Outrun 2 - The Beautiful Game

[replicashooter]

I had no idea it flopped.

That is most definitely news to me. I thought they'd done the 2 revisions and all the platform releases because the game buying populace were a bunch of wise and discerning folk who knew a quality title when they saw it and expressed their support by opening their wallets.

[Team Andromeda]

Yeah, so wise they didn't buy it at the time to express their support and pave the way for a sequel. But now wish to revisit the title and talk of how wonderful it was. Got to love the internet gamer...

[replicashooter]

Unlike your avatar you generally don't seem to be quite the smiley happy person you know, at least based on your output I've noticed. Have you considered something a bit more like this:



Consistency is king!

Or are you secretly competing for the Twat Of The Week trophy too?

[Asura]

it didn't sell great in the Arcade and despite putting it on the Xbox, PS2, PSP it flopped in the home.

I had no idea it flopped.

Yeah; the home versions were not particularly successful. I don't honestly know if it could be termed a "flop" as I don't have figures, but it came out at a contemporary season to Burnout 3, which crushed it, comparatively speaking (which I'm not too bitter about; Burnout 3 was a fantastic game on Xbox at least).

I mean looking at VGChartz you're talking about 200k OutRun 2 units versus 4m Burnout 3 units. Now, that 200k is highly suspect (I mean VGChartz isn't the best source) but we're talking about two estimates where one of them is 20 times greater than the other, so while there's a margin of error, it's pretty clear that one of those titles was a success and the other probably wasn't.

And of course, Burnout got a bunch of sequels.

[Team Andromeda]

Or are you secretly competing for the Twat Of The Week trophy too?

I rather that award. To that of insulting fellow members and swearing at them. but each to their own

[Team Andromeda]

Yeah; the home versions were not particularly successful. I don't honestly know if it could be termed a "flop" as I don't have figures, but it came out at a contemporary season to Burnout 3, which crushed it, comparatively speaking (which I'm not too bitter about; Burnout 3 was a fantastic game on Xbox at least)..

One can't blame Burnout 3 really . Outrun 2 came out in 2003 and it sold like crap on the XBox and most put that down to the system, when SEGA put it out on the PS2 and PSP for the improved upgraded Arcade version of 2006 they sold like crap too and so did the XBox version . There was little market for a Arcade checkpoint racer then and even less now , I would bet, more so when you are asking £50 for a game that can be finished in a matter of minutes and only features a handfull of tracks and limited ammount of cars.

Arcade ports these days have very limmited appeal, more so at full RRP price of a standard game.

[replicashooter]

Yeah; the home versions were not particularly successful. I don't honestly know if it could be termed a "flop" as I don't have figures, but it came out at a contemporary season to Burnout 3, which crushed it, comparatively speaking (which I'm not too bitter about; Burnout 3 was a fantastic game on Xbox at least).

I mean looking at VGChartz you're talking about 200k OutRun 2 units versus 4m Burnout 3 units. Now, that 200k is highly suspect (I mean VGChartz isn't the best source) but we're talking about two estimates where one of them is 20 times greater than the other, so while there's a margin of error, it's pretty clear that one of those titles was a success and the other probably wasn't.

And of course, Burnout got a bunch of sequels.

I found it to be such a wack game when I tried it. Might have another look at some time as this gen isn't exactly flooded with arcade racers but overall I found it to be quite meh as I didn't like the style of the game at all.

I rather that award. To that of insulting fellow members and swearing at them. but each to their own

*hands Team Andromeda "Most Sanctimonious Pomp Ever In One Reply" award*

What I said wasn't intended to offend but if you took it that way then good, I'll make sure to digitally bitch slap you at every occasion I get from now on.

[Asura]

I found it to be such a wack game when I tried it. Might have another look at some time as this gen isn't exactly flooded with arcade racers but overall I found it to be quite meh as I didn't like the style of the game at all.

I loved Burnout 3, though admittedly, the Xbox version is much stronger than the PS2 one due to the superior visuals and performance.

I picked it as an example though because it illustrates the problem. Burnout 3 was packed with different cars, modes, tracks, challenges, features... You could spend weeks just on the Crash Mode, or trying to do that challenge where you race an IndyCar through Shanghai, and the online multiplayer (when you got it working - admittedly the infrastructure was terrible as you had to log into Live AND EA's servers) was incredible - and then there was the main meat of the game, with extremely well-pitched challenges.

OutRun 2 is certainly a purist's game by comparison, and fantastic in its own way, but when they were charging the same price for each one, I know which one I bought full-price.

