OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast
Score: 88% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Sega Developer: Sumo Digital Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 2; (2 - 6 Online) Genre: Racing (Arcade)
Graphics & Sound: OutRun: Coast 2 Coast isn’t a visual stunner, but it doesn’t look all that bad either. Rather than go for the realistic look most racers seem to aim for, Coast 2 Coast instead goes for a brighter appearance. Cars are still loaded with details, but everything feels just a little more colorful and arcade-like. Tracks share the same style as the cars, and even show off notable California landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and giant redwood forests. Coast 2 Coast also gets the job done in the audio department. Several songs from the original show up in remixed form, as do a few new songs. Each does an excellent job of getting you in a racing mood. Then there are the racing noises like squealing tires and engines. Both are played up just a bit, though that is to be expected in an arcade racer.
Gameplay: If you’d rather go with classic OutRun, you can always just go for the Classic mode. As with the original, the goal is to race from checkpoint to checkpoint before a timer runs out. If that’s not your style, you can also go through a Challenge mode where your female companion will call out challenges for your to complete, such as passing so many cars in a set amount of time or dodging UFOs that hover overhead. The game’s core mode is Coast 2 Coast. This mode contains multiple elements from other modes, all rolled up into one game. Sometimes you’ll have to race against other racers, while at other times, you’ll have to complete challenges. These include slipstream and drift challenges, as well as some given to you by your girlfriend. As you complete races, you’ll earn points which you can spend on new cars. There are around 13 Ferraris that you can unlock, ranging from the Testarossa to the Enzo, as well as additional colors for each car (which admittedly, is a little odd). You can also unlock new tracks and new background music, including tracks from the original OutRun. If you’re a someone who needs to unlock everything, Coast 2 Coast is a dream come true.
Difficulty: As was the case with the arcade game, OutRun: Coast 2 Coast is very easy to jump into and play, but will take some time to truly become good at. Compared to other racers, the game is quite simple – you can steer, brake and accelerate. That’s it. Of course, there’s also the choice between manual and automatic transmissions, but that choice doesn’t make too much of a difference in the long run (at least not from my experience). Since the game is an arcade racer, it is a little more forgiving when it comes to collisions and spinning out. You’ll lose some time on the clock, but recover rather quickly. Really, the focus here is more about a fun, quick racing experience rather than trying to replicate a real racing experience.
Game Mechanics: One of the game’s added features is “slipstream”, which is really just a fancy way to say drafting. Getting behind cars in races will give you a little extra boost of speed since they’re taking all of the wind resistance. Overall the system works, though it does feel as if you’re given a little too much cushion between cars when drafting. Normally, this would be an issue but it is really hard to fault the game since 90% of the it is about gunning the accelerator and going as fast as possible. While there isn't much to Coast 2 Coast's controls, the few "moves" that found it in the game are rather important. Again, the key is to go as fast as possible, so you don’t want to waste time slowing down when it comes to curves – which is where power slides come into play. Getting into a power slide is very easy; just tap the brakes while turning. While sliding you can put a little control into your turn, something that comes in handy when another car is taking the same turn or you may have started the slide a little too early. The latter of the two scenarios is the more likely, making it important to learn when to powerslide. Even though the modes tend to blend in together and feel like the same after a while, they are fun, which is about as much as you could ask for with an arcade racer. Though it is unlikely that you’ll want to spend entire afternoons with Coast 2 Coast, there’s enough here to hold you over for a quick game or two for when you feel like a game but really don’t have a lot of time to invest.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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