Virtua Racing

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Virtua Racing Title.png

Virtua Racing
System(s): Sega Model 1, Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Racing

















Release Date RRP Code

Virtua Racing (バーチャレーシング) is an arcade racing game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega in 1992. Virtua Racing was the first game released for the Sega Model 1 arcade platform, and also the first to use the name "Virtua" in its title (something which would be followed by numerous Sega arcade games, including Virtua Fighter, Virtua Cop and Virtua Tennis. It is considered a milestone in 3D graphics and the racing genre, and acts as a foundation for most modern racing games.

Gameplay

Tracks

The original release of Virtua Racing has the player race Formula 1 cars around three different tracks divided into difficulty:

VirtuaRacing BigForest.png Big Forest
"Beginner" track.
VirtuaRacing BayBridge.png Bay Bridge
"Medium" track.
VirtuaRacing Acropolis.png Acropolis
"Expert" track

Versions

Virtua Formula

Special "medium sized" attractions, usually only seen at SegaWorlds or other Sega-themed amusement parks, adapt the eight-player setup and upgrade the cabinets, creating Virtua Formula. Virtua Formula first debuted in 1993, and is almost identical (bar name) to Virtua Racing, though considerably harder to find. It also features fancier attract modes, covering all eight screens (there are variants of Daytona USA which do this too). Many Virtua Formula cabinets were later converted into eight-player Indy 500 ones.

The multiplayer Virtua Formula version also featured an on-air camera, showing players' facial expressions on a monitor above the cabinet. The 4-player Virtua Formula deluxe cabinet cost £250,000 for arcade operators (equivalent to £433,854 or $686,492 in 2014), and £3 per play for players (equivalent to £5.21 or $8.24 in 2014).[3]

Mega Drive Version

Virtua Racing was an arcade success, and though expected to avoid home consoles for quite some time due to the complexity of the Model 1 arcade board, saw an initially surprising port to the Sega Mega Drive in 1994. The Mega Drive version utilises a custom made "Sega Virtua Processor" chip, allowing the game to render polygons similar to the "Super FX" chip within Star Fox for the SNES, although it's arguably a great deal more powerful than the Super FX; the Mega Drive port is surprisingly accurate.

Though the Mega Drive Virtua Racing is one of the more technically advanced Mega Drive games in the library, the unusual specifications of the cart mean that it is often one of the first games to not be supported by cost-reduced hardware (for example, it won't work with the Genesis 3). The Mega Drive version also takes a hit in terms of graphics and sound, displaying fewer polygons at a smaller resolution with a restricted palette and lower frame rate. However, it and all of the other home ports include two-player modes, time trials and options usually only available to arcade operators.

History

Development

Initially created as proof of concept program for the system, Virtua Racing was given the all-clear to become a fully fledged arcade title during the Model 1's development, thereby becoming one of the first fast-paced 3D racing games to appear in arcades. Prior to this, most 3D racing games had been simulations, and often running very slow. Though Namco and Atari Games had put forward 3D arcade racers some years prior with Winning Run (1988) and Hard Drivin' (1989) respectively, Virtua Racing was among the first to render its worlds in sixty-frames-per-second and offer support for multiple human players, and the first to include multiple camera angles adjustable during play.

It was also the first game to feature human characters rendered with 3D polygons, both as mechanics and spectators, in fully polygonal 3D environments. The polygonal 3D human models used in Virtua Racing later formed the basis for the character models seen in Virtua Fighter.[4]

Though the hardware was considered revolutionary at the time of release, Virtua racing was quickly outclassed by its successor, the Sega Model 2 board which debuted towards the end of 1993. There are no textured polygons in Virtua Racing, as Model 1 hardware did not support them. There is also only one vehicle, and although when linked together it is offered in several colours, the stats never vary. There is no damage model (crashing merely slows you down), and although there are differing surface types, anything "not road" merely slows the car down - it does not affect handling in any way (this would be pioneered by Sega Rally Championship some years down the line).

There are also very few music tracks: during races, only jingles of several seconds play as the user crosses checkpoints and the goal line for laps; however, this is likely stylistic.

