Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit

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NTSC-U/PAL NTSC-J
Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit
System(s): Sega Mega-CD
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd. (JP), Sega of America (US), Sega Europe (EU)
Developer: Sega CS3, Fuji Television
Brand: Sega Sports (US, EU, UK, PT)
Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT), Tec Toy (BR)
Licensor: Formula One Constructors' Association, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
Peripherals supported: CD BackUp RAM Cart
Genre: Racing
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1994-04-23 ¥7,8007,800 G-6034 US 1994-08 $59.9559.95 4608 EU 1994-09 4608-50 PT 1994 CDJ4608 UK 1994-09 4608-50 AU 1994 FFOR01SMR BR 199x

Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit, known as Formula One World Championship 1993 Heavenly Symphony (フォーミュラーワン ワールド チャンピオンシップ 1993 ヘブンリー シンフォニー) in Japan, is a Formula One racing game for the Sega Mega-CD. It was produced by Sega in co-operation with Fuji Television and is licensed by FOCA.

Though it shares many similarities with Sega's prior Formula One racing games, specifically Super Monaco GP and Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II, it is thought to be produced by an entirely different team within Sega, so is not considered a sequel. Ironically Ayrton Senna is omitted from this game's lineup for licensing reasons, and is therefore the only missing driver from the 1993 Formula One season (although his name and car number can be defined by the player).

Gameplay

The game takes place in a first person view from the cockpit, like many racing games on the early era consoles, but instead of using pre-defined road pieces or background deformation, this game makes use of the Sega Mega-CD's extra hardware and uses scaling and rotation of an image, similar to the Super Nintendo's Mode 7. This effect is also used in Sonic CD's Special Stages and various other games.

All 16 tracks are available from the 1993 season, including the fictional Sega Park, given the location of Japan. The tracks themselves are accurate recreations of the real tracks, with appropriate elements from their real-life counter-part. For example, Donington Park, which was sponsored by SEGA, had various SEGA logos littered all over the place (with various billboards of Sonic the Hedgehog).

Modes

Like most racing games, this features a main Grand Prix mode, where you take the reins and take the 1993 season on. You will start off on the Sega Park test track, in a very generic car. From your performance, you will be able to select a team to drive for and make your contract. Based on how the player does during the season, they can either get new contract offers, or get fired from their current team. There are 4 save files to use for this mode, the player can do the season as various teams, or to be allowed for a friend's save.

There is also a 1993 Mode, allowing the player to take on challenges based off events in the 1993 season. For example, for the European Grand Prix, the player must take the role of Rubens Barrichello for 6 laps on Donington Park. The rain is at play and drivers are constantly pitting in with the changing weather. Rubens' tires are wearing out, and the player must pit, retain position, and don't let the Williams driver, Damon Hill, overtake Rubens. Upon selecting a scenario, a FMV will play showcasing a bit of the race's events, then transition into the gameplay. There are also another 4 saves for this mode.

Finally, there is a Free Run mode, where the player can drive on any track, with any amount of laps, any car of their choice, and the choice of weather.

Circuits

	Sega Park
	Sega Park is a fictional track designed as a test circuit.
	South African Grand Prix, Kyalami
	Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
	European Grand Prix, Donington
	San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
	Spanish Grand Prix, Catalunya
	Monaco Grand Prix, Monaco
	Canadian Grand Prix, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
	French Grand Prix, Magny-Cours
	British Grand Prix, Silverstone
	German Grand Prix, Hockenheimring
	Hungarian Grand Prix, Hungaroring
	Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps
	Italian Grand Prix, Monza
	Portuguese Grand Prix, Estoril
	Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka
	Australian Grand Prix, Adelaide

Teams/vehicles

In Grand Prix mode, the game does not initially let you race for some of the stronger teams of the season (Williams, Benetton and McLaren). Drivers will also change depending on where in the season the player is, reflecting real-life changes during 1993.

Driver numbers also mirror those of the 1993 season. There is no #1 because 1992 champion Nigel Mansell retired at the end of that season (replacement Damon Hill using #0), #13 is considered "unlucky", #18 wasn't used, and #16 and #17 were reserved for the March F1 team, which collapsed before the season began.

