| Out Run | |
|---|---|
 Arcade flyer | |
| Developer(s) | Sega |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Designer(s) | Yu Suzuki |
| Programmer(s) | Yu Suzuki Satoshi Mifune |
| Composer(s) | Hiroshi Kawaguchi |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Driving |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Arcade system | Sega OutRun |
Out Run[a] (also stylized asOutRun) is an arcadedriving video game released bySega in September 1986. It is known for its pioneering hardware and graphics,nonlinear gameplay, a selectable soundtrack with music composed byHiroshi Kawaguchi, and the hydraulicmotion simulator deluxearcade cabinet. The goal is to avoid traffic and reach one of five destinations before time runs out.
The game was designed byYu Suzuki, who traveled to Europe to gain inspiration for the game's stages. Suzuki had a small team and only ten months to program the game, leaving him to do most of the work himself. The game was a critical and commercial success, becoming the highest-grossingarcade game of 1987 worldwide as well as Sega's most successful arcade cabinet of the 1980s. It was ported to numerous video game consoles and home computers, becoming one of thebest-selling video games at the time and selling millions of copies worldwide, and it spawned a number of sequels.Out Run is considered one of the most influential andgreatest games ever made, cited as an influence upon numerous later video games, playing a role in thearcade video game industry's recovery, and providing the name for apopular music genre. It spawned a series and a sequel of sorts was released,Turbo OutRun in 1989 with a real sequel,OutRun 2 released in 2003.
Out Run is apseudo-3Ddriving video game in which the player controls aFerrari Testarossa convertible from a third-person rear perspective.[5] The camera is placed near the ground, simulating a Ferrari driver's position and limiting the player's view into the distance. The road curves, crests, and dips,[3] which increases the challenge by obscuring upcoming obstacles such as traffic that the player must avoid.[6] The object of the game is to reach the finish line against a timer.[7] The game world is divided into multiple stages that each end in a checkpoint, and reaching the end of a stage provides more time.[8] Near the end of each stage, the track forks to give the player a choice of routes leading to five final destinations.[9] The destinations represent differentdifficulty levels and each conclude withtheir own ending scene, among them the Ferrari breaking down or being presented a trophy.[10]
During the mid-1980s, Sega experienced success in the arcades with games developed byYu Suzuki.Hang-On was a good seller andEnduro Racer had been successful enough for Sega to consider a second production run. Both are motorcycle racing games, andOut Run was Suzuki's chance to develop a car racing game. His original concept was to base the game on the American filmThe Cannonball Run,[10] of which he was a fan.[11][12] He disliked racing games where cars exploded on impact, and wanted gamers to enjoy the experience of driving and to feel "superior".[11]
Suzuki initially conceived the game's setting across the United States, and he requested to scout various locations there. According to Suzuki's boss, Youji Ishii, Sega presidentHayao Nakayama believed the US was too unsafe, and suggested Europe as a safer option. Additionally, Suzuki concluded that the US was too "large and empty" for the game's design. He scouted Europe[11] for two weeks in aBMW 520 for ideas.[12] This tour includedFrankfurt,Monaco, Rome,[11][12] theSwiss Alps, theFrench Riviera,Florence,[10] andMilan.[13] While in Monaco, Suzuki was inspired to use theFerrari Testarossa as the playable car in the game, so when he returned to Japan he arranged for his team to find and photograph one.[11][12] They took many photos of the car from every side and recorded the sound of the engine.[13]
A small team of four programmers, a sound creator, and five graphic designers developedOut Run. Suzuki had to use only personnel that were available and not assigned to other projects at the time. As a result, Suzuki did most of the programming and planning himself, spending extra hours at the studio to complete development of the game within ten months.[11] He believed that the most difficult part of developing the game was to make it as fun as possible, which he achieved by emphasizing the design elements of wide roads, buildings, and a radio with soundtrack selection.[10]
