:OutRun Online Arcade
{{Short description|2009 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = OutRun Online Arcade
|developer = Sumo Digital
|publisher = Sega
|released = Xbox 360
April 15, 2009{{cite web|author=Edward|date=April 9, 2009|title=OutRun Online Arcade Dated|url=http://blogs.sega.com/2009/04/09/exclusive-outrun-wallpaper-available/|website=Sega|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111001904/http://blogs.sega.com/2009/04/09/exclusive-outrun-wallpaper-available/|archive-date=January 11, 2017|access-date=May 22, 2023}}
PlayStation 3
{{vgrelease|EU|April 16, 2009}}
|genre = Racing game
|modes = Single-player, online multiplayer
|series = Out Run
|platforms = Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade),
PlayStation 3 (PlayStation Network)
}}
OutRun Online Arcade is a racing video game and the most recent release in the OutRun series. It was developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. The game was released on April 15, 2009 on Xbox Live Arcade and released exclusively in Europe for the PlayStation 3 a day later via the PlayStation Network. Gameplay involves players racing their choice of Ferrari through a selection of fifteen stages in the shortest time possible.
The game was fairly well received by critics. Reviewers generally felt that the game was a faithful adaptation of the OutRun 2 series of games. The upgraded high definition graphics were also lauded. Critics felt that the game was worth the price, but some felt that the amount of available content was lacking considering the cars and stages available in the series' other titles. OutRun Online was taken down from PlayStation Network in October 2010 and was removed from Xbox Live Arcade in December 2011 due to the expiration of their contract with Ferrari.{{cite web|last=Walker|first=Richard|date=October 13, 2010|title=OutRun Online Arcade To Be Removed From XBLA Next Year|url=https://www.xboxachievements.com/news/news-6597-OutRun-Online-Arcade-To-Be-Removed-From-XBLA-Next-Year.html|website=Xbox Achievements|access-date=October 4, 2014|archive-date=January 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110235818/http://www.xboxachievements.com/news/news-6597-OutRun-Online-Arcade-To-Be-Removed-From-XBLA-Next-Year.html|url-status=live}}
Gameplay
In OutRun Online Arcade, the player navigates a car from a rear third-person perspective to race through a selection of fifteen stages. At the end of each stage, the player is presented with a fork in the road that allows the player to choose one of two stages. The left route presents an easier stage, while the right provides a greater challenge.{{cite web|last=Goldstein|first=Hilary|date=April 15, 2009|title=OutRun Online Arcade Review (Xbox 360)|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/04/15/outrun-online-arcade-review|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|access-date=May 22, 2023|archive-date=May 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522183702/https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/04/15/outrun-online-arcade-review|url-status=live}} The game times the player's performance, and passing through checkpoints award the player with extra time. Once the timer reaches zero or the player completes the race, the game ends.
File:Outrunonlinearcade gameplay.png gameplay found throughout the OutRun series.]]
OutRun Online Arcade features four modes of play: OutRun, Time Attack, Continuous Race, and Heart Attack. In OutRun mode, the player drives through five of fifteen stages, selecting them en route. The Continuous mode is similar to OutRun mode, but instead the player must drive through all fifteen stages. As in previous games in the series, there is a time limit that is extended upon passing checkpoints.{{cite web|last=Orry|first=Tom|date=April 16, 2009|title=OutRun Online Arcade Review [date mislabeled as "June 6, 2021"]|url=https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/outrun-online-arcade-review/|website=VideoGamer.com|publisher=Resero Network|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406115435/http://www.videogamer.com/ps3/outrun_online_arcade/review.html|archive-date=April 6, 2012|url-status=live|access-date=May 22, 2023}} Time Attack mode has the player race a ghost car over a pre-selected set of stages while timed. Time checks are presented to the player at various points on each stage.
Heart Attack mode is an expansion on OutRun mode. In addition to attempting to complete certain stages, a passenger riding in the player's vehicle will frequently request certain stunts and actions. These requests can include passing cars, drifting around bends, driving through marked lanes, knocking over cones, and avoiding crashes into objects for as long as possible. If successful, the player receives hearts from the passenger. Crashing into the scenery results in the player losing hearts. At the end of each section and stage, the player is graded based on the number of hearts received. Should the player reach a goal with a satisfying grade, a romantic ending is displayed.
Players can also compete in multiplayer races with up to six players. The hosting player can adjust options for the race, including the ability to toggle vehicle collisions, give a speed boost to allow slower players to catch up, and set the vehicle performance to normal or tuned. Online leaderboards are also present in the game, divided by game mode, vehicle performance setting, and driving stage.
