Crusing With The Top Down, Stereo Turned Up Loud With A Fat Sound – The OutRun Franchise –

OutRun has always been one of my happy places — it never fails to put a smile on my face. The music, the tracks, driving the iconic 1985 Ferrari Testarossa, and the whole vibe of the game that took the world by storm still resonate with me deeply.

On the flip side, the Amiga version always leaves me a bit disappointed — a real missed opportunity. Compared to the C64 and the original arcade versions, the Amiga ports feel like they fall short by a huge margin. What’s even stranger is that I still ended up buying the game… and not just once, but several versions over time.

Just the other day, on my way home from work, I thought about writing an article on OutRun. It was quite fitting when “Yours To Keep” by Teddybears Sthlm started playing on the stereo — the lyrics somehow matched the spirit of OutRun perfectly.

– We can drive around with the top down, stereo turned up loud with a fat sound. Cause i am yours to keep if you want it. –

OutRun, the big name with the awful game…

I’ve collected quite a few versions of OutRun over the years, and I’m still on the hunt to complete my collection of all the Amiga releases — though I’m not quite there yet.

First up is the Arcade Smash Hits version, which I’ve written about before on this blog. It’s one of the quirkiest releases in the Amiga world. The floppy actually contains the American version of the game — it looks almost identical to the European one, but in reality, it’s quite different.

It’s a curious choice to include the American version in a European bundle, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s even a cracked release.

There are a few lesser-known facts about OutRun that many don’t realise. Both the C64 and Amiga versions actually have two different releases — one American and one European — each developed by separate teams. For example, the versions I mentioned earlier are the US releases, which feature a new loading screen and updated engine sound samples in the intro. The game itself was also slightly toned down: it’s easier with a more forgiving timer, and to me, it even feels like there’s less traffic on the roads.

And if you think there’s only one version on the C64, think again — there are actually two different versions there too. Crazy, right?

The Klassix brand was new to me when I first spotted this release, so naturally, I went a bit bananas and had to get it. Unfortunately, it turns out Klassix was just a German regional label under the Kixx brand.

The Klassix box design is pretty dull — they added black bars and altered the aspect ratio, although they did reuse the same artwork found on most other European versions.

I’ve always liked the look of both the Kixx and Hit Squad label box designs. Maybe it’s just me, but it feels like they put genuine effort into their presentation, unlike labels like Klassix or Respray, which seem a bit rushed or uninspired.

Not much else to say here—I picked up my copy from a local shop back in the day. I didn’t have much money, but I spent whatever I had on this game and another one. The result? I survived on bread and water for a few weeks!

Added some animGIFs for you guys.

Turbo OutRun, Getting Better…

Next up is Turbo OutRun, the sequel to OutRun, where SEGA expanded the lineup to include other car brands like Porsche—luckily, the Ferrari was still there.

I own three versions of Turbo OutRun, and honestly, it’s my least favourite in the series. The arcade version was okay to play, but it felt a bit messy. SEGA tried a new graphic style with Turbo OutRun and Power Drift, but in my opinion, it didn’t quite hit the mark.

The C64 version, however, was incredible for its time and has aged surprisingly well. It’s an amazing port of a game that wasn’t all that great to begin with.

The Amiga version isn’t a bad port by any means — it’s actually quite good — but it just feels a bit soulless and honestly makes me sleepy every time I try it.

The OutRun series has always been known for its killer music, and Turbo OutRun is no exception. All three versions — Amiga, C64, and arcade — are an absolute blast to listen to.

Turbo OutRun was also included in the Amiga Format Game Pack 1, and it definitely stands out as one of the better games in the collection. I mean, come on — it’s got to beat the Tom Cruise movie tie-in Days of Thunder, which is in there too…

Turbo OutRun Kixx Version

Here’s another Kixx release—this time, Turbo OutRun. Somehow, I completely forgot to snap a photo of the poster on the back of the manual, but oh well.

Unlike some other games, Turbo OutRun didn’t have multiple regional versions—just the one. Maybe that’s a good thing, though it does make you wonder if a different version could have improved the game, like they did with Afterburner.

Yet Another Compilation — And a Good One!

Here’s another compilation, and it’s actually a pretty good one. But for now, I’m focusing this article on the OutRun saga. Not much to say about the bundle itself — it’s the full, non-budget version, which is definitely a plus. Since I don’t yet own the full-sized box version, this will have to do for now. (I originally bought this new back in the ’90s, just like all the other OutRun games in the series.)