Virtua Racing does, however, have an advantage in terms of resolutions and polygon counts - though the flat shading leads to unrealistic-looking worlds, Virtua Racing actually renders more polygons in real time than its logical successor, Daytona USA, which brought the genre further forward. It would also take home systems several years to "catch up" in these two areas.

Virtua Racing was only available to arcade operators as single or twin cabinets, however four of the twin units can be linked up to create an eight-player experience.

Legacy

32X Port

Main article: Virtua Racing Deluxe

Mere months later, Virtua Racing was released as a launch title for the Sega 32X, in the form of Virtua Racing Deluxe. Deluxe adds two extra tracks and due to the increased power of the 32X, has a greater resemblance to the Model 1 release.

Saturn Port

Main article: Time Warner Interactive's VR Virtua Racing

A Sega Saturn version of the game, officially titled Time Warner Interactive's VR Virtua Racing was brought to the console by Time Warner Interactive in 1995, sporting seven extra courses (on top of the three arcade tracks), four new cars and a grand prix mode among other additions.

Virtua Racing -FlatOut-

Main article: Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol.8: Virtua Racing -FlatOut-

More recently, the game has been released as Virtua Racing -FlatOut-, part of the Sega Ages 2500 series on the PlayStation 2. This version includes an extra three new courses and four new cars to the Model 1 version.

Sega VR Version

A version of the game was also planned for the Sega VR, a virtual reality headset accessory for the Mega Drive/Genesis that was planned to release in fall 1993.[5] However, the game, along with the accessory, was later cancelled.

Critical Reception

Arcade Version

The game was a commercial success in the arcades. In North America, RePlay's coin-op charts in April 1993 listed Virtua Racing as the highest-earning deluxe video game arcade cabinet.[6] It remained the highest-earning deluxe cabinet in the May 1993 charts.[7]

The arcade game was critically acclaimed. Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it 9 out of 10, stating "Sega has created a racing masterpiece", praising the "incredibly fluid" graphics as "smooth and mobile", the "air bladder system" for simulating motion, the "selection of views" and transmission types, "link-up capabilities" allowing multiplayer, and "steering wheel" featuring "a tension mechanism for added realism." They concluded, the "lifelike racing sensations are extremely impressive and exciting", and "Sega succeeds in creating one of the most realistic racing games ever", leaving "all other racing games eating its technological dust!"[8]

Computer and Video Games reviewed the deluxe Virtua Formula cabinet, giving it ratings of 89% for graphics, 91% for sound, and 90% for gameplay, with a 90% score overall. The reviewer Paul Rand described it as "one of the most exciting arcade drives around," praising the "hydraulic control" and movements of the "full-size F1 car" cockpit cabinet which make it "feel as though you're flying along at 300km/h." He compared it favourably with Namco's Ridge Racer, noting that while it doesn't have the latter's "drop-dead stunning graphics," Virtua Racing has "the vital ingredient that makes or breaks games of this genre – a heart-pumping sense of speed."[3]

Console Conversions

The Mega Drive/Genesis version was also well received. GamePro named it the best Genesis game shown at the 1994 Winter wikipedia:Consumer Electronics Show (CES). In their later review, they gave it ratings (out of 5) of 4 for graphics, 4 for sound, 5 for control, and 5 for fun factor.[9]

The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly scored it 8, 8, 8 and 7 out of 10, adding up to 31 out of 40 overall, or 7.75 out of 10 average. Like GamePro, they criticized the audio, but held that the game itself, though not as good as the arcade version, was the best racer yet seen on cartridge-based systems.[10] In September 1994, Famitsu magazine's Reader Cross Review gave the Mega Drive version of an overall score of 32 out of 40, or an average of 8 out of 10.[11] Diehard GameFan stated that "the speed, graphic intensity and addictive gameplay that made the arcade game a major hit are all included in this awe inspiring release."[12]

Awards

In Japan, the arcade game was nominated for several Gamest Awards for the year 1992. It was nominated in the categories of Best Action Game, Best Director, and Best Graphics, which it lost to Street Fighter II′: Champion Edition, Art of Fighting, and Xexex, respectively.[13]