Fourcabinet designs were released, all of which are equipped with asteering wheel, astick shift, andacceleration andbrake pedals. Two of the cabinet designs are upright, the larger of which hasforce feedback in the steering wheel. The other two models are sit-downmotion simulator cabinets that resemble the in-game car and use a drive motor to move the main cabinet—turning and shaking according to the onscreen action. Both models feature stereo speakers mounted behind the driver's head.[9][14] Thearcade system board made specifically for the game is theSega OutRun, based on theSega System 16.[15] Suzuki said that he was often unable to make games based on existing hardware and that Sega would have to create a new board. He said that his "designs were always 3D from the beginning. All the calculations in the system were 3D, even fromHang-On. I calculated the position, scale, and zoom rate in 3D and converted it backwards to2D. So I was always thinking in 3D".[16] The game achieves its 3D effects using asprite-scaling technique called Super Scaler technology, as used one year earlier inHang-On.[15] Released in September 1986,[11]Out Run's fast sprite-scaling and 3D motion provide a smoother experience than other contemporary arcade games.[15]
Suzuki also set about simulating car features that were previously lacking in earlier driving games, so that being a skillful driver in real life would translate to being skillful in the game. They simulated features such ashorsepower,torque,gear ratios andtire engineering close to real cars. They also addedAI assistance for features that were difficult to control, such asdrifting. For the drifting, they added details such as, if the car's tires grip the road surface too closely, the car's handling becomes too twitchy, something that wasn't appreciated in earlier driving games.[13]
Out Run's original score was composed byHiroshi Kawaguchi, who had previously composed soundtracks for other games designed by Suzuki, includingHang-On. The soundtrack is similar in style toLatin andCaribbean music. Three selectable tracks are featured: "Passing Breeze", "Splash Wave", and "Magical Sound Shower". An additional track, "Last Wave", plays at the final score screen.[13][15] Some of the game's audio samples were corrupted due to one of the master ROM chips failing, and the glitch was not noticed until Sega was preparing a soundtrack box-set for the game's 20th anniversary. The correct files were recovered from an8-inch floppy disk, and subsequent re-releases of the game use the fixed data.[17]Cassette tapes of the arcade soundtrack were distributed in the United Kingdom during December 1987, both with the home computer conversions and withComputer and Video Games magazine.[18] The Mega Drive port has the music tracks from the arcade, along with one exclusive new track titled "Step On Beat" composed by Masayoshi Ishi.[19]
Out Run was released for theMaster System in 1987, and theGenesis in 1991.Out Run wasported to theAmstrad CPC,Commodore 64 andZX Spectrum home computers for the European market.[4] Aconversion ofOut Run was under development by Hertz for theSharp X68000 but according to former Hertz employee Tsunetomo Sugawara, it was never released due to company management cancelling its development.[20][21] A32X version was also reportedly under development by Sega, but was never released.[22]
Ports of the arcade game were released forGame Boy Advance viaSega Arcade Gallery, forNintendo 3DS via the3D Classics series on 12 March 2015, and forNintendo Switch as part of theSega Ages line on 9 January 2019.[23][24][25]
| Publication | Score | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amiga | Arcade | Atari ST | C64 | Master System | PC | Sega Genesis | SGG | TurboGrafx-16 | ZX | |
| ACE | 822[27] | 873[28] | 610[27] | 852[26] | ||||||
| Amstrad Action | 37% (CPC)[29] | |||||||||
| Crash | Positive[9] | 72%[34] | ||||||||
| Computer and Video Games | Positive[3] | 7/10[32] | 24/40[31] | 9/10[30] | 8/40 (CPC)[31] | 70%[33] | ||||
| Dragon |   [35] | |||||||||
| Génération 4 | 78%[37] | 82%[36] | ||||||||
| Joypad | 90%[38] | |||||||||
| Joystick | 90%[39] | 79%[39] | ||||||||
| Sinclair User | Positive[6] | 81%[40] | ||||||||
| The Games Machine (UK) | 75%[43] | 79%[42] | 72%[41] | 61%[41] | ||||||
| Tilt | 17/20[44] | |||||||||
| Your Sinclair | Positive[45] | 8/10[46] | ||||||||
| Australian Commodore and Amiga Review | 95%[47] | |||||||||
| Commodore User | 9/10[48] | 67%[49] | ||||||||
| MegaTech | 58%[50] | |||||||||
| Sega-16 | 9/10[7] | |||||||||
| Svenska Hemdatornytt | 85%[51] | |||||||||
| Top Score | Positive[52] | |||||||||
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Golden Joystick Awards | Game of the Year, Arcade Game of the Year[53] |
| Amusement Players Association's Players Choice Awards | Best Visual Enhancement in a Video Game[54] |