Development
Partially based on OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast, the game contains the fifteen courses from OutRun 2 SP and ten officially licensed Ferraris.{{cite web|last=Enk|first=Brian|date=June 12, 2010|title=Top 50 Famous Cars (Ferrari Testarossa from Out Run [sic])|url=http://www.ugo.com/movies/top-famous-cars-top-50-famous-cars-out-run|website=UGO Networks|publisher=IGN Entertainment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616104345/http://www.ugo.com/movies/top-famous-cars-top-50-famous-cars-out-run|archive-date=June 16, 2012|access-date=September 22, 2010}}{{cite web|title=OutRun Online Arcade|url=http://www.sumo-digital.com/games/view/?game=601|website=Sumo Digital|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201041943/http://www.sumo-digital.com/games/view/?game=601|archive-date=December 1, 2012|access-date=September 22, 2010}} OutRun Online Arcade also supports online head-to-head play for six players, as well as high definition graphics.{{cite web|last=Fahey|first=Mike|date=March 17, 2009|title=OutRun Online Arcade Gallery Races By|url=https://kotaku.com/outrun-online-arcade-gallery-races-by-5171956|website=Kotaku|publisher=G/O Media|access-date=May 22, 2023|archive-date=May 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522183701/https://kotaku.com/outrun-online-arcade-gallery-races-by-5171956|url-status=live}} To promote the game, Sega Europe held a contest in which the winner of a race would receive a trip to Maranello, Italy, where Ferraris are manufactured.{{cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Richard|date=April 9, 2009|title=Sega: Outrun Online Arcade [sic] next week, contest announced|url=https://www.engadget.com/2009-04-09-sega-outrun-online-arcade-next-week-contest-announced.html|website=Engadget (Joystiq)|publisher=Yahoo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411034427/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/09/sega-outrun-online-arcade-next-week-contest-announced/|archive-date=April 11, 2009|url-status=live|access-date=May 22, 2023}} The game was released for the Xbox 360 on April 15, 2009, and was part of Microsoft's Days Of Arcade promotion.{{cite web|last=Klepek|first=Patrick|date=March 5, 2009|title=Six-Week "Days of Arcade" Promo Starting On Xbox Live Soon|url=http://www.1up.com/news/six-week-days-arcade-promo-starting|website=1Up.com|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713194924/http://www.1up.com/news/six-week-days-arcade-promo-starting|archive-date=July 13, 2012|access-date=September 22, 2011}} The PlayStation 3 release followed one day later, exclusive to the European region.{{cite web|last=Plunkett|first=Luke|date=January 20, 2009|title=Outrun Online Arcade A 360 Exclusive (Only In America)|url=https://kotaku.com/outrun-online-arcade-a-360-exclusive-only-in-america-5135823|website=Kotaku|publisher=G/O Media|access-date=May 22, 2023|archive-date=May 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522183704/https://kotaku.com/outrun-online-arcade-a-360-exclusive-only-in-america-5135823|url-status=live}}
The release was prior to Microsoft's raising of the maximum size of Xbox Live Arcade titles to 2 gigabytes, which would happen later that fall.{{cite web|last=Brudvig|first=Erik|date=September 24, 2009|title=TGS 09: 2GB is the Limit for XBLA|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/24/tgs-09-2gb-is-the-limit-for-xbla|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|access-date=May 22, 2023|archive-date=June 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604212350/https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/24/tgs-09-2gb-is-the-limit-for-xbla|url-status=live}} Because of this, developer Sumo Digital had only 350 megabytes in which to fit the game. In order to fit the game into the size restrictions, several elements of OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast were removed from the game, including the fifteen original OutRun 2 stages, several cars, and the player's choice of a passenger.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} Reviewers speculated that the developer would release additional content, bringing some of the lost content back as downloadable content,{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} but to date no downloadable content has been released. The game was removed from the PlayStation Network in October 2010, with the Xbox Live Arcade version being scheduled for removal in December 2011.{{cite web|last=Silwinski|first=Alexander|date=October 12, 2010|title=OutRun Online Arcade removed from PSN; XBLA version coming down Dec. 2011|url=https://www.engadget.com/2010-10-12-outrun-online-arcade-removed-from-psn-xbla-version-coming-down.html|website=Engadget (Joystiq)|publisher=Yahoo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015074302/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/outrun-online-arcade-removed-from-psn-xbla-version-coming-down/|archive-date=October 15, 2010|url-status=live|access-date=May 22, 2023}} Sega explained that the removal of the title was due to the expiration of the contract with Ferrari.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| PS3 = true
| X360 = true
| na = true
| MC_PS3 = 78/100{{cite web|title=OutRun Online Arcade (PS3)|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/outrunonlinearcade|website=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223210550/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/outrunonlinearcade|archive-date=February 23, 2010|access-date=May 22, 2023}}
| MC_X360 = 79/100{{cite web|title=OutRun Online Arcade for Xbox 360 Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/outrun-online-arcade/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|access-date=September 21, 2010|archive-date=September 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928052611/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/outrun-online-arcade|url-status=live}}
