Every Version Of OutRun Imaginable...

Back in the 80's, the original OutRun was a big f'n deal.  So big that the game got ports for just about every console you can imagine...even consoles I never even knew existed.  For some oddball reason, each version of the game looks & handles differently purely because many of these weren't programmed by Sega themselves.  Here's YouTubes of every single version of OutRun right here with my immediate rating out of 5.  Please note if you're sentimental towards one version that I rated poorly, well tough break...

Amiga (2/5, mega crap right out the gate)


Amstrad CPC (2/5, the music makes me laugh)


Arcade (5/5, duh)


Commodore 64 (2/5, the VW Beetle dodging simulator!!  EDIT: Wait, no branching paths...-minus-1 point there)


Sega Genesis (4/5, still looks weird compared to arcade version but still very good)


Sega GameGear (3/5, lol, mini OutRun, oh yea!!  but only 10 stages tho)


iPhone (actually named Final Freeway, it's an obvious ripoff) (3/5, looks unique, tilt the phone to steer but it's not really OutRun so minus 1 point)


MSX (1/5, holy cow)


PC (NOT emulator) (4/5, not bad)


Playstation 2 (part of Sega Classics Collection) (4/5, the car looks weird but at least it's smooth driving)


Sega Master System (3/5, too quirky for me)


Sega Saturn (part of Sega Ages) (5/5, basically identical to arcade version)


Atari ST (3/5, basically the Amiga version but with snazzier music and a smaller screen)


TurboGrafx-16 (4/5, delightfully surprised by this one)
NOTE: Old video got deleted, this is the only one left.  Not like people are rushing to upload OutRun on the TurboGrafx so gimme a break.  I recall it being very similar to the PC version so nothing truly groundbreaking.



Sinclair ZX Spectrum (-1,000,000/5, ANOTHER mangled version of Splash Wave, worst port ever)

I think that's every version--if there's one or two I missed, let me know so I can add 'em.  And we haven't even touched on Turbo OutRun, OutRun Europa, OutRun 2019, OutRunners...geez.  Basically, OutRun games up the ass.  If only we could've pooled all the energy put into these ports into OutRun 3, that would be great.  I also complain about how overrated today's graphics are, but with those old graphics, no amount of gameplay can save it...

Oh, and don't think Daytona USA got off the hook. I may get to that sometime...I'm saving that for later.

Bizarre Creations, Streets Of Rage'd, Chubby Sonic, And....Commodore 64?

EDITED 1 TIMES

Oh, it's another "See, I told you so," moment.  Members of Bizarre Creations are opening up about their studio's closing, all thanks to the greatest publisher of all time, Activision.

"We weren't an independent studio making 'our' games anymore," said former creative director Martyn Chudley. "We were making games to fill slots. Although we did all believe in them, they were more the products of committees and analysts. The culture we'd worked on for so long gradually eroded just enough so that it wasn't 'ours' anymore."

Chudley also claimed that the studio was given the opportunity to buy itself back, but as commercial manager Sarah Chudley explained it, the studio had grown considerably since the Activision takeover and "we just didn't have the skills, capability or finances to look after over 200 people." Without a third party coming in to assume control, it seemed wiser for everyone to walk away.

See what I mean?  You want to make these crummy mainstream games?  You want to become these big, bloated studios?  I see that after PGR4, they made The Club, Blur, and 007: Blood Stone.  Now I thought Blur was good but the rest...eh, they were expendable.  And Bizarre didn't last long either.  Goodbye originality, thanks again Activision.

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Yes, and this isn't brand new news, but there was a group of people working on a Streets of Rage (Sega) remake entirely from scratch.  It's been worked on for about eight years and they're nearing the final version.  Where's Sega in all of this?  Have they done anything good recently?  Like do the fans have to do everything?

EDIT: Big news, apparently I just found a source for this.  Didn't read about this on any of those stupid blogs like Kotaku or Joystiq.  Sega is shutting down this SoR fan remake.  Apparently, this is why the link above doesn't have a "click here to download" link.  Yeah, that's great, Sega.  You knew for YEARS about this project but now you are issuing the cease-and-desist when they are nearly 100% done?  EIGHT YEARS IN PROGRESS DOWN THE DRAIN.  All the art, coding, sound, etc.  That is a serious ass-hat maneuver.  Pissing on the fans who are trying to salvage whatever glorious remains exist of your derelict empire.  Just great.

Before the link was taken down, many people have downloaded the game so if you can somehow find a kind soul to "slip" you the game, then so be it.  Until then, scratch up another Sega demerit.  Yes, I know that it's really Sega's copyright, but DAMN, Sega has zero interest in most of its old games and they're trying to help you.  So WTG Sega.

"Booooo...." Life of a Sega fan.

Reference

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But speaking of Sonic, Sega has done at least ONE good thing...

Check out the Sonic 20th Anniversary trailer and there's a brief clip with old-school Sonic alongside new Sonic.  Wow!!!  I care a lot.

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And get this!  They are rereleasing the Commodore 64 at this very moment.  This time, it's going to function like a quality desktop machine, complete with a 160 GB hard drive, 2 GB of RAM, a dual core processor, a fancy video card, USB ports, CD tray, all sorts of goodies in that old-school look.  Nice, but can it run Supermodel emulation???

Unfortunately, I'm not buying this.  The top-of-the-line C64 costs $900 and I don't really need a new computer.  I do like those old-school keyboards--the ones that go "clack-clack-clack" when you type.  Now those were cool.

More Sega racer news in like two minutes, please hold on.