F355 Challenge

From Sega Retro

n/a

F355Challenge title.png

F355 Challenge
System(s): Sega NAOMI Multiboard, Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation 2
Publisher: Sega,
Sega Dreamcast
Acclaim (US/EU),
Sony PlayStation 2
Sony Computer Entertainment (EU)
Developer:
Peripherals supported:
Sega Dreamcast
Dreamcast VGA Box, Dreamcast Racing Controller, Dreamcast Jump Pack, Visual Memory Unit, Dreamcast Taisen Cable
Genre: Racing

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Dreamcast
JP
¥5,8005,800 HDR-0100
Sega Dreamcast
US
T-8119N
Sega Dreamcast
EU
T-8118D-50
Sega Dreamcast
DE
T-8118D-18
Sega Dreamcast
ES
Sega Dreamcast
UK
£39.9939.99[1] T-8118D-05
Sega Dreamcast
IT
Sega Dreamcast
FR/NL
T-8118D-59
Sony PlayStation 2
JP
¥6,800 (7,140)6,800 (7,140) SLPM-65178
Sony PlayStation 2
US
SLUS-20558
Sony PlayStation 2
EU
SCES-50956
Sony PlayStation 2
AU

F355 Challenge (F355 チャレンジ) is an arcade racing game developed by Sega AM2 for Sega NAOMI Multiboard hardware. It is the brainchild of AM2 head and Ferrari enthusiast Yu Suzuki, and was originally released in 1999.

Like previous Sega AM2 racing games, F355 Challenge is based on a real event endorsed and run by supercar manufacturer, Ferrari - the "Ferrari Challenge". Here, Ferrari owners come together and race across various race tracks across North America. At the time, they were likely running an "F355 Challenge" for the Ferrari F355 as the car was still current, however this changes year-on-year (at the time of writing for example, they are running F430 and 458 challenges, though the basic goals are the same).

Gameplay

As the name suggests, the game has you race in a Ferrari F355 against other cars around a series of tracks. No other cars feature within the game though there are a number of options allowing you to modify your car to your liking. The player races through a dozen tracks based on real locations aiming to finish first. Up to two players are supported on-screen at once.

The arcade F355 Challenge is also notable for its deluxe configuration, which adds an extra two screens on either side of the "main" monitor. This allows players to look left or right and see more of the playfield. It is impossible in F355 Challenge to change the view - games are always played as if the player was sitting in the driver's seat.

Tracks

* exclusive to home verisons.

History

Development

F355 Challenge was conceived by Yu Suzuki, who had been working for over ten years trying to deliver a true driving experience to video game consumers. The game can be seen as a spiritual sequel to the 1986 release of OutRun, however was designed with a completely different style of gameplay in mind. Whereas OutRun (and many other Sega arcade racers) aim for a unrealistic and fast-paced arcade experience, F355 Challenge aims to be as realistic as possible, giving the user the experience of driving a Ferrari without actually owning one.

It is rumoured that Yu Suzuki's personal Ferrari F355 was used as a basis for many of the features included in this game.

The game features a hard rock soundtrack by Japanese singers Genki Hitomi and Minoru Niihara.

Legacy

The arcade version was followed by F355 Challenge 2: International Course Edition in 2001. F355 Challenge 2 is largely the same game but gives arcade users the five console-only tracks from F355 Challenge

Versions

Less than a year after its arcade debut, F355 Challenge was ported to the Sega Dreamcast, in the west sporting a subtitle, F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa. Following the demise of the Dreamcast, it was also brought to the PlayStation 2, this time as Ferrari F355 Challenge. The home ports feature a number of options not seen in the arcade original, most notably five unlockable tracks.

While the use of NAOMI hardware makes the Dreamcast port almost identical to the arcade game, the PlayStation 2 version makes several noticeable cutbacks, rendering in a lower screen resolution and sporting a simpler lighting model.

Production credits

Dreamcast version

Presented by Sega
Original Game ©Sega Enterprises, Ltd. 1999
©Sega Enterprises, Ltd./CRI 2000
Developed By AM2 of CRI

PlayStation 2 version

AM2/SEGA Unit:
TOSE Unit:
  • Director: Hiroyoshi Inoue
  • Assistant Director and Game Designer: Teruyuki Okumura
  • Asssistant Director: Gouki Kitamura
  • Main Programmer: Takashi Higashijima
  • Programmers: Kiyotaka Omura, Hisashi Sugimoto, Ryuzo Konda, Ken Morimoto
  • Main Designer: Noboru Shirahase
  • Designers: Ryuki Shimatani, Koukichi Yamamoto, Tetsuo Nishikawa, Yusuke Yamazaki, Keiju Go, Kouji Nakajima
  • Sound: Takeshi Sato
  • Producer: Yu Suzuki
  • General Producer: Hissashi Suzuki
  • The Developers wish to Thank the Following: City of Long Beach, Grand Prix Association of Long Beach Inc., Autodromo Nazionale Monza S.I.S.A., SpA, Twinring Motegi, Sportsland Sugo, Suzuka Circutland, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Laguna Seca Raceway (Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula, Nürburgring GmbH, Sepang International Circuit SDN BHD and Ferrari