| Edge_PS3 = 8/10{{cite magazine|author=Edge staff|date=April 21, 2009|title=Review: OutRun Online Arcade|url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/review-outrun-online-arcade|magazine=Edge|publisher=Future plc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090424081133/http://www.edge-online.com/features/review-outrun-online-arcade|archive-date=April 24, 2009|access-date=May 22, 2023}}
| EuroG_PS3 = 8/10{{cite web|last=Welsh|first=Oli|date=April 15, 2009|title=OutRun Online Arcade|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/outrun-online-arcade-review|website=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025222700/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/outrun-online-arcade-review|archive-date=October 25, 2012|url-status=live|access-date=May 22, 2023}}
| GamePro_X360 = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Terrones|first=Terry|date=April 22, 2009|title=XBLA Review: OutRun Online Arcade|url=http://gparcade.blogfaction.com/article/107781/xbla-review-outrun-online-arcade/|magazine=GamePro Arcade|publisher=IDG Entertainment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502140827/http://gparcade.blogfaction.com/article/107781/xbla-review-outrun-online-arcade/|archive-date=May 2, 2009|access-date=May 22, 2023}}
| GameRev_PS3 = B{{cite web|last=Reboucas|first=Eduardo|date=April 23, 2009|title=OutRun Online Arcade Review|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/43436-outrun-online-arcade-review|website=GameRevolution|publisher=CraveOnline|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921204236/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/outrun-online-arcade|archive-date=September 21, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=May 22, 2023}}
| GSpot_X360 = 7.5/10{{cite web|last=Calvert|first=Justin|date=April 17, 2009|title=OutRun Online Arcade Review (X360)|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/outrun-online-arcade-review/1900-6208172/|website=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom|access-date=May 22, 2023|archive-date=May 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522183704/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/outrun-online-arcade-review/1900-6208172/|url-status=live}}
| OPMUK_PS3 = 7/10{{cite magazine|title=OutRun Online Arcade|magazine=PlayStation Official Magazine – UK|publisher=Future plc|date=April 2009|page=105}}
| OXM_X360 = 5.5/10{{cite magazine|title=OutRun Online Arcade|magazine=Official Xbox Magazine|publisher=Future US|date=May 2009|page=80}}
| Retro_PS3 = 95%{{cite magazine|last=Jones|first=Darren|title=OutRun Online Arcade (PS3)|magazine=Retro Gamer|publisher=Imagine Publishing|issue=64|date=May 21, 2009}}
| rev1 = Teletext GameCentral
| rev1_X360 = 8/10{{cite web|last=Jenkins|first=David|date=April 2009|title=OutRun Online Arcade (360)|url=http://www.teletext.co.uk/gamecentral/features-reviews/6f82e1e9213f3247834778927623a85e/OutRun%2BOnline%2BArcade%2B%28360%29.aspx|website=Teletext GameCentral|publisher=Teletext Ltd.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090420185910/http://www.teletext.co.uk/gamecentral/features-reviews/6f82e1e9213f3247834778927623a85e/OutRun+Online+Arcade+(360).aspx|archive-date=April 20, 2009|access-date=May 22, 2023}}
}}
At the time of its release, OutRun Online Arcade received "generally favorable reviews" on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.
Reviewers' overall impressions of the game were positive. GamePro noted the game's high replay value and reasonable price. IGN favorably compared the game to the original 1986 Out Run, adding that it was a great option if "you're looking to waste a few hours drifting". Reviewers were mostly in accord in praising OutRun Online Arcade{{'}}s arcade-style gameplay. They generally appreciated the HD resolutions and the other graphical improvements made to the OutRun 2 engine. GameRevolution called the game and its European PS3 import "one of the better-looking 3D games on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network", citing graphical improvements to the cars in addition to the new lens flare and light bloom features.
Some reviewers complained of faulty multiplayer components. VideoGamer.com felt the online portion was lacking considering the inclusion of the word online in the game's title. 1Up.com noted that though the game was worth the price, they would have preferred to pay a higher price to have additional content and a more stable online experience. GameRevolution also expressed disappointment in the fact that game modes and cars from OutRun 2 and OutRun 2006 were excluded from the game.
The game was first in sales on Xbox Live Arcade for the two weeks following its release, dropping to seventh during the third week.{{cite web|last=Langley|first=Ryan|date=May 12, 2009|title=Analysis: April 2009's Xbox Live Arcade Hits, Misses|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/analysis-april-2009-s-xbox-live-arcade-hits-misses|website=Game Developer|publisher=Informa|access-date=May 22, 2023|archive-date=May 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522183702/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/analysis-april-2009-s-xbox-live-arcade-hits-misses|url-status=live}}
{{clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/45915/outrun-online-arcade/}}
{{Portal|Video games}}
{{Good article}}
{{Out Run series}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Outrun Online Arcade}}
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Multiplayer online games
Category:PlayStation Network games