	Williams, FW15C
	Drivers: 0: Damon Hill 2: Alain Prost
	Tyrrell, 020C
	Drivers: 3: Ukyo Katayama 4: Andrea de Cesaris
	Benetton, B193B
	Drivers: 5: Michael Schumacher 6: Riccardo Patrese
	McLaren, MP4/8
	Drivers: 7: Michael Andretti 8: "PLAYER" Ayrton Senna, who drove for McLaren in the 1993 season, is not officially in the game, and is represented by a generic driver which the player can name. This is the only driver whose portrait just shows a man in a helmet, though there's nothing stopping you from entering "A. SENNA" for a more authentic experience.
	Footwork, FA14
	Drivers: 9: Derek Warwick 10: Aguri Suzuki
	Lotus, 107B
	Drivers: 11: Alessandro Zanardi 12: Johnny Herbert
	Jordan, 193
	Drivers: 14: Rubens Barrichello 15: Ivan Capelli
	Larrousse, LH93
	Drivers: 19: Philippe Alliot 20: Érik Comas
	Lola-BMS, T93/30
	Drivers: 21: Michele Alboreto 22: Luca Badoer
	Minardi, M193
	Drivers: 23: Christian Fittipaldi 24: Fabrizio Barbazza
	Ligier, JS39
	Drivers: 25: Martin Brundle 26: Mark Blundell
	Ferrari, F93A
	Drivers: 27: Jean Alesi 28: Gerhard Berger
	Sauber, C12
	Drivers: 29: Karl Wendlinger 30: JJ Lehto

History

Tobacco Sponsoring

This game controversially uses Tobacco Sponsoring. While it was standard practise for other racing games to avoid this, it would seem to be complete ignorance by the Japanese developers, despite being under supervision of FOCA and Fuji Television. Various sponsors, while visible in the cutscenes, are visible on cars and the track - Player's LTEE, for example, on the Canadian Grand Prix, and Camel on the Benneton.

Versions

Localised names

Also known as

Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English	Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit	Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit
English (US)	Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit	Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit
Japanese	ヘブンリー シンフォニー フォーミュラーワン ワールド チャンピオンシップ 1993	Heavenly Symphony: Formula One World Championship 1993

Localisation Changes

In addition to the name change, various other changes were made for the American and European release. These include;

• The game was made notably more easy for the localised release. The Japanese release, for example, is slower, and engine failure is a much higher possibility. Additionally, use of the boost for longer than one lap would cause an engine failure, in accordance to one of the texts in the game. Instead, it would take around 4 laps in the exported version.
• The heads-up-display was moved to the bottom of the screen in the localised release, whereas it was on the top in Japan.
• Various songs were given different usages between versions.
• In 1993 mode, the Japanese release had music playing while racing, which went unused in the exported game.
• A bonus menu could be accessed when the player won the Driver's Championship and the Constructors Championship, giving access to all the FMVs in the game. This was not in the Japanese version.

Production credits

Staff

• Producer: Ossy, Jitsunosuke Kawai (Fuji Television)
• Project Manager: Kunio Numabe (Fuji Television)
• Director: Yasuo Namitome (Fuji Television), Kyamura, Taka_Oh
• Program Director: Dehehe
• Art Director: K1
• Sound Director: Macky
• Game Designer: Taka_Oh, Mike, Iaka, Q-Taro
• Graphic designer: K1, Hirorih, Sanchan, Milcha, Tamamur∀, Geny
• Programmer: Dehehe, H.Suckmatt, Todo, Tek
• Test Course Design: Kazuhito Kawai

Sound Staff

• Producer: Yasuo Namitome (Fuji Television), Macky
• Composer: Yoshimasa Inoue, Mo, JunJun, So, Milpo, J.Shira, Watch, Lotty
• Arranger: Kanichiro Kubo, Yoshio Tsuru
• Sound Programmer: Macky, Jimmy
• Sound Effect: Macky, JunJun, Ker Akiyama

U. S. A. Staff

• Director: Atsushi "Sushi" Kosugi (Beat On Beat, Inc. N. Y.)
• Recording Engineer: Patrick Dillett, Michael Conrader
• Mix Engineer: Patrick Dillett
• Assistant Engineer: Justin Lucher, Hiro Ishihara
• Musicians: Larry Mitchell, Yossi Fine, Alex Alexander, Tommy Mandel, Dana Calitri, Gwen Guthrie, Andy Snitzer, Kurtis King, Anders Bostrom, Hiram Bullock, Willine Martinez, East 4th Hones (John Allmark, John Scarpulla, John Wheeler), Tsunekazu Aoki, Tetsuo Sakurai, Yoshihiro Tomonari, Takuo Uchida, Yukiyoshi Hujimoto, Yoshio Nomura, Masahiro Inaba, Hisanori Kumamaru, Funky Fujisawa, Jake H. Conception, Jun De Martini