In Japan,Out Run topped theGame Machine charts for upright/cockpitarcade cabinets in November 1986,[55][56] and remained at the top of the charts in the following month.[57][58] It was Japan's highest-grossing upright/cockpit arcade game during the latter half of 1986,[59][60] and the overall seventh highest-grossing upright/cockpitarcade game of 1986.[60]Out Run went on to become Japan's highest-grossingarcade game of 1987.[61][60] In North America, it topped theRePlay dedicated arcade game chart in February 1987,[62] and went on to become the highest-grossing arcade game of 1987 in the United States.[63][64] In the United Kingdom, the game topped London's Electrocoin arcade charts for several months in 1987, from February[65][66] through June,[67][68] and was the top arcade game of the year.[69] In Japan, it continued to rank among the annual highest-grossing dedicated arcade games for the next several years, ranking number threein 1988,[70] number fivein 1989,[71] and number sevenin 1990.[72] In Europe,Out Run was the most popular arcade game during the late 1980s.[73]
Sega had sold 18,000Out Runarcade machines worldwide by early 1987, including 3,500 units in Japan, 8,000 units in the United States, and 6,500 units in Europe and Southeast Asia.[74] By late 1987,Out Run had sold 20,000 units worldwide,[75] earning Sega over$100 million ($290 million adjusted for inflation) in arcade machine sales,[76] and becoming Sega's best-selling arcade cabinet of the 1980s.[10] By 1994, 30,000 cabinets had been sold worldwide.[77] Sega eventually surpassedOutRun's arcade sales withVirtua Fighter (1993) andVirtua Fighter 2 (1994).[78]
The8-bit computer game ports published byU.S. Gold sold over 200,000 copies within two weeks of release in the United Kingdom,[79] and more than 250,000 by Christmas 1987,[80][81] topping the UK's Christmas 1987 chart.[82]Out Run became the fastest-selling andbest-selling computer game in the UK that year.[32][34][81] By early March 1988, it had sold over 350,000 copies, becoming the UK's all-time fastest-selling game up until then.[83] In May 1988, the Atari ST version ofOut Run became the first ST title to top the UK all-formats chart.[84] The Atari ST version had sold over 25,000 copies in the UK by mid-1988.[85]
Out Run remained on the UK charts for several years. The budget price re-release from Kixx topped the all-formats chart in November 1990,[86] and the Commodore 64 version was at number two on the all-formats chart in March 1991.[87] It also topped thePC Engine charts during January–February 1991.[88][89] In 2020,Out Run became the second best-sellingSega Ages title in overseas markets outside of Japan (afterSonic the Hedgehog), especially in Europe.[90] As of 2021, the game's various home conversions have sold millions of copies worldwide.[73]
Out Run's arcade release received positive reviews and became one of the most popular arcade games of the year.[9][32][91] The game won the 1987Golden Joystick Award for Game of the Year, as well as for Arcade Game of the Year.[53] It also won "Best Visual Enhancement in a Video Game" at the 1986 Amusement Players Association's Players Choice Awards.[54] Clare Edgeley reviewed the arcade game in bothComputer and Video Games and inSinclair User, praising the graphics and the element of danger in the gameplay as well as the hydraulic motion simulator cabinet.[3][6]Top Score newsletter called it "the most enjoyable" and "realistic driving video game ever created" while praising its innovative simulator cabinet, detailed visuals and stereo soundtrack.[52] A review inCommodore User described it as "a great game for driving enthusiasts" and awarded it a score of 9 out of 10.[92] Gary Penn, writing forCrash called the game "highly polished" and praised the attention to detail.[9] InYour Sinclair, Peter Shaw praised its realism and described it as "the most frighteningly fast road race game" he had played.[45]
Out Run was ported to numerous home consoles and computers.Computer and Video Games praised theMaster System release, with the writers concluding that it had "all the thrill power of the arcade version".[30]The Games Machine gave the Master System version a score of 72%, stating that the Master System version came closest to the original coin-op.[41] Reviewers forDragon described it as a "refreshing" game "that provides hours of entertainment".[35]Computer Gaming World named it as the year's best arcade translation for Sega.[93] Reactions to the16-bit versions were generally positive. TheAtari ST version (1988) was described byComputer and Video Games as "far from perfect", but that it came closer to the arcade original than the other ports.[32] The 1991Sega Genesis version also received positive reviews, scoring 90% from French gaming magazinesJoypad andJoystick, as well as an 85% from Swedish magazineSvenska Hemdatornytt.[38][39][51]