[Team Andromeda]

*hands Team Andromeda "Most Sanctimonious Pomp Ever In One Reply" award*

Wait... Another award? Hope it comes with some free booze this time (none digital)

[Team Andromeda]

I loved Burnout 3
OutRun 2 is certainly a purist's game by comparison, and fantastic in its own way, but when they were charging the same price for each one, I know which one I bought full-price.

You can't really compare the two. Outrun 2 Is a arcade racer and designed to be played and finished in 5 odd mins, ready for the next player . Those style of racers are dying a death in the Arcades, nevermind the home. OutRun.

Shame really but like Light Gun Games and Arcade racers there's not much market for those style of games for a full retail price on consoles and could only look to Live or PSN. Seems to be that only VS fighters can do well in the home and Arcade or so it seems. I love to see a new Virtua Tennis, but that game seems to have seen better days sadly

[replicashooter]

I loved Burnout 3, though admittedly, the Xbox version is much stronger than the PS2 one due to the superior visuals and performance.

I picked it as an example though because it illustrates the problem. Burnout 3 was packed with different cars, modes, tracks, challenges, features... You could spend weeks just on the Crash Mode, or trying to do that challenge where you race an IndyCar through Shanghai, and the online multiplayer (when you got it working - admittedly the infrastructure was terrible as you had to log into Live AND EA's servers) was incredible - and then there was the main meat of the game, with extremely well-pitched challenges.

OutRun 2 is certainly a purist's game by comparison, and fantastic in its own way, but when they were charging the same price for each one, I know which one I bought full-price.

Ah yes, I see what you mean. Darn people wanting padding and seeing it as value for money in contrast to the pure arcade joy that O2 brings. Plus it had all those extra modes which made it even better than the arcade... But I get your point about the public and how it would seem to them. Fools!

Wait... Another award? Hope it comes with some free booze this time (none digital)

Ha! In keeping with modern trends its hidden behind a paywall. Please send tree fiddy to [email protected] for your complimentary bottle of Buckfast.

You can't really compare the two. Outrun 2 Is a arcade racer and designed to be played and finished in 5 odd mins, ready for the next player . Those style of racers are dying a death in the Arcades, nevermind the home. OutRun.

Shame really but like Light Gun Games and Arcade racers there's not much market for those style of games for a full retail price on consoles and could only look to Live or PSN. Seems to be that only VS fighters can do well in the home and Arcade or so it seems. I love to see a new Virtua Tennis, but that game seems to have seen better days sadly

Such a valid point. I'd never considered that modern kids don't really know what an arcade is like us old heads. Good shout on the Virtua Tennis as well, what a dope title that used to be.

Personally I've never had just a five minute session on O2 because, as limited as it is, there is really so much playability to be had. Either way I'm grateful that Sony spruced up Wipeout not only for PS3 but PS4 as well as that was really nice in comparison to say Nintendo just leaving F Zero in the void instead of dusting it off on the 3DS as that would've been sheer awesomeness or even on the Switch now which could handle a port of the GC title easily.

Its crazy how the Need For Speed titles really seemed to sell well though when I found them a bit crap as they weren't arcadey enough. Same with Burnout. Ridge Racer comes close but its still not all that.

[J0e Musashi]

NTSC-J OutRun 2 SP. *plays*

[teddymeow]

NTSC-J OutRun 2 SP. *plays*

I'm glad you're taking care of it.

[BearBoy]

The Scud Racer tracks are on the UK Pal version of Outrun 2 onthe XBox. No cheats you just need unlock them

Daytona 2 tracks as well.

Just had a spin

[ZipZap]

One of the things I love so much about Outrun SP is how they added a complicated scoring system to a racing game. Whilst people instantly notice the "rivals", there's a lot more to it than that. As is mentioned in the interview, the traffic is the same each time, but your positioning controls the speed of each lane. The best players can manipulate the traffic so they can slipstream almost the entire game, which increases both score and speed (which gives you higher bonuses). There are also other tricks, like on some stages manipulation of the traffic to give you a speed boost so you can slipstream the rival into the "bunkers" (junctions) for added points. There are lots of other little secrets that gain you more points.

It's a much bigger step from Outrun 2 than people often realise. It gives a lot of depth to a game that has very arcade-y handling and, because of its arcade nature, has to boot players off within a few minutes. I was never as good as the top players, but I've played just Route A over and over trying to squeeze a few more points out of it. 15 short stages is actually more than enough!

With this in mind, if we're talking the definitive version (of SP at least), I'm fairly sure I once read that the scoring in the PS3 & 360 ports is arcade accurate, where as there were a few (probably small!) differences in Coast 2 Coast