| Daytona USA | |
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Daytona USA arcade flyer |
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| Developer(s) | Sega AM2 |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Designer(s) | Toshihiro Nagoshi |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Sega Saturn, Windows, PlayStation Network, Xbox 360 (XBLA), Sega 32X (cancelled),[1] Sega Dreamcast (remake) |
| Release date(s) | Arcade
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| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player Multiplayer |
Daytona USA is a 1994 racing video game by Sega. Considered one of the highest grossing arcade games of all time,[2] Daytona USA was Sega's first title to debut on the Sega Model 2 arcade board, and at the time of its 1994 introduction, was considered the most visually detailed 3D arcade racing game. Despite a lower polygon-count than its predecessor, Virtua Racing, Daytona's 3D-world was fully texture-mapped, giving it a more realistic appearance than the former. Daytona was one of the first video games to feature filtered, texture-mapped polygons, giving it the most detailed graphics yet seen in a video game up until that time.[3] In single-player mode, Daytona maintained a consistent 60fps refresh rate, even with multiple opponents on screen, surpassing the motion smoothness of the only other racing game in a comparable graphical arena, Namco's Ridge Racer.
A slightly updated version of Daytona USA was re-released in arcades in 2010 as Sega Racing Classic.
On October 12, 2011 Sega announced that Daytona USA would be coming to Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. This also marked the return of the original name. The game saw its release on October 25th for PlayStation Network, and October 26th for Xbox Live Arcade.
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The player is put behind the wheel of a stock car (known as the Hornet), with the choice of three tracks as well as an automatic or manual transmission. The player's objectives are to outrun the competing cars, and complete the race before time runs out.
Daytona USA offers multiplayer and introduced the possibility of linking four twin cabinets or eight deluxe cabinets to create an eight-player competition. Linked deluxe cabinets may also include a camera pointing towards the drivers seat, linked to a closed-circuit television to show the player on a separate screen. Even though the game was released years before the Daytona USA Museum opened in Daytona Beach, the International Speedway Corporation had already held the trademark to the name "Daytona USA." Any future game would require a license to use the name Daytona USA.
In 1994, Sega released a revised version of the game which changed the difficulty of computer-controller racing opponents. In 2010, Sega released Sega Racing Classic, essentially the same game running in 720p resolution, and the lyric "Daytona" in the intro & Advanced track (Dinosaur Canyon) removed (licensing issues).
Daytona USA was ported to the Sega Saturn as a Western launch title in 1995, and to Windows in 1996. The conversion had a somewhat slow frame rate (around twenty frames per second, compared to the arcade version's sixty), and used 'clipping' to render only the scenery nearest the player. As a consequence of the Sega Saturn's rushed launch date, Daytona USA's development was severely rushed as a result - had the launch gone to plan, it is likely that the Saturn port would be more faithful to the arcade original, as can be seen by the vastly improved clipping in the Championship Circuit Edition.
Daytona USA is compatible with the Arcade Racer steering wheel accessory. It is also compatible with the 3D analog control pad (when switched into analog mode) and the Saturn will detect it as the Arcade Racer steering wheel.
Another port of Daytona USA was planned for the Sega 32X, but that idea was quickly scrapped.[1]
An upgraded version was later released for Sega's Dreamcast console, with notable improvements. Firstly, the graphics had received a massive upgrade, surpassing those of the arcade original. 'Pop-up' had been entirely eliminated, the cars now featured transparent glass and a much higher polygon count, and the game moved at a consistent sixty frames per second. However, this version tends to be criticized for poor controls.
There were now a total of eight tracks, including the original three from the arcade machine, the two additional tracks from the Saturn's Championship Circuit Edition, and a further three that were original to this version. All tracks could also be raced in reversed, mirrored, or mirrored & reversed mode.
The game also features a two-player splitscreen option, with no real noticeable drop in graphic quality, and the ability to race online, though this feature was not included in the European release. The game received generally favorable reviews, with the only serious criticisms being directed at the overly sensitive controls which took some getting used to when played with a game pad. When played with a steering wheel, no such issue existed.
A port that was faithful to the original Arcade version was released on PlayStation Network on the 25th of October, 2011[4] and Xbox Live Arcade on the 26th.[4] This version features true widescreen display, high definition textures, 8-Player Multiplayer over Xbox Live/PlayStation Network, and additional content, such as 30 new challenges, Karaoke mode, and a Arranged soundtrack. The game also sports support for the console's Steering Wheels, and also has Xbox Achievements/PlayStation Trophies for the player to obtain.
The racing team featured in the Daytona USA arcade game and Saturn port is called Team Hornet. Although the team is never explicitly mentioned in the games, their car features an easily-recognizable hornet logo stamped on the front of the car.
In the arcade and Sega Saturn versions of Daytona USA, the Hornet car is numbered 41. However, on linked arcade machines, players 1-8 will have cars numbered similarly in multi-player mode for easy identification mid-race.
Daytona USA's soundtrack was composed by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi and is as follows:[5]
These names come from the Daytona USA B-Univ original soundtrack CD - in the Saturn port of Daytona USA, the Sound Test screen also displays names for the various themes.
If you remain on the track beyond the length of the CD soundtrack (for the Saturn port) - for example, while in Endurance mode - the next track on the CD plays.
For the arcade version, Sega synthesized the songs with a Yamaha sound chip, including the drums and Mitsuyoshi's voice. For the Saturn version, they replayed the songs with the real instruments and re-sung all the songs.[6]
GamesRadar gave the HD re-release a score of 9/10, writing that "Daytona USA is a joyous, jubilant celebration of everything that made arcade games so exciting" and calling the survival mode "a brilliant test of memory, logic and dexterity."[7] Eurogamer also gave the game a 9/10, explaining that "age doesn't seem to have ravaged Daytona USA's core" and noting that it serves as "a fitting epitaph to the genre."[8]
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