OutRun 2 SP

is a 2003 racing game developed by Sega AM2 for the arcades. It was the first in Sega's ''OutRun'' series in a decade, following '' OutRunners'' (1993), and marked the fourth arcade installment. ''OutRun 2'' was ported to the Xbox home console in 2004, on which the Sega Chihiro arcade hardware is based on. Updated versions subtitled ''SP'' and ''SP/DX'' were later released which also provided a follow-up home game, '' OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast''.

Gameplay

''OutRun 2'' stays true to the race format from the 1986 original, in which the player is behind the steering wheel of a Ferrari sports car with a friend in the passenger seat through 5 of 15 stages. As before, the player can choose their course and the soundtrack. ''OutRun 2'' has been overhauled with 3D graphics and a local networked multiplayer system.

Sega licensed seven Ferrari vehicles for ''OutRun 2'', including the Testarossa from the original game.

The soundtrack was completely rearranged, bringing in seven pieces of music with styles ranging from instrumental rock to upbeat ballads. The original 1986 music is also unlockable.

''OutRun 2'' provides three single-player game modes: "OutRun mode", "Heart Attack mode" and "Time Attack mode":
* Outrun Race – the player drives through 5 of 15 stages, selecting the next course via forks on the road. There is a time limit which is extended when the player passes through checkpoints.
* Heart Attack Mode – the player drives the open-ended course to a time limit (as in OutRun Race), and the passenger will frequently request certain stunts and actions. These requests, carried out through marked sections of the course, can include passing traffic cars, drifting around bends, driving through marked lanes, knocking over cones, and simply not crashing into anything for as long as possible. If the player is successful, they will receive heart points and, at the end of the request section, will be graded according to their performance. At the end of the stage, the player will receive an average grade based on performance during previous stunts. Crashing into the scenery or driving off-road at any time will result in the player losing hearts. Should the player reach a goal with a satisfying grade and within the time limit, they will receive a more romantic ending.
* Time Attack Mode – the player races a 'ghost' car over a pre-selected course to the time limit. Time checks are presented to the player at various points on each stage.

All unlockable bonus secret tracks are from ''Scud Race'' and '' Daytona USA 2'' on the Xbox version.

Development and updates

Developing the game precipitated some changes for its developers, Sega AM2, who had historically written their games using Unix systems. Writing for an Xbox-based system meant they had to adapt to the Microsoft Windows kernel.

''OutRun 2 SP''

In 2004, Sega released an upgrade to the ''OutRun 2'' arcade game, titled ''OutRun 2 SP''. The upgrade added 15 all-new courses which are predominantly based around a New World theme.

''OutRun 2 SP''s new courses, songs and game elements appear (alongside the originals and new content) in the home video-game '' OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast''.

''OutRun 2 SP DX''/''SDX''

An update entitled ''OutRun 2 SP SDX'' was shown at a privately held Sega show on July 7, 2006. This updated version of ''OutRun 2'' does not run on the Sega Chihiro, but rather the Sega Lindbergh. This iteration is displayed at a resolution of 800*480 rather than the previous versions' 640*480 and features cooperative play involving both players sitting next to each other in replica Ferraris, taking turns driving the same car with their own set of controls. The 2-player cabinet is designated as DX (Deluxe), and the 4-Player cabinet is designated as SDX (Super Deluxe), with raceview cameras on the players, and a live leaderboard over the center units.

Xbox version

In 2004, ''OutRun 2'' was released on the Xbox. The task of coding was shared by Sega AM2 and UK-based developers Sumo Digital. The game was released in Europe on October 1, followed by the U.S. release on October 25. Sega published the game in Europe and Japan, while Microsoft Game Studios published it in North America.

The Xbox version preserves the look and feel of the arcade original, but with the additions of 480p anamorphic widescreen support and tweaks to make it more suitable for home play. The game includes a straight port of the arcade called "Outrun Arcade" plus two other modes: OutRun Challenge, which includes 101 missions distributed over the 15 stages, and OutRun Xbox Live, featuring online play. Tracks from ''Scud Race'' and '' Daytona USA 2'' can be unlocked as a bonus. Online modes were available via Xbox Live until 15 April 2010. ''Outrun 2'' is now playable online again on the replacement Xbox Live servers called Insignia.

In addition, some content from the arcade game is locked away alongside new, unique content, such as extra cars, extra music tracks, and even the original ''Out Run'' game itself. This content is unlocked as the player completes the OutRun Challenge missions. Some slight changes were made to the Arcade mode, such as the 3D model for the newer Testarossa Spider being replaced with a customised Testarossa from 1984. The Japanese version of the game was slightly altered further, fixing some glitches and modifying the bonus stages.

Reception

The Xbox version received "favorable" reviews according to video game review aggregator website Metacritic.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Outrun 2
2003 video games
Arcade video games
Microsoft games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
OutRun
Sega arcade games
Sega-AM2 games
Sumo Digital games
Video game sequels
Video games developed in Japan
Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Video games scored by Hiroshi Kawaguchi
Video games scored by Richard Jacques
Xbox games