In Cooperation with TOSE Co. Ltd
Created by Sega AM2
Original Game ©Sega Corporation
©Sega-AM2 Co.,Ltd/Sega Corporation, 2000, 2002

Digital manuals

Magazine articles

Main article: F355 Challenge/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

DrivingGames DC FR PrintAdvert.jpg¦Dreamcast FR print advert

Logo-pdf.svg
Dreamcast print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #137: "December 2000" (2000-10-30)
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[[File:No resultsLogo-pdf.svg|120x120px|link=https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File:EGM_US_137.pdf&page=2]]
Dreamcast print advert in Dreamcast Magazine (JP)
[[File:No resultsLogo-pdf.svg]]
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Dreamcast print advert in Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK) #12: "October 2000" (2000-09-07)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg

Artwork

Photo gallery

Physical scans

NAOMI version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
100 №10, p95[4]
Arcade
100
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Arcade
N/A
Based on
0 reviews

F355 Challenge

NAOMI, World(?)

Dreamcast version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
80 №24, p74-76[5]
60 №228, p81[1]
83 №2000-26ex, p23[6]
90 №, p33[7]
70 №89, p90/91[8]
73 №608, p37
70 №1, p84[9]
Sega Dreamcast
75
Based on
7 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
576 Konzol (HU)
93
[10]
Ação Games (BR)
81
[11]
Arcade (UK) NTSC-J
75
[5]
Bonus (YU) PAL
84
[12]
Click! (PL)
60
[13]
Consoles + (FR) NTSC-J
88
[14]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
50
[1]
Dreamcast Monthly (UK) NTSC-J
100
[15]
Dreamcast Monthly (UK) PAL
100
[16]
Dreamcast Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
83
[17]
Dreamcast Magazine (UK) PAL
91
[18]
Dorimaga (JP) NTSC-J
90
[19]
Edge (UK) NTSC-J
70
[8]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
70
[20]
Entsiklopediya igr dlya Dreamcast (RU)
80
[21]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
73
[22]
Fun Generation (DE) NTSC-J
93
[23]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
80
[24]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
85
[25]
Game Station (UK)
90
[26]
Gamers' Republic (US) NTSC-U
100
[27]
Hyper (AU) PAL
89
[28]
MAN!AC (DE) NTSC-J
89
[29]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
89
[30]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
88
[31]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-J
88
[32]
Neo Plus (PL)
90
[33]
Next Generation (US) NTSC-U
75
[34]
Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK) PAL
80
[35]
Official Dreamcast Magazine (US) NTSC-U
70
[36]
Playmag (FR) NTSC-J
75
[37]
Play (PL)
92
[38]
PSX Extreme (PL)
83
[39]
Sega Magazin (DE) NTSC-J
90
[40]
Strana Igr (RU)
90
[41]
Strana Igr (RU)
88
[42]
Video Gamer (UK)
70
[9]
Video Games (DE) NTSC-J
70
[43]
Video Games (DE) PAL
78
[44]
Sega Dreamcast
83
Based on
39 reviews

F355 Challenge

Dreamcast, US
F355Challenge DC US Box Back.jpgF355Challenge DC US Box Front.jpg
Cover
F355Challenge DC US Disc.jpg
Disc
Ferrarrif355 dc us manual.pdf
Manual
Ferrarrif355 dc us inlay.jpg
Inlay
Dreamcast, JP
F355Challenge DC JP Box Back.jpgF355Challenge DC JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
F355Challenge DC JP Disc.jpg
Disc
Dreamcast, UK
F355Challenge DC EU backcover.jpgF355Challenge DC EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
F355Challenge DC EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Dreamcast, FR/NL
F355Challenge DC FR-NL Box Back.jpgF355Challenge DC EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
F355Challenge DC EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Dreamcast, DE
F355Challenge DC DE Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngF355Challenge DC DE cover.jpg
Cover
F355Challenge DC EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Dreamcast, IT
F355Challenge DC IT back.jpgNospine-small.pngF355Challenge DC EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
F355Challenge DC EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Dreamcast, ES
F355Challenge DC EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
F355Challenge DC EU Disc.jpg
Disc

