OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast

Despite it's heavy reliance on old content, OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast should still appeal to hardcore arcade racing fans.

Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast is Sega's second current-gen installment of the Outrun arcade racing series. While OutRun2 (released exclusively for the Xbox in 2004 to good critical reception) was a recreation of the arcade game on the Xbox, Coast 2 Coast is more of a collection of OutRun series stages and cars. To be exact, Coast 2 Coast includes 30 stages and 12 licensed Ferraris from the arcade version of OutRun2, as well as the entire version of OutRun2 SP, and upgraded arcade version of OutRun 2 that took incorporated some of the extra elements (such as additional tracks and music) from the OutRun2 on Xbox.

Bang for Your Buck
So for $39.95 you get some OutRun2 extras, plus the entire OutRun2 SP game for some couch-playing pleasure. Not a bad deal, though, as with most console ports of arcade racers, Coast 2 Coast just isn't the same without the arcade steering wheel and pedal simulation -- understandable, of course, considering the casual appeal of arcade games. That said, there's really no way for a ported arcade racer to complete with the super-speed Burnouts of console systems, so price-wise, it would be a huge gamble for Sega to offer this one at a $50. But Coast 2 Coast is a duplication of the OutRun2 experience; one that brings the identical arcade game to at-home gamers. And with the US arcade market dwindling (it's still huge in Japan), there's something to be said for console arcade releases.

And OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast does a very good in emulating OutRun2 onto the Xbox. Just like the Xbox version of OutRun 2, emulation is smooth and silky on the very capable Xbox hardware.

OutRun arcade junkies will be familiar with the OutRun style of play, which is much more relaxed than other console racers -- not boring, per say, but fun if you like that kind of laidback vibe. The main of objectives, besides getting to checkpoints and the final goal as fast as possible, are drifting and slipstreaming, the latter a new feature in OutRun2 SP that allows you to hijack a bit of speed from directly behind a rival's car. So, racing is quite straightforward, though there are a few different modes from which to do it in.

A Drifter's Dream
The single-player game is spread out across four modes, each almost identical in actual driving gameplay, though somewhat different in objectives. Coast 2 Coast is the main single-player mode, and is presented in mission-based fashion. It consists of Race and Heart Attack missions that reward you with OutRun miles to spend on extra stages, Ferraris, car colors and more.

Race missions are of the standard OutRun fork-in-the-road, make-it-to-the-next-checkpoint style, while Heart Attack missions challenge you to meet the demands of a girlfriend who rides in the passenger seat. She'll shout out demands, such as passing cars, drifting, or knocking down cones, and you'll be rated on how well you do on specific course sections. Do well and she'll raise the roof in excitement. Joy!

OutRun mode is essentially the same manner of gameplay, though you'll be heading out against rivals with your girlfriend in the car the entire time. Let's just hope she keeps her hands off the radio.

And then there is the solo Heart Attack mode, for which you'll need to impress your lady friend and meet her every demand...with driving maneuvers, that is.

There is also Time Attack mode that pins you up against your own ghosts, a la Mario Kart. Xbox Live multiplayer supports up to six players, though surprisingly there are no split-screen modes.

OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast does its job in emulating the Sega arcade racer feel, which should make it rather enjoyable for those who don't appreciate the seizure-inducing racers of today. But up against such performance powerhouses as Burnout, Gran Turismo, and Midnight Club, it simply can't compete.

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