592nd played so far
Genre: Driving
Platform: Arcade
Year of Release: 1986
Developer: Sega AM 2
Publisher: Sega
Next, we have an older driving game. Out Run sets you off on a trip around a summery city area. You go on a drive and go fast. Why does that sound familiar? Maybe thanks to OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast – a game I didn’t remember as being the same franchise.
Our Thoughts
Out Run really is a driving, rather than a racing game. Although you have a time limit to reach the end of a course, there are no opponents and the only other cars are obstacles. The difference is one that, to be honest, I often can’t really see, but it’s quite clear here.
Probably the main issue I had while playing this game is an obvious one in the arcade era: The difficulty is high and it felt impossible to beat the game. I’ve seen a lot of the first level, but didn’t play much of any later ones. This while I thought I’d already completed the level and was in the end bit – the UI got rather confusing there.
I mean, beyond that it’s a decent 2D racer. They aren’t necessarily the most complicated, as the track moves under you and you don’t get a sense of the world beyond whether you need to go left or right, and what speed you do it at, and what you need to avoid. Looking back is never needed. It works for a driving game like this though, racing past the beach scene, driving for joy. At a speed faster than what I can handle.
Final Thoughts
My main criticism of this game is really the difficulty it has, and that keeps me from fully enjoying the game. It’s unfortunate, but what was there was pretty decent. Not enough to go back to, but Out Run certainly presents a different atmosphere from racers, and that feels good to play through.