Out Run (Arcade, Master System, Genesis) (SEGA, 1986)
So, I downloaded Out Run onto my son's 2DS recently, and that got me thinking about games that have had a significant impact on myself over the years. Games that I just couldn't stop coming back to time and time again. Games that, for me, were so astounding and groundbreaking, so incredibly stunning and awe-inspiring that they redefined what I thought a game could or should be. I decided to start a column that pays tribute to just those sort of games. And what better title to start with than the one that not only inspired it, but perhaps had the biggest effect on me of all?
What the majority of popular Arcade games looked like at the time.
A Little Perspective
At the time that Out Run came out, arcades were mostly filled with 2-D perspective puzzle/platform games set against a featureless black background. The most popular ones were probably Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. They were fun and engaging, but overall, pretty visually simplistic. These were the gaming staples I had grown accustomed to seeing and playing at the arcade. Then, Out Run was released and my gaming world was turned upside down.
I still remember the first time I saw it. My mom had dragged my siblings and I to the local ice rink. I wasn't that big into skating, so I decided to go hang out in the adjoining arcade. I started things off with a little BurgerTime. That was good for about 10 or so minutes of fun. After tiring of that, I decided to look around and see what other usual suspects they had on offer. Suddenly, something over by the far wall caught my eye. Something colorful and new! Something quite unlike anything I had seen before. Out Run! My first encounter with a Sega title turned out to be the game that instantly and forever converted me into a loyal fanatic.
I still remember the first time I saw it. My mom had dragged my siblings and I to the local ice rink. I wasn't that big into skating, so I decided to go hang out in the adjoining arcade. I started things off with a little BurgerTime. That was good for about 10 or so minutes of fun. After tiring of that, I decided to look around and see what other usual suspects they had on offer. Suddenly, something over by the far wall caught my eye. Something colorful and new! Something quite unlike anything I had seen before. Out Run! My first encounter with a Sega title turned out to be the game that instantly and forever converted me into a loyal fanatic.
"Get Ready..."
In All of its Beautiful Arcade Glory
It was a three-dimensional racing game with actual backgrounds, blue skies, and white fluffy clouds! There were palm trees and waves rolling up onto a sandy beach! And I could see the pristine, shining gray highway stretching out to a vanishing point before me. It was calling to me. Inviting me along on what would surely be an amazing adventure. And the car! That beautiful, gleaming, red convertible Ferrari! My god, did I love that car! To this day, I still want one. (That and an Out Run cabinet are the first things I'm going to buy if I ever win the lottery.)
It wasn't just the mind-blowing visuals, though. Everything about this game just oozed glorious, arcady entertainment. The digitized speech, the perfect sound effects, the superb driving mechanics... Seeing your car flip through the air and tumble sideways if you accidentally hit a road sign (my brother liked to call that "Burton air" but I have no idea why). I think what stood out more than anything else though was that excellent soundtrack. I still can't help but smile anytime I hear Splash Wave or Magical Sound Shower. Sega was actually good enough to release a bunch of Out Run music on iTunes last year. To say that I was excited when I found out would be an understatement.
It wasn't just the mind-blowing visuals, though. Everything about this game just oozed glorious, arcady entertainment. The digitized speech, the perfect sound effects, the superb driving mechanics... Seeing your car flip through the air and tumble sideways if you accidentally hit a road sign (my brother liked to call that "Burton air" but I have no idea why). I think what stood out more than anything else though was that excellent soundtrack. I still can't help but smile anytime I hear Splash Wave or Magical Sound Shower. Sega was actually good enough to release a bunch of Out Run music on iTunes last year. To say that I was excited when I found out would be an understatement.
Box art for the Master System version.
Master of the House
That day in the arcade was pure magic. I played Out Run non-stop until my mom finally came over and made me quit. Or, maybe it was just until I ran out of quarters, I can't quite recall. At any rate, I played it for as long as I could. Not too long after that life-changing experience, my siblings and I were fortunate enough to receive a Sega Master System for Christmas. While most kids were getting Nintendo Entertainment Systems, some guy at Lionel Playworld had convinced my mom that the Master System was the better way to go. Even though that might not have been the soundest advice in the world, it still worked out. Receiving my first Sega system sealed my destiny as a lifelong fan. I got to enjoy all the great games the Master System had to offer (there were actually a few of them). And whenever any of us wanted to play Nintendo, we could just go over to any of our friends' houses. Literally, any of them. Everybody had one.
Obviously, one of the first games we went out and bought for our new Sega console was Out Run. It should go without saying that the Master System version didn't look nearly as good as the original (no arcade ports did at the time). But we didn't care. We were only too happy to be able to bring that same joy home. The copy we purchased even included a special arcade-inspired joystick called the Sega Control Stick. That thing in itself was pretty rad! We spent hours fighting over it, trying to see who could get the farthest in the game. Soon, it became about seeing who could beat the game. Then, who could beat it on the most routes. To this day, I still love that game.
Obviously, one of the first games we went out and bought for our new Sega console was Out Run. It should go without saying that the Master System version didn't look nearly as good as the original (no arcade ports did at the time). But we didn't care. We were only too happy to be able to bring that same joy home. The copy we purchased even included a special arcade-inspired joystick called the Sega Control Stick. That thing in itself was pretty rad! We spent hours fighting over it, trying to see who could get the farthest in the game. Soon, it became about seeing who could beat the game. Then, who could beat it on the most routes. To this day, I still love that game.
OutRun 2 was an improvement over its predecessor in nearly every way. But I will always love them equally.
Beyond and Back Again
In the mid-2000s, Sega released OutRun 2 for the Arcade and the original Xbox. I played both versions frequently. They later released another version of OutRun 2 on Xbox Live Arcade (for the Xbox 360). Of course, I played the hell out of that one too. Now, that my son and I both have it on our 3DSs, I've kind of come full circle. Its probably safe to assume that as long as Sega keeps releasing new versions of the game (Out Run 3, please), I will keep right on playing them. This game has made about as lasting an impression on me as any game probably ever could.
(This is a repost of an article that originally appeared on Twinstiq.)
[Images: SEGA, G-Mode]
 | [AJ Amideo] |