PlayStation 2 version

PlayStation 2, US
F355Challenge PS2 US Box.jpg
Cover
PlayStation 2, EU
F355Challenge PS2 EU Box.jpg
Cover
PlayStation 2, JP
F355Challenge PS2 JP Box.jpg
Cover
FerrariF355 PS2 JP disc.jpg
Disc
PlayStation 2, UK

F355Challenge PS2 EU Disc.jpg
Disc
PlayStation 2, FR

F355Challenge PS2 EU Disc.jpg
Disc
PlayStation 2, DE
F355Challenge PS2 DE Box.jpg
Cover
F355Challenge PS2 EU Disc.jpg
Disc
PlayStation 2, ES

F355Challenge PS2 EU Disc.jpg
Disc
PlayStation 2, AU

Technical information

In the Dreamcast version, the opening cutscene renders up to 1.9 million polygons per second, about 32,000 polygons per scene at 60 FPS.

External links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:CVG UK 228.pdf, page 81 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 228.pdf_p81" defined multiple times with different content
  2. http://www.jp.playstation.com/software/title/slpm65178.html
  3. Dreamcast Magazine, "No. 13" (UK; 2000-09-07), page 2
  4. File:Arcade UK 10.pdf, page 95
  5. 5.0 5.1 File:Arcade UK 24.pdf, page 74 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Arcade UK 24.pdf_p74" defined multiple times with different content
  6. File:DCM_JP_20000811_2000-26ex.pdf, page 23
  7. File:Dorimaga_20021011_JP.pdf, page 33
  8. 8.0 8.1 File:Edge UK 089.pdf, page 90 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Edge UK 089.pdf_p90" defined multiple times with different content
  9. 9.0 9.1 File:VideoGamer UK 01.pdf, page 84 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:VideoGamer UK 01.pdf_p84" defined multiple times with different content
  10. 576 Konzol, "Szeptember 2000" (HU; 2000-xx-xx), page 38
  11. Ação Games, "Outubro 2000" (BR; 2000-xx-xx), page 43
  12. Bonus, "3/2001" (YU; 2001-04-25), page 40
  13. Click!, "5/2001" (PL; 2001-03-01), page 23
  14. Consoles +, "Septembre 2000" (FR; 2000-0x-xx), page 66
  15. Dreamcast Monthly, "November 2000" (UK; 2000-09-28), page 88
  16. Dreamcast Monthly, "December 2000" (UK; 2000-10-26), page 72
  17. Dreamcast Magazine, "2000-26 extra (2000-08-11ex)" (JP; 2000-07-28), page 23
  18. Dreamcast Magazine, "No. 14" (UK; 2000-10-05), page 50
  19. Dorimaga, "2002-18 (2002-10-11)" (JP; 2002-09-27), page 33
  20. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 2000" (US; 2000-10-30), page 205
  21. Entsiklopediya igr dlya Dreamcast, "Izdaniye chetvertoye, dopolnennoye" (RU; 2002-xx-xx), page 75
  22. Famitsu, "2000-08-11" (JP; 2000-07-28), page 37
  23. Fun Generation, "09/2000" (DE; 2000-08-23), page 80
  24. GameFan, "Volume 8, Issue 11: November 2000" (US; 2000-1x-xx), page 24
  25. GamePro, "December 2000" (US; 2000-1x-xx), page 153
  26. Game Station (UK) (+0:00)
  27. Gamers' Republic, "October 2000" (US; 2000-xx-xx), page 72
  28. Hyper, "April 2001" (AU; 2001-02-28), page 92
  29. MAN!AC, "10/2000" (DE; 2000-09-06), page 44
  30. MAN!AC, "12/2000" (DE; 2000-11-02), page 76
  31. Mega Fun, "12/2000" (DE; 2000-11-02), page 51
  32. Mega Fun, "10/2000" (DE; 2000-09-06), page 64
  33. Neo Plus, "Listopad 2000" (PL; 2000-xx-xx), page 55
  34. Next Generation, "January 2001" (US; 2000-12-21), page 96
  35. Official Dreamcast Magazine, "November 2000" (UK; 2000-10-05), page 60
  36. Official Dreamcast Magazine, "December 2000" (US; 2000-10-31), page 102
  37. Playmag, "Octobre 2000" (FR; 2000-xx-xx), page 63
  38. Play, "Styczeń 2001" (PL; 2001-xx-xx), page 28
  39. PSX Extreme, "03/2001" (PL; 2001-0x-xx), page 40
  40. Sega Magazin, "October 2000" (DE; 2000-09-04), page 16
  41. Strana Igr, "Sentyabr 2000 1/2" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 14
  42. Strana Igr, "Sentyabr 2000 2/2" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 19
  43. Video Games, "10/2000" (DE; 2000-09-06), page 132
  44. Video Games, "12/2000" (DE; 2000-11-02), page 114