Mega placed the game at number 4 in their Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.[14]

In 1996, Next Generation magazine included it in their Top 100 Games of All Time list. They ranked the game at number 11 on the list, including the arcade, 32X and Saturn versions. This was above later Sega racing games Daytona USA and Sega Rally, with the magazine stating that while it lacks texture mapping, Virtua Racing is "the best racing game on the planet."[15]

Production Credits

Arcade Version

Director / Chief Programmer: Yu Suzuki
Programmers: Takuji Masuda, Masahiko Kobayashi, Masahiro Kawamura, Kazuhiko Yamada, Shin Kimura
Chief Designer: Toshihiro Nagoshi
Designers: Seiichi Ishii, Kunihiko Nakata, Toshiya Inoue
Music Composer: Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
Sound Effect: Yasuhiro Takagi
Hardware Designers: Shoji Nishikawa, Keisuke Yasui
Mechanical Effect Technician: Masaki Matsuno
Electrical Technician: Futoshi Ito
Program Supports: Ikuo Taniguchi, Yasuhito Shoji, Satoshi Hosoda
And Our Fresh Staffs: Kohki Koiwa, Toru Ikebuchi, Yasuko Suzuki, Naomi Ota, Takeshi Suzuki, Yasuo Kawagoshi, Nobukatsu Hiranoya
Produced by: Sega

Mega Drive Version

Director: Kouichi Nagata
Chief Programmer: Ryuichi Hattori
SVP Programmer: Osamu Hori
Chief Designer: Minoru Matsuura
Programmers: Kouichi Toya, Eiji Horita
Music Composers: Thoru Nakabayashi, Tomoyuki Kawamura
Hardware Designers: Junichi Terashima, Kouji Tsuchiya
Programmers: Hideya Shibazaki, Yutaka Nishino, Tetsuya Sugimoto
Special Thanks: Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, Yoshinao Asako
And Our Fresh Staff: Kazuo Ohtani, Takayuki Yamaguchi
Produced by: Sega

Gallery

  • Upright cabinet

  • Twin cabinet

  • Deluxe cabinet

Promotional Material

  • Arcade US flyer

  • Arcade JP flyer

  • Arcade AU print advert

  • Arcade AU print advert (different contact details)

  • VirtuaRacing MD US PrintAdvert.jpg

    Mega Drive US print advert

  • Mega Drive JP TV advert

  • Mega Drive UK TV advert

  • Mega Drive BR print advert

  • SigaSega1 MD BR PrintAdvert.jpg

    Mega Drive BR print advert 2 (with Super Street Fighter II)

  • VR.JPG

    Mega Drive DE print advert

  • 1994 06 - Virtua Racing.jpg

    Mega Drive ES print advert 1

  • 1994 07 - Virtua Racing.jpg

    Mega Drive ES print advert 1(variation)

  • 1994 10 - Virtua Racing.jpg

    Mega Drive ES print advert 2

  • 1994 12 - Mega Drive.jpg

    Mega Drive ES print advert 3

Physical Scans

Model 1 Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
90 №149, p86
90 №40, p54
Arcade
 90
Based on
2 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Arcade
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

Virtua Racing

Model 1, US (upright)
Model 1, US (twin)
Model 1, US (deluxe)
Model 1, JP (upright)
Model 1, JP (twin)
Model 1, JP (deluxe)
Model 1, UK (twin)
VirtuaRacing Model1 UK Manual Twin.pdf
Manual

