Virtua Racing or
V.R. for short, is a
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
racing
arcade gameAn arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, typically installed in businesses such as restaurants, public houses, video arcades, and Family Entertainment Centers...
, developed by
Sega-AM2Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development Department 2 is a research and development team for the video game company Sega. Originally known as "Sega Amusement Developing Section 8", AM2 was previously headed up by famed designer Yu Suzuki...
and released in October 1992. Virtua Racing was initially a proof-of-concept application for exercising a new 3D-graphics platform under development, the "Model 1". The results were so encouraging, that Virtua Racing was fully developed into a standalone arcade title. Although Atari's
Hard Drivin'Hard Drivin' is an arcade game that invites players to test drive a high-powered sports car on stunt and speed courses. The game featured the first 3D polygon driving environment via a simulator cabinet, rendered with a custom architecture...
had introduced polygonal characters and environments to the
racingA racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first- or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
genre 4 years earlier, VR had vastly improved visuals in terms of polygon count, frame rate, and overall scene complexity, which all contributed to a greater sense of immersion.
The original arcade game has three levels, designated into difficulties.
Virtua Racing or
V.R. for short, is a
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
racing
arcade gameAn arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, typically installed in businesses such as restaurants, public houses, video arcades, and Family Entertainment Centers...
, developed by
Sega-AM2Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development Department 2 is a research and development team for the video game company Sega. Originally known as "Sega Amusement Developing Section 8", AM2 was previously headed up by famed designer Yu Suzuki...
and released in October 1992. Virtua Racing was initially a proof-of-concept application for exercising a new 3D-graphics platform under development, the "Model 1". The results were so encouraging, that Virtua Racing was fully developed into a standalone arcade title. Although Atari's
Hard Drivin'Hard Drivin' is an arcade game that invites players to test drive a high-powered sports car on stunt and speed courses. The game featured the first 3D polygon driving environment via a simulator cabinet, rendered with a custom architecture...
had introduced polygonal characters and environments to the
racingA racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first- or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
genre 4 years earlier, VR had vastly improved visuals in terms of polygon count, frame rate, and overall scene complexity, which all contributed to a greater sense of immersion.
The original arcade game has three levels, designated into difficulties. Beginner is "Big Forest", intermediate is "Bay Bridge" and expert is "Acropolis". Each level has its own special feature, for example the amusement park in "Big Forest", or the "Bay Bridge" itself, or the tight hairpin of "Acropolis".
VR introduced the "V.R. View System" by allowing the player to choose one of four views to play the game. This feature was then used in most other Sega arcade racing games (and is mentioned as a feature in the attract mode of games such as
Daytona USADaytona USA is a racing arcade game by Sega. Daytona USA was Sega's first title to debut on the Sega Model 2 arcade board, and at the time of its 1993 introduction, was considered the most visually detailed 3D arcade racing game...
). It was later ported to home consoles, starting with the
Mega Drive/GenesisThe is a fourth-generation video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988 and Europe in 1990. The console was released in North America in 1989 under the name Genesis, as Sega was unable to secure legal rights to the Mega Drive name in that region...
in 1994.
Arcade cabinet versions
V.R. was released in a "twin" cabinet – the standard and most common version, which is effectively 2 complete machines built into a single cabinet. The Twin cabinets for the USA were manufactured by contract at Grand Products, Inc. in Illinois for Sega and were built using Wells-Gardner 25" monitors, nearly all of which had
ZenithIn general terms, the zenith is the direction pointing directly "above" a particular location; that is, it is one of two vertical directions at the location, orthogonal to a horizontal flat surface there...
picture tubes with a manufacturing defect that caused them to fail after a few years of use. As a result of this, many V.R. machines were parted or thrown out and are an uncommon sight today. The Twin cabinet that was sold in the rest of the world was built by Sega in Japan and used 29" Nanao monitors.
Also available was an upright (UR), which was a single-player cabinet using the same force-feedback steering as the twin.
