Press release: 1998-05-28: SEGA ENTERTAINMENT SOUPS-UP SEGA RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2 FOR PC

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega PC website

ATLANTA -- (May 28, 1998) E3 Booth #5346 --

Get your motor runnin' and head out on realistic off-road courses at screeching speeds with "Sega Rally Championship 2`," a fierce PC racing thrill ride from Sega" Entertainment, Inc. (SEI). "Sega Rally Championship 2" features a "revved-up" 3D game engine with new weather effects, multi-player capabilities for up to eight people and an all-new PC-specific game mode. "Sega Rally Championship 2" is available for a test drive today at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. The game will ship in Fall of this year.

Unlike other racing games, "Sega Rally Championship 2" features random weather effects which change with the seasons and affect gamers' driving abilities. For example, the rain produces puddles on the tracks that continue to get bigger as the storm persists. These conditions affect drivers' speed and maneuverability, and can even make them fishtail around the track. Intense snow can build up on the road and players can skid on the ice. Even the glare from the bright sun can lead the best driver into problems. As an added bonus, "Sega Rally Championship 2" supports force feedback, allowing players to feel all of these physical movements and effects in the game through a force feedback joystick or steering wheel.

Gamers not afraid to tough out the rigors of the seasons for 10 years can try out the 10-Year Championship Mode. The length of time the mode takes depends on the gamer's skill to complete a run of the Championship mode 10 times. Those good enough to make it to the finals are rewarded with a hidden surprise -- another Rally car.

Players can race on more than seven off-road tracks including desert, mountain and snowy track. The desert course allows gamers to race off-road through dirt and large mounds of sand, but watch out -- players have been known to roll their cars on this course. The mountain course, although a beautiful with Redwood trees and distant views of mountain tops, takes drivers to the limit. Gamers must do their best to make it through sudden jumps, hair-pin turns and puddles.

"SEI saw the opportunity to take their renowned arcade racer to another level, adding a few simulation properties such as changing weather, road conditions and car handling to give gamers an added boost of realistic racing to the arcade action," said Scott Hawkins, producer, SEI. "Building on the success of `Sega Rally Championship,' we've dedicated our time to adding more details and new features that will put your PC into overdrive."

Gamers can choose from a number of different off-road racing cars, including versions of the Corolla, Stratos, Impreza and two hidden cars -- the Celica and Delta. Each car has different driving and control options ranging from automatic or manual transmission, to five gear ratio levels starting at acceleration and going up to high speed. From there, players can fine-tune car settings by adjusting the levels of handling from quick to loose and the front and rear suspension from hard to soft. Brake settings can be altered as well.

Players can jump, slide and fishtail through the game with five intense racing modes to choose from, including 10-Year Championship, Time Attack, Arcade, VS Mode and Link Mode. Unique to the PC version, the Link Mode allows gamers to engage in head-to-head racing with eight-player network play via LAN, modem and serial link.

Sega Entertainment, Inc. was founded in April of 1996, and delivers original and customized Sega content in leading genres of the PC gaming market. Leveraging Sega's arcade leadership and library of game content, the company is committed to redefining the PC gaming experience with titles featuring high frame rates, 3D characters and environments, high polygon counts, detailed texture mapping, multiplayer online gaming and emotion-triggered gameplay that is unmatched by competing PC games. Sega Entertainment, Inc. was formed through a joint venture between Sega of America and SOFTBANK Holdings, Inc.