Mega Drive Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
90 AllGame
94 №33, p158
84 №152, p107/108/111
80 №8, p82/83/84
78 №59, p33
80 №299, p38
89 №17, p32/33/34
96 №30, p126/127'№31, p60/61/62/63/64/65
88
92 №22
92 №19, p22/23/24/25
92 №10, p42
93 №29, p32/33/34/35/36/37
90 №19, p48-52[16]
99 №42, p52/53/54/55
91 №54, p34/35/36
89 №32, p44/45
Sega Mega Drive
 89
Based on
17 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[17]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
88
[18]
Consoles + (FR)
94
[19]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
79
[20]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
84
[21]
Edge (UK)
80
[22]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
100
[23]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
78
[24]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
83
[25]
FLUX (US)
79
[26]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
90
[27]
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
85
[28]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
90
[29]
Gamers (DE)
87
[30]
Games World: The Magazine (UK) PAL
84
[31]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
90
[32]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
92
[33]
Hyper (AU)
92
[34]
Joker (SI)
83
[35]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
96
[36]
Joypad (FR) PAL
96
[37]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
88
[38]
Mega (UK) PAL
92
[39]
Mega Force (FR) NTSC-J
95
[40]
Mega Force (FR)
95
[41]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
88
[42]
Mega Power (UK) PAL
92
[43]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
93
[44]
Magazina Igrushek (RU)
4
[45]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
90
[16]
Player One (FR)
99
[46]
Play Time (DE)
93
[47]
Power Up! (UK)
90
[48]
Power Unlimited (NL)
91
[49]
Score (CZ)
90
[50]
Sega Magazine (UK) PAL
100
[51]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
91
[52]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
89
[53]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
88
[54]
Sega Force (SE)
92
[55]
SuperGamePower (BR)
96
[56]
The Official Sonic the Hedgehog Yearbook (1994) (UK) PAL
90
[57]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
86
[58]
Supergames (AR)
100
[59]
Todo Sega (ES)
94
[60]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
85
[61]
Video Games (DE) PAL
80
[62]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
80
[63]
Sega Mega Drive
 87
Based on
48 reviews

Virtua Racing

Mega Drive, US
Virtrac md us cover.jpg
Cover
Virtrac md us cart.jpg
Cart
Virtuaracing md us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
Virtrac md eu cover.jpg
Cover
Virtua Racing MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
Virtrac md jp cover.jpg
Cover
VirtuaRacing MD JP CartTop.jpg
Virtua Racing MD JP Cart Back.jpgVirtua Racing MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
VirtuaRacing MD jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
VirtuaRacing MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
VirtuaRacing MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Virtuaracing md br manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, KR
VirtuaRacing MD KR cover.jpg
Cover
VirtuaRacing MD KR cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, Asia
Virtua Racing MD Asia Cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, SE (Rental)



