Out Run 2006: Coast 2 Coast

THE DRIVE OF YOUR LIFE

He’s waited 15 long years and now Darran has a legitimate excuse to cover Sumo Digital’s amazing arcade racer

» PC » 2006 » SUMO DIGITAL

When Outrun 2 hit arcades in 2003 I instantly fell in love with it. Sure there had been many sequels and spin-offs to Sega’s iconic 1986 original, but for me, they never really did the game justice. From the moment I made my first ridiculous powerslide to the time it took me to complete the game’s 15 European-themed courses, I knew a worthy sequel had finally arrived and it had only taken 17 years to achieve!

An impressive Xbox exclusive port by Sumo Digital arrived the following year as well as a new arcade sequel called Outrun 2 SP, which added 15 additional courses to race through with a distinctive New World setting. A home port was inevitable and Sumo Digital was once again behind the wheel and by goodness did the team absolutely smash it.

I adore Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast and it’s very rare that a week goes by without me getting a quick game in. Sumo’s port across all systems is absolutely sensational, although special mention must go to the outrageously good PS2 and PSP ports (one day I’ll be able to justify the high cost of the Japanese PS2 edition that exists). Coast 2 Coast not only includes all 15 tracks from Outrun 2, but also adds the SP tracks as well as a lengthy Coast 2 Coast mode which gives you a huge amount of challenges to achieve. It’s the game that just keeps on giving.

As great as that new mode is, for me it’s the simple pleasure of racing through the game’s 30 stages that I love the most about Coast 2 Coast.

It perfectly nails the outrageous drifting mechanics of the arcade games and that satisfying feeling you get from pulling past rivals and fulfilling the requirements of your girlfriend’s many requests in Heart Attack mode. For me, the Outrun series has always been about enjoying the ride through exotic-looking locations, whilst humming along to toe-tapping tunes and that’s never been as well represented as it is in Coast 2 Coast.

I love Sega’s original Out Run, but if a gun was put to my head and I had to choose between the 1986 original and Sumo’s own exceptional update, Yu Suzuki’s classic wouldn’t stand a chance. Sorry.