The reception for the 8-bit personal computer ports byU.S. Gold was mixed. TheZX Spectrum version received positive scores fromYour Sinclair andSinclair User.[40][94] Some reviewers atCrash expressed disappointment at the low quality in contrast to the arcade original.[34]The Games Machine gave the Spectrum version a score of 61%, noting the machine's technical limitations in comparison to the Master System andCommodore systems.[41] The Commodore versions received positive to average reviews, thoughComputer and Video Games described the Commodore 64 port as "rushed". TheAmstrad CPC port received a score of 8 out of 40 fromComputer and Video Games, which described it as a "travesty",[31] and a 37% score fromAmstrad Action where the reviewer considered it one of the worst arcade conversions ever.[29]
| 1986 | Out Run |
|---|---|
| 1987 | |
| 1988 | OutRun 3-D |
| 1989 | Turbo OutRun |
| Battle Out Run | |
| 1990 | |
| 1991 | Out Run Europa |
| 1992 | OutRunners |
| 1993 | OutRun 2019 |
| 1994 | |
| 1995 | |
| 1996 | |
| 1997 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1999 | |
| 2000 | |
| 2001 | |
| 2002 | |
| 2003 | OutRun 2 |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast |
| 2007 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2009 | OutRun Online Arcade |
Out Run was followed by various sequels, including three arcade sequelsTurbo OutRun (1989),OutRunners (1992) andOutRun 2 (2003), and several non-arcade sequels includingOut Run 3-D (1988),Out Run Europa (1991),OutRun 2019 (1993) and laterOutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast (2006).[10] Sega also developedRad Mobile (1991) which is similar toOut Run.[95]
Former Sega arcade director Akira Nagai has creditedOut Run and similar games for Sega's arcade success in the 1980s. According to Nagai: "Out Run, in particular, was really amazing for its time... Suzuki went on to makeAfter Burner and a number of other games, butOut Run is still talked about with a special kind of wonder. With thetaikan games, Sega's arcade business, which had been Sega's lowest performer in sales, gradually started to rise... For me personally,Hang-On andOut Run are my most memorable titles. They helped lift the arcade industry out of its slump, and created entirely new genres".[78] The game's title has been adopted as a name for thesynthwave music genre, which is also known as "outrun" music, inspired by the game's soundtrack which is selectable in-game as well as the game's 1980s aesthetic.[96][73] French musicianKavinsky named his debut albumOutRun (2013) after the game.[97]
The game has been listed among thebest games of all time byNext Generation,[98]Retro Gamer,[99]Stuff,[100]Time,[101]G4,[102]Killer List of Videogames,[103]Yahoo!,[104] andNowGamer.[105] In 2017,GamesRadar+ ranked the game 31st on their "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time".[106] Writing in1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die, Joao Diniz Sanches praisedOut Run's "unforgettable design and expertly tuned game balance", describing the game as "the consummate exhibit in an oversubscribed genre" and "one of the purest and most joyous experiences in video gaming".[107] In 2015,Out Run appeared in fourth place onIGN's list of The Top 10 Most Influential Racing Games Ever, behindPole Position,Gran Turismo andVirtua Racing. According to Luke Reilly, traces ofOut Run DNA can be found in series likeTest Drive,Need for Speed,Project Gotham Racing andBurnout, as well as modern racers like theForza Horizon games andDriveClub.[108] According to Jacopo Prisco ofWired UK, the influence ofOut Run "is still being felt on consoles, in music, and in movies". Along with its influence on a wide range of racing games fromNeed for Speed andGran Turismo toProject Gotham Racing andForza Horizon, the game's selectable radio music has become commonplace in video games such as theGrand Theft Auto series as well as the choice to drive through alternate paths in racing games.[73]
Your Car: Ferrari Testarossa Convertible. 2 door, 5 speed
Sega has achieved spectacular sales results of 18,000Outrun machines in the preceding term, broken down into 3,500 units in the domestic market, 8,000 units in the U.S. and 6,500 units in Europe and Southeast Asia.
Both versions went on to produce terrific numbers for Sega, bringing in total worldwide sales of over$100 million and adding another memorable franchise to Sega's stable of hits.
{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help) (Translation by Shmuplations.Archived 7 August 2020 at theWayback Machine).
