I know you?ve played OutRun on the full blown Arcade boxes either at an amusement park or one of those typical ?we will steal all your money? fares. Having the opportunity to drive a Ferrari doesn?t come along often as in most cases, you?ll crash it. This is where the beauty of video games comes in. Gorgeous cars, a lovely blonde by your side and mile after mile of road with perfect corners to slide around. Moving away from Monte Carlo, OutRun Arcade throws down a similar setting only with tons of variables depending on whether you take left or right at a cut-off and ten of Ferrari?s finest to slither about in. It?s a port that was just waiting to be ported, and now it?s here on the Xbox Live Arcade and PSN.
Don?t assume the un-assumable. OutRun Arcade isn?t an advanced next-gen remake with no lasting details from the original model as that would downright ruin it ? could you imagine vandalizing F50?s and Daytona?s with tribal graphics and body kits? OutRun Arcade is exactly what it?s supposed to be - powerslides, powerslides, some girl praising your every move, and more powerslides. The locations are varied with waterfalls, forests, woods and beaches all dropping in to make your drive across town more pleasurable in crisp HD graphics.
As you play through OutRun Arcade, you?ll immediately grow accustomed to the seemingly missing learning curve as you plough through each challenge and pick up 1337 hearts from your lady friend. Although the drifting is as unique and enjoyable as ever, it?s a little too easy to guide your way through 20 cars whilst checking your shades and eating your lunch all at the same time. Whilst playing through time attack I weaved my way in-and-out of so many vehicles that I think I accidentally spelt out my Gamertag on the floor in rubber residue. Although heart attack mode is the only one that offers up a slight challenge, the only thing you need to succeed on this game is a controller and a couple of hands.
Single player consists of the aptly-named ?OutRun? mode, where you?re set the task of drifting your way to the finishing line, ?Heart Attack? mode which involves gathering hearts for your girlfriend as she demands you to ?Drift more!? with slightly under-rewarding dialogue, ?Time attack? mode, pitting you against a ghost car for the prestigious course record and the final ?experts only? mode where you?re challenged to complete 15 stages in one sitting. You?ll be done with them pretty quickly but that?s what leaderboards and multiplayer are for.
The multiplayer is a six-man race to the finish in either OutRun mode, course A, B, C (you get the idea), or the returning endurance race over 15 stages. Car class, catch-up and collisions can all be toggled by the host along with privacy settings. The online runs very smoothly and is a great place to spend most of your time, the only thing missing is a heart attack 1v1 which would?ve added that extra bit of competition.
This wouldn?t be OutRun without the comical mid-90?s theme music. Seven tracks are available to jam to during your high-speed drive and they will adhere to your taste whether you like the style or not.
When it comes down to it:
OutRun Arcade is the perfect example of a desperately needed old school re-release. Being the daddy of arcade racing for over 20 years isn?t easy, yet OutRun Arcade is executed almost flawlessly. Although the gameplay is simple and easy, stellar graphics, great multiplayer and excellent functionality makes it one of the must buys of 2009.
Don?t assume the un-assumable. OutRun Arcade isn?t an advanced next-gen remake with no lasting details from the original model as that would downright ruin it ? could you imagine vandalizing F50?s and Daytona?s with tribal graphics and body kits? OutRun Arcade is exactly what it?s supposed to be - powerslides, powerslides, some girl praising your every move, and more powerslides. The locations are varied with waterfalls, forests, woods and beaches all dropping in to make your drive across town more pleasurable in crisp HD graphics.
As you play through OutRun Arcade, you?ll immediately grow accustomed to the seemingly missing learning curve as you plough through each challenge and pick up 1337 hearts from your lady friend. Although the drifting is as unique and enjoyable as ever, it?s a little too easy to guide your way through 20 cars whilst checking your shades and eating your lunch all at the same time. Whilst playing through time attack I weaved my way in-and-out of so many vehicles that I think I accidentally spelt out my Gamertag on the floor in rubber residue. Although heart attack mode is the only one that offers up a slight challenge, the only thing you need to succeed on this game is a controller and a couple of hands.
Single player consists of the aptly-named ?OutRun? mode, where you?re set the task of drifting your way to the finishing line, ?Heart Attack? mode which involves gathering hearts for your girlfriend as she demands you to ?Drift more!? with slightly under-rewarding dialogue, ?Time attack? mode, pitting you against a ghost car for the prestigious course record and the final ?experts only? mode where you?re challenged to complete 15 stages in one sitting. You?ll be done with them pretty quickly but that?s what leaderboards and multiplayer are for.
The multiplayer is a six-man race to the finish in either OutRun mode, course A, B, C (you get the idea), or the returning endurance race over 15 stages. Car class, catch-up and collisions can all be toggled by the host along with privacy settings. The online runs very smoothly and is a great place to spend most of your time, the only thing missing is a heart attack 1v1 which would?ve added that extra bit of competition.
This wouldn?t be OutRun without the comical mid-90?s theme music. Seven tracks are available to jam to during your high-speed drive and they will adhere to your taste whether you like the style or not.
When it comes down to it:
OutRun Arcade is the perfect example of a desperately needed old school re-release. Being the daddy of arcade racing for over 20 years isn?t easy, yet OutRun Arcade is executed almost flawlessly. Although the gameplay is simple and easy, stellar graphics, great multiplayer and excellent functionality makes it one of the must buys of 2009.