Virtua Racing series of games
Arcade
 Virtua Racing (1992) | Virtua Formula (1993)
Sega Mega Drive
 Virtua Racing (1994)
Sega 32X
 Virtua Racing Deluxe (1994)
Sega Saturn
 Time Warner Interactive's VR Virtua Racing (1995)
Sony PlayStation 2
 Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 8: Virtua Racing FlatOut (2004)
Nintendo Switch
 Sega Ages Virtua Racing (2019)
Virtua Racing related media
Music
 Virtua Racing & OutRunners (1993) | Yu Suzuki Produce G-LOC/R360/Virtua Racing (1998)
Book
 Virtua Racing Hisshou Kouryaku Hou (1994) | Virtua Racing: Official Racing Guide (1994)
Film
 Virtua Racing: Virtua Video (?)
  1. ↑ http://www.mamedb.com/game/vr
  2. ↑ http://mamedb.com/game/vformula
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.solvalou.com/subpage/arcade_reviews/206/567/virtua_racing_/_virtua_formula_review.html
  4. ↑ http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014723/Yu-Suzuki-s-Gameworks-A
  5. ↑ [Electronic Gaming Monthly, Video Game Preview Guide, 1993 Electronic Gaming Monthly, Video Game Preview Guide, 1993]
  6. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/Electronic-Games-1993-06/Electronic%20Games%201993-06#page/n13/mode/2up
  7. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/Electronic-Games-1993-07/Electronic%20Games%201993-07#page/n13/mode/2up
  8. ↑ [Electronic Gaming Monthly, issue 40, November 1992, p. 54 Electronic Gaming Monthly, issue 40, November 1992, p. 54]
  9. ↑ [ProReview: Virtua Racing, GamePro, issue 59, June 1994, p. 36-38 ProReview: Virtua Racing, GamePro, issue 59, June 1994, p. 36-38]
  10. ↑ [Review Crew: Virtua Racing, Electronic Gaming Monthly, issue 59, June 1994, p. 33 Review Crew: Virtua Racing, Electronic Gaming Monthly, issue 59, June 1994, p. 33]
  11. ↑ [読者 クロスレビュー: V.R.(バーチャレーシング), Weekly Famicom Tsūshin, No.299, 9 September 1994, p. 38 読者 クロスレビュー: V.R.(バーチャレーシング), Weekly Famicom Tsūshin, No.299, 9 September 1994, p. 38]
  12. ↑ https://www.flickr.com/photos/45478630@N07/4237835121/
  13. ↑ [Gamest, The Best Game 2: Gamest Mook Vol. 112, p. 6-26 Gamest, The Best Game 2: Gamest Mook Vol. 112, p. 6-26]
  14. ↑ [Mega, issue 26, November 1994, p. 74 Mega, issue 26, November 1994, p. 74]
  15. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/nextgen-issue-021/Next_Generation_Issue_021_September_1996#page/n39/mode/2up
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 File:MeanMachinesSega19UK.pdf, page 49 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega19UK.pdf_p49" defined multiple times with different content
  17. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 259
  18. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "April 1994" (JP; 1994-03-08), page 19
  19. ↑ Consoles +, "Juin 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 159
  20. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-15), page 50
  21. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-06-15), page 107
  22. ↑ Edge, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-03-31), page 82
  23. ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "August 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 84
  24. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "June 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 33
  25. ↑ Famitsu, "1994-03-25" (JP; 1994-03-11), page 1
  26. ↑ FLUX, "Issue #1" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 78
  27. ↑ GameFan, "Volume 2, Issue 7: June 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 26
  28. ↑ Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 4 April 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 36
  29. ↑ GamePro, "June 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 38
  30. ↑ Gamers, "März/April 1994" (DE; 1994-03-04), page 36
  31. ↑ Games World: The Magazine, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-05-26), page 17
  32. ↑ Hippon Super, "April 1994" (JP; 1994-03-03), page 61
  33. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Junio 1994" (ES; 1994-xx-xx), page 60
  34. ↑ Hyper, "March 1994" (AU; 1994-xx-xx), page 22
  35. ↑ Joker, "September 1994" (SI; 1994-xx-xx), page 29
  36. ↑ Joypad, "Avril 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 126
  37. ↑ Joypad, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 60
  38. ↑ MAN!AC, "05/94" (DE; 1994-04-13), page 36
  39. ↑ Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 22
  40. ↑ Mega Force, "Avril 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 8
  41. ↑ Mega Force, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 96
  42. ↑ Mega Fun, "04/94" (DE; 1994-03-23), page 44
  43. ↑ Mega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 42
  44. ↑ MegaTech, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 4
  45. ↑ Magazina Igrushek, "5/1995" (RU; 1995-xx-xx), page 78
  46. ↑ Player One, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 51
  47. ↑ Play Time, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-06), page 142
  48. ↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, May 21, 1994" (UK; 1994-05-21), page 1
  49. ↑ Power Unlimited, "Jaargang 2, Nummer 5, Mei 1994" (NL; 1994-04-27), page 28
  50. ↑ Score, "Říjen 1994" (CZ; 1994-10-01), page 53
  51. ↑ Sega Magazine, "August 1994" (UK; 1994-07-15), page 97
  52. ↑ Sega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-03-31), page 28
  53. ↑ Sega Pro, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 44
  54. ↑ Sega Zone, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-xx), page 54
  55. ↑ Sega Force, "3/94" (SE; 1994-03-29), page 18
  56. ↑ SuperGamePower, "Maio 1994" (BR; 1994-0x-xx), page 34
  57. ↑ The Official Sonic the Hedgehog Yearbook (1994), "" (UK; 1994-xx-xx), page 35
  58. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  59. ↑ Supergames, "Ano I, Numero I" (AR; 1994-xx-xx), page 6
  60. ↑ Todo Sega, "Junio 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 32
  61. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 219
  62. ↑ Video Games, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-27), page 91
  63. ↑ VideoGames, "August 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 86
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