Naration Staff

• Producer: Masashi Takamiya (J-Wave Music)
• Narator: Chris Peppler

• Supervisor: Tetsuo Hamaguchi (Fuji Television), Nobuhiro Kasai (Fuji Television), Masanari Funaki (Fuji Television), Hirofumi Matsuno (Fuji Television), Jyun Minegishi (Fuji Television)
• Special Thanks: Rascal Fuku-Chan, Tetsu, Shigeyuki, Tatsuyan (HIC), Ykki (HIC), Sam Ohashi, Takumi, Ann, Samaore, Tac Iwd, Wagamama Sam, Masu, Chepeat, Bossanova Oyz, T.S., Hirochan, Hiyo-Hiyo, Yutaka Kobari (Fuji Television), Kenji Hoshiya (Fuji Television), Noriyuki Sakai, Hideto Kurihara, Makoto Satou, Masahiro Saito, Takehiro Motoyoshi, Nahna, Yuki,Crystal,Takako (Beat On Beat, Inc. N. Y.)
• Senior Supervisor: Kazuhito Kawai

Formula One World Championship 1993 Heavenly Symphony

The End

• Presented by: フジテレビ, Sega

Source:

In-game credits (JP)

---

The following developers are known, but their pseudonyms are unknown.

• Graphic designers: Masato Nishimura

Source:

Developer mentions

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• Producer: Michael Meischeid
• Product Manager: Tim Dunley
• Assistant Producer: Gerald DeYoung
• Lead Tester: Steve Bourdet
• Assistant Lead: Sam Saliba
• Testers: Rey Alferez, John Amirkhan, Blair Bullock, Micke Callahan, Cary Camacho, Janine Cook, Marc Dawson, Alex Fairchild, Dave Forester, Tracy Johnson, Jeff Kessler, Mark Paniagua, Bill Person, Tim Spengler, Ben Szymkowiak, Maria Tuzzo, Fernando Valderrama, Gregg Watkins
• Product Specalist: Nemer Velasquez
• Special Thanks: Wayne Townsend, Steve Payne, Eric Smith, Lorene Goble, James Spahn

Source:

US manual

Magazine articles

Main article: Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1994-04: "April 1994" (1994-03-08)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1994-05: "May 1994" (1994-04-08)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 63 Computer & Video Games (UK) 63 Edge (UK) 40 Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U 25 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 65 Game Players (US) NTSC-U 77 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 68 GamesMaster (UK) 47 Games World: The Magazine (UK) PAL 81 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 60 Joypad (FR) NTSC-J 89 Joypad (FR) 89 MAN!AC (DE) PAL 88 Mega (UK) NTSC-J 37 Mega Force (FR) PAL 71 Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-J 84 Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U 86 Mega Power (UK) NTSC-J 92 Player One (FR) 80 Play Time (DE) 86 Sega Magazine (UK) PAL 78 Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J 51 Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J 90 Sega Megazone (AU) 55 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 84 Todo Sega (ES) 86 Video Games (DE) NTSC-U 81 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 70

	71
Based on 28 reviews

Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit

Mega-CD, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc Manual

Mega-CD, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, EU
Cover
Spinecard Disc Manual

Mega-CD, PT
Cover

Mega-CD, AU

Mega-CD, BR
Cover
Disc

Technical information

Main article: Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit/Technical information.

References

Officially licensed Formula One games for Sega systems
	F1 Super Lap (1993) | F1 World Grand Prix (1998)
	Nakajima Satoru Kanshuu F1 Super License (1992) | F1 (1993) | Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing (1993) | F1: World Championship Edition (1995)
	F1 (1993)
	F1 (1993) | F1: World Championship Edition (1995)
	F1 Circus CD (1994) | Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit (1994)
	F1 Challenge (1996)
	F1 World Grand Prix (1999) | F1 World Grand Prix II (2000) | F1 Racing Championship (2001)