There was also a Deluxe version, known as the V.R. DX cabinet type, which is also a single-player machine and has a 16:9 aspect-ratio monitor (the first use of a widescreen aspect ratio monitor in an arcade game), and 6 airbags (3 on each side) built into the seat that will inflate and "nudge" the player when cornering, and one more airbag on the player's back that inflates under braking. The seat is also adjustable via "forward" and "back" buttons using air pressure. V.R. DX's force-feedback steering also uses two pneumatic cylinders to rotate the steering wheel, which differ from the electric motor-and-clutch system that the upright and twin versions use (which have no inbuilt air system), so the steering feel is quite different.
Virtua Formula was released in 1993. It was unveiled at the opening of Sega's second arcade amusement park
JoypolisJoypolis is an amusement park that was first opened on July 20, 1994 in Yokohama, Japan. Joypolis centres have since opened in several cities in Japan with the parks featuring arcade games and amusement rides based on Sega intellectual properties. As of 2008, only the parks in Odaiba, Tokyo; Umeda,...
, where a whole room with 32 machines was dedicated to the game.
Virtua Formula was effectively a "super DX" version of V.R. and the player sat in a full-motion hydraulically-actuated Formula One car 'replica' in front of a 50" screen. Most of these units were converted into Sega's second-generation Indy car simulator,
Indy 500Indy 500 is a 1995 arcade racing game by SEGA Japan. It follows the format of previous driving games such as Daytona USA. It includes the famous Indianapolis 500...
, and are commonly found at larger
Sega GameworksGameWorks is a chain of entertainment venues featuring video games, simulators, prizes, and a full service bar and restaurant. There are 15 GameWorks venues throughout the U.S. The first GameWorks opened in Downtown Seattle in March, 1997....
locations in the USA.
All versions of Virtua Racing are linkable up to 8-players; meaning 4 twin units or 8 DX, UR, or Virtua Formula cabinets can be linked together using fiber-optic cables. In addition this, there was an optional display known as the
Live Monitor that would sit on top of the twin cabinets and replay action shots of what was occurring on the live players in a "virtual sportscast" by a virtual commentator, "Virt McPolygon".
Home console versions
Due to the complexity of the Model 1 board, a home console version seemed unlikely, until 1994 when a cartridge design incorporating the
Sega Virtua ProcessorThe Sega Virtua Processor is a DSP introduced by Sega in 1994 to expand the Sega Mega Drive's 3D capabilities.The SVP was Sega's answer to Nintendo's Super FX processor used in some of their SNES cartridges....
on an extra chip was created to enable a version on the Sega Genesis/Sega Mega Drive. It was more expensive than other games, initially retailing at 100 USD. Despite being severely scaled down, it was still technically impressive, and was very well received by reviewers. It was the only game to ever use the SVP.
"...the speed, graphic intensity and addictive gameplay that made the arcade game a major hit are all included in this awe inspiring release." (Diehard GameFanGameFan Magazine was a publication started by Tim Lindquist and Dave Halverson in September 1992 that provided coverage of domestic and import video games. It was notable for its extensive use of game screenshots in page design because of the lack of good screen shots in other US publications at...
magazine, June 1994 issue)
The game was incompatible with Majesco's re-released Genesis 3 from 1998, and would not work on any Genesis equipped with a
Sega 32XThe Sega 32X , codenamed Project Mars, is an add-on for the Sega Mega Drive video game console by Sega.In Japan, it was distributed under the name Sega Super 32X. In North America, its name was the Sega Genesis 32X...
.
The
Sega 32XThe Sega 32X , codenamed Project Mars, is an add-on for the Sega Mega Drive video game console by Sega.In Japan, it was distributed under the name Sega Super 32X. In North America, its name was the Sega Genesis 32X...
version also known as
Virtua Racing Deluxe was released in 1994 developed by
Sega-AM2Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development Department 2 is a research and development team for the video game company Sega. Originally known as "Sega Amusement Developing Section 8", AM2 was previously headed up by famed designer Yu Suzuki...
and published by
Segais a multinational video game software and hardware development company, and a home computer and console manufacturer headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan...
under the Sega Sports label. It performed much closer to the original arcade, included two extra cars ("Stock" and "Prototype") and two new tracks ("Highland" and "Sand Park"). Due to the poor sales of the 32X, the game was not as popular as its Sega Genesis predecessor.
