R360
taking a closer look at Sega’s state-of-the-art simulator
machine and not [been] convinced that this is the future of videogames.”
We all know that journos have good form when it comes to making bold statements about the future of videogames. It’s clear now that the R360 was always destined to be an amazing curio rather than an arcade mainstay. Only select venues could take it, due to its huge size (the installation occupied 20 square metres, including a safety barrier) and prohibitive cost (£70,000 in the UK). It was also expected that a dedicated ride attendant was present at all times to monitor the machine and make sure riders or spectators were safe.
Sega only modified one more title for use with the R360 and that was the 1994 Model 1 title Wing
War. It’s rumoured that a version of After Burner was used for internal testing, and photos from a Japanese trade show reveal that Rad Mobile was trialled on the R360 (now that would have been interesting), but neither title was officially released. Sega manufactured 150 R360s in total, and of those it’s thought that maybe only 20 are still around, and only some of these will be operational. If you missed the R360 first time around you’ll be pleased to hear that Sega hasn’t abandoned the concept completely. In 2015 it unveiled an updated two-player model dubbed the R360Z which runs a modified version of the shooting game
Transformers Human Alliance. It’s only available in Japan, however.
If you want to experience G-LOC then you’re also in luck. Various home versions were released in the early Nineties, but none came close to replicating the arcade original. Curiously there was no Saturn or Dreamcast version, and it didn’t even join Power Drift and Galaxy Force on the 3DS. Yet earlier this year it was announced that a faithful port would be coming to the Nintendo Switch as part of the Sega Ages series. Once again you’ll be able to barrel roll across a blue Sega sky – even if it won’t turn your world upside down.
The R360 is the pinnacle of what could be achieved in videogames at the time and shows the dominance Sega had in the industry Craig Walker
Many thanks to Sara Zielinski and Craig Walker for providing photos and information. Visit their R360 Fan Club page on Facebook.