Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast

Let's time travel back to umm…1986, where we will visit our local video arcade hoping to check out some of the latest racing action. Here we go! WHEERRBINGBONGZZZZ (time travel noise)! We've arrived and, ah, there it is…Outrun! One of the best racing games ever created. Very few games have been able to capture the simple fun and sense of speed that the original Outrun had. Even flipping your Ferrari was a joy to behold. The only thing wrong with the game was the creepy B.O. smellin' arcade owner, with his food stained-wife beater t-shirt, staring at you longingly in a child molester-like fashion. That guy is giving me the heeby-jeebies! Let's get back to the time machine before we end up on a milk carton. And people wonder why video arcades are hard to come by these days. Oh, if there was only a way to have the same classic Outrun arcade experience in 2006 (without the creepy, smelly guy)?

Well, whatta ya know! Laying on my desk in the future-present is a copy of Outrun 2006: Coast to Coast. Could this be the answer to my prayers? I guess we're just going to have to give it a go and find out.

Baby You Can Drive My Car
Outrun 2006: Coast to Coast is the second game using Outrun license by developer Sumo Digital. To Xbox owners, this version may just seem like more of an update, but now for the first time PS2 and PSP owners get to join in on the action. Sega also acquired the official Ferrari license for the game, so you can drive such real cars as the F430 Spider or the Superamerica. Neato!

The game includes several different modes. First you have Coast 2 Coast, which is sorta your campaign mode and road to unlocking extras, like more cars. Next we have Outrun mode where the game attempts to simulate the classic straightforward Outrun arcade racing. There's also a Time Trail mode, which pretty much explains itself. The last and most interesting new mode/feature is the Heart Attack mode. This game has you doing your best to impress the lovely lady sitting next to you by obeying her every command. She'll ask you to smash into cars from behind, dart in and out amongst a convoy of 18 wheelers, and so on. Sounds like our protagonist's girlfriend has some control issues. Other features to note is online play with up to 6 players dashing for the finish line. Sega was also nice enough to include the arcade versions of Outrun2 and Outrun 2 SP.

One Foot On The Brake And One On The Gas, Hey!
The graphics don't seem all that impressive at first, that is until you're flying at 200mph! The sense of speed is well done and without all the overdone flash like in the Burnout series. The level design is also top notch. You'll find impressive scenery and the classic Outrun forking roads all throughout the game. Something about this title reminds me of Crazy Taxi. I can't put my finger on it. It might be the graphics or the way that the road flows. Maybe it's using a modified version of that game's engine? I dunno. Outrun 2006 is a way faster paced game, that's for sure. Outrun 2006 also borrows from some other titles such as Mario Kart and Burnout Revenge. Powersliding/snaking and ramming cars from behind will be used quite a bit to win your championships. Thankfully these actions don't deter from the overall classic feel of the game. Still plays like Outrun from 1986, but with some cool extras. That's how these retro-remakes should be made, though.

Beep Beep mm Beep Beep, Yeah
Does the game live up to the expectations that were set by the original Outrun? Yup, so far it does. The action is simple, very fast paced, and most of all a good deal of fun. If racing simulation titles like Gran Turismo wig you out, you should consider giving Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast a try. Old school fans should definitely check it out and pick up a copy when it comes out this week. Stinky, scary arcade owner not included.