The
Sega SaturnThe is a 32-bit video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America, and July 8 1995 in Europe...
version previously known by the working title
Virtua Racing Saturn, was released in 1995 developed and published by Time Warner Interactive. The
Sega SaturnThe is a 32-bit video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America, and July 8 1995 in Europe...
release have the game soundtrack as standard
Red Book audioRed Book is the standard for audio CDs . It is named after one of a set of color-bound books that contain the technical specifications for all CD and CD-ROM formats....
which can be listened to in any CD player. The
Sega SaturnThe is a 32-bit video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America, and July 8 1995 in Europe...
Version also includes ten new courses and 4 new cars. Unlike other versions this version features the Grand Prix where you drive a series of cars and the series of tracks to earn points.
An improved remake was released for the Sony Playstation 2 under the
Sega Ages 2500Sega Ages refers to a number of compilations or re-releases of classic video games from developer and publisher Sega.-Saturn version:Sega-AM2 released several Sega Ages games for the Sega Saturn in Japan, including Out Run, Space Harrier, Galaxy Force II, After Burner II, Fantasy Zone, and Power...
label known as Virtua Racing: Flatout. It was released in
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 2004 and it was released in
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
and
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
in 2005 as part of the
Sega Classics CollectionSega Classics Collection is a PlayStation 2, compilation that contains new 3D versions of classic Sega titles. The original games were released separately as part of the Sega Ages games in Japan. This game is not to be confused with the similarly titled Sega Genesis Collection, which contains 28...
. It's a arcade-perfect conversion including new content such as three new courses and four new cars.
Timeline of releases
- 1992: Original Arcade release
- 1993: Virtua Formula (Multiplayer) Arcade release
- 1994: Sega Genesis/Sega Mega Drive
The is a fourth-generation video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988 and Europe in 1990. The console was released in North America in 1989 under the name Genesis, as Sega was unable to secure legal rights to the Mega Drive name in that region...
release
- 1994: 32X
The Sega 32X , codenamed Project Mars, is an add-on for the Sega Mega Drive video game console by Sega.In Japan, it was distributed under the name Sega Super 32X. In North America, its name was the Sega Genesis 32X...
release
- 1996: Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America, and July 8 1995 in Europe...
release (by Time Warner Interactive)
- 2003: Sega AGES
Sega Ages refers to a number of compilations or re-releases of classic video games from developer and publisher Sega.-Saturn version:Sega-AM2 released several Sega Ages games for the Sega Saturn in Japan, including Out Run, Space Harrier, Galaxy Force II, After Burner II, Fantasy Zone, and Power...
Remake for PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony. The PS2 console is the sequel to the original PlayStation console. The successor to the PlayStation, and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation 2 forms part of the PlayStation series of video game...
released in Japan
- 2005: Sega AGES
Sega Ages refers to a number of compilations or re-releases of classic video games from developer and publisher Sega.-Saturn version:Sega-AM2 released several Sega Ages games for the Sega Saturn in Japan, including Out Run, Space Harrier, Galaxy Force II, After Burner II, Fantasy Zone, and Power...
Remake for PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony. The PS2 console is the sequel to the original PlayStation console. The successor to the PlayStation, and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation 2 forms part of the PlayStation series of video game...
released in USA and Europe as part of the Sega Classics Collection
Trivia
- The Virtua Formula car appears as a playable car in the Sega Genesis conversion of OutRunners
OutRunners is a racing video game developed by AM1 and released by Sega in 1992. It constitutes the third release in the arcade Out Run series and was ported to the Mega Drive by Data East in 1994.-Description:...
by doing a cheat code. The cars has automatic and manual transmission, but it has a six speed manual transmission when in Virtua Racing the car has seven speed. The characters driving the car represent blocky characters to represent to style in Virtua Racing. When you first drive the Virtua Formula in a race, it plays the first track when you start in the beginner track, then it hits dead slient afterwards unless you changed the music. This code was removed in later copies of the game.
External links