Out Run

» Developer: Sega AM2 » Year: 1986

As a showcase of the latest technology, Out Run was one of the most exciting games of 1986. The game’s many stages looked beautiful thanks to the sprite scaling technology employed, and the music used FM synthesis, an advanced technology that really brought the compositions to life. None of that would matter if the game weren’t enjoyable, and although it wasn’t the carefree driving experience that appearances would suggest (the turns are far too tricky for that), it was certainly fun.

Though it was available in stand-up and regular sit-down cabinets, If your arcade needed a centrepiece cabinet in the mid-eighties, there was arguably no better choice than a deluxe Out Run. Yu Suzuki had always been interested in creating simulators, and although the cabinet wasn’t as close to a car as Hang-on had been to a motorbike, it was the nearest you’d get at the time. The bright red exterior mimicked the Ferrari in the game, complete with wheels and tail lights. What’s more, motors would rock the machine from side to side as you powered around bends, and even provide force feedback on the steering wheel. It was exciting then, and remains so decades down the line.