona USA 2 can be unlocked as a bonus.

In addition, some content from the arcade game is locked away alongside new, unique content, such as extra cars, extra music tracks, and even the original Outrun game itself. This content is unlocked as the player completes the OutRun Challenge missions. Some slight changes were made to the Arcade version such as the 3D model for the newer Testarossa Spider being replaced with a customised Testarossa from 1984. The Japanese version of the game was slightly altered further, fixing some glitches and altering the bonus stages. Another difference is the character Holly wears a different costume and the character Clarissa wears her original costume from the Japanese arcade version (basically the same except it is more revealing than the costume used for the western versions).

[edit] Trivia

  • Developing the game precipitated some changes for its developers, Sega-AM2, who had historically written their games using Unix systems. Writing for an Xbox-based system meant they had to adapt to the Microsoft Windows kernel.[citation needed]

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Out Run video games
Out Run • Battle Out Run • Turbo Outrun • Out Run 2019 • OutRunners • OutRun 2 • OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast
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