The Wheels Of Fire compilation comes with an impressively large poster, quite unexpected given that the game itself comes in a small box. It was a really nice surprise, and the best part is that I never used the poster, so it’s still in mint condition.

The manual included is also surprisingly good. It’s a proper, full manual, not just the thin, flimsy sheets you usually get with most compilations.

Added some animGIFs for you guys.

OutRun Europa – Amiga Big Box

OutRun Europa is the third and final game in the series to make it to the Amiga. Unlike its predecessors, it was never released in arcades, as it was designed to be a console and home computer exclusive. This was likely because SEGA was focusing on a separate arcade title called OutRunners—or at least, that’s what I believe.

Interestingly, OutRun Europa was actually cancelled twice before it finally saw the light of day. Thankfully, the developers decided to release it in the end, and it turned out to be a great call. Despite being more of a spin-off, it’s easily the best Out Run game on the Amiga.

OutRun Europa is also a top-notch game on both the Amiga and the C64, and it’s clear that Probe, the developers, invested a lot of effort to make both versions as polished as possible.

Notably, this is the first (and possibly only) Out Run game to feature multiple drivable vehicles. If you play through the entire game, you get to drive:

• A motorbike

• A Porsche 952 (or something very close)

• Jet skis

• A boat

• And finally, the iconic red Ferrari F40

Now, moving on to the later games in the Out Run franchise. I’ll focus only on the ones I own, though I know there are several others on different platforms.

Added some animGIFs for you guys.

OutRun The Next Generation!

It took Sega over 13 years to deliver another major instalment in the series, and just like with the original arcade game in 1986, OutRun 2 once again took the world by storm.

I’ll never forget the first time I saw OutRun 2 in an arcade hall—at Liseberg in Gothenburg. I fell in love within seconds. The graphics, the music (which included tracks from the first two games), and the gameplay style all came together perfectly. It felt flawless. It was perfect.

I must admit, I’d been living under a rock for a few years, as I hadn’t heard a thing about the game before seeing it there. It had just been released, but apparently, it had already been making headlines for quite some time.

OutRun Coast 2 Coast PS2 Version…

This was a game I had been eagerly waiting for — it was actually the first game I ever bought on release day for the PS2, back in 2006. To be honest, I wasn’t really into the PS2 much before then. Sure, I played and bought games here and there, but I was busy with other things, like developing for the Amiga and, of course, gaming on the Amiga itself.

Coast 2 Coast was a title I’d been following from day one, and it felt like forever before it finally launched. When I finally got my hands on it, it was everything I had hoped for — that pure “happy place” feeling returned, and the circle was complete!

Added an animGIF for you guys.

OutRun Coast 2 Coast PSP Version…

The PSP version of OutRun was released alongside the PS2 version, and after hearing so many great things about it, I just had to get it too — except there was one problem: I didn’t own a PlayStation Portable! Since OutRun is a system seller for me, it was a no-brainer to buy both the PSP and the game. I’ve never regretted that decision, and the PSP has become a great handheld for many other games as well.

The PSP version included some exclusive features, though not a ton, but it did have a neat crossplay function that connected with the PS2 version, unlocking extras and bonuses.

Added an animGIF for you guys.

OutRun 2 XBOX…

Xbox in my collection? Yep, believe it or not! A few years back—maybe five or so—I got an Xbox for free. It came loaded with a ton of games on its hard drive, but honestly, I wasn’t interested in most of them. There was only one game I really wanted: OutRun 2. This game is exclusive to the Xbox, with no other home versions available, aside from the arcade original, of course.

I was genuinely excited when I finally got OutRun 2—a brand new OutRun game at last! I knew it shared a lot with Coast 2 Coast and its PSP version, but my expectations were still sky-high.

The game itself was fantastic, but the Xbox controller was a big letdown for me. It just didn’t feel comfortable in my hands at all. Still, I had fun playing it and appreciated how close it was to the PS2/PSP Coast 2 Coast experience, so I managed to overlook the controller issues more than I expected.

Added an animGIF for you guys.

The PS3 Version (Digital Download Only)…

I also own Coast 2 Coast on the PS3, but interestingly, it was never released in America. Instead, the game is titled OutRun Online Arcade on this platform. It’s a solid port, though quite stripped down compared to the original. Why they chose to cut so much out is a mystery to me.

Honestly, having the full Coast 2 Coast experience on PS3 would have been a perfect fit—even today.

Added an animGIF for you guys.

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