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Classic Gaming- Gran Turismo: (1997)

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There were many memorable games that many people enjoyed from many different genres for the PlayStation 1.   But when it comes to the racing genre one of the most memorable games that would come to mind includes the original Gran Turismo.   In December 1997,  Grand Turismo was released in Japan for PlayStation while the game debuted in both Europe and North America around mid 1998.  This racing game had a lot to offer in terms of both gameplay and realism.  The original Gran Turismo had a wide selection of cars the players can choose from along with having to overcome many obstacles in order to make progress throughout the game.  An example would include the races where players are required to acquire specific licenses to compete in races that would allow them to earn money in order to upgrade their vehicles and earn trophies throughout the game.

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Along with having great gameplay Gran Turismo also had a decent soundtrack that would make the experience more exciting for players.  The gameplay of Gran Turismo was great for a variety of reasons including the addition of a multiplayer mode which contributed to the replay value of the game.  As many of us know there was so much time and detail placed into this game since its production dates back until 1992.  It would be interesting to wonder what Gran Turismo would have been like if it was released on a 16-bit console such as the Sega Genesis or the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.   If Gran Turismo had been released as a 2D racing game would it have been as much of a success?  At this point that question would be considered irrelevant by many critics & gamers due to the reception Gran Turismo had received as a 3D game.  This game was not only considered to be one of the best racing games made for the PlayStation 1 but it had also received high praise from many different publications.

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Gran Turismo had received five star ratings from AllGame, GamePro, and PlayStation Magazine for its innovative gameplay.  This game had  also received a perfect ten by Edge magazine and won an award for “Best Simulation” at the Spotlight awards in 1999.   On top of all these things Gran Turismo was one of the top selling games for the PlayStation 1 console and probably the best racing game in 1998.  Overall, Gran Turismo is an instant classic because not only was the game exclusive for the PS1 but it was also the beginning of an awesome racing series that many gamers still enjoy to this day.

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Classic Gaming- Daytona USA: (1993)

If you were a kid who grew up in the early 90’s then you may be familiar with this racing title.  Daytona USA was originally released in arcades during 1993 and since its inception it has been regarded as one of the most exciting racing games ever made.  Daytona USA similar to OutRun had which included both groundbreaking graphics and gameplay.  Daytona USA was also significant because unlike most arcade racing games it included player cabinets that could include up to eight players for each race.  Another positive aspect about this game includes the soundtrack that provides players with excitement for each race.  Many people who have played this racing classic would probably agree that soundtrack was decent especially the song entitled “Let’s Go Away” which was composed by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi.  The arcade version of Daytona USA did a great job on capturing the aesthetic features of racing while making the game as realistic as possible.

While the racing experience for Daytona USA was outstanding for the arcade the game was also just as good for the Sega Saturn port which was released in Europe, Japan, and North America in 1995.  Daytona USA was also released for PC in 1996 and for the original Xbox system after its initial release.  After its  release for the Arcade and Sega Saturn Daytona USA had received high praise from gaming publications for being a great racing game similar to titles such as: Outrun and Grand Turismo.  Daytona USA is definitely a Sega classic that many gamers had enjoyed after its initial release and would probably still enjoy today.   The producer for the game Yu Suzuki had done an excellent job producing a great racing game that would heavily rival many titles produced by Nintendo.  While this game is a racing classic that many Sega fans are nostalgic about the good news is that this title is available on both the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live;  this makes reliving the past both convenient and enjoyable.

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Classic Gaming- Sega Outrun: (1986)

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There have been many racing games that have been developed over the past couple of decades that really grabbed the attention of gamers including children and young adults.  But one of the many racing titles that gamers from the 80’s would probably remember includes Outrun which was originally released in arcades before its import to the Sega Genesis.  Racing games were so much more enjoyable than because during the time developers had to not only stretch their creativity to make an exciting game but include realism to make players feel like they were actually on the road.  The advanced pseudo 2D graphics that were utilized during the development of this game was mind blowing and ahead of its time especially for an 80’s game.  However, since Outrun was originally an arcade game it gave the creators more space to be innovative in both gameplay and graphics.

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Along with having great gameplay Outrun includes a great soundtrack that allows players to become more attached the game while they are mastering the controls along with the stages themselves.  The designer Yu Suzuki had done a terrific job in producing a creative simulation of driving; but the composer of this game Hiroshi Kawaguchi did a great job in capturing the feel of the stages with captivating music.   Many people would argue that 80’s tropical pop like music fits the vibe of many of the races and makes the game much more addictive.  Aside from being known as one of the most innovative driving/racing games in arcade history Outrun is considered to be legendary among many  people and gaming publications.  This game was won numerous awards over the past few decades including the  “Game of the Year” award from the Golden Joystick in 1987.   IGN had also described Outrun for being one of the most influential games of all time; this fact is especially true because in some ways it paved the way for many other racing games including:  Virtua Racing, Gran Turismo and many more.  Even though, game designers more advanced technology to produce better titles in the 2010’s many people would argue that Outro was a great racing game that will live in the hearts of many people who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s.

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Classic Gaming- Star Fox 64: (1997)

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Star Fox 64 was released for the Nintendo 64 game console in 1997 and was considered to be the sequel to the original Star Fox game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993.  This game similar to its SNES predecessor has some of the same characters and utilizes realistic animation.  However, in Star Fox 64 the 3D animation is highly advanced and includes more features to make this title more enjoyable.  Star Fox 64 includes both a multiplayer and training mode which allows players to spend more time mastering game in comparison to the original Star Fox.   Speaking of the original Star Fox this game the plot in similar because the main goal for Fox McCloud and his friends includes stopping Andross only with a slight twist.  In Star Fox 64 James & Peppy are captured by Andross after being betrayed by Pigma Dengar which leads Fox McCloud on his journey throughout this game.

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While Andross launches an attack on the Lylat system players have the opportunity to help Fox McCloud launch a counterattack against the main antagonist and his forces during each mission. Each mission in this game is great because they include different stages which have various levels based on difficulty; this feature is especially significant because it makes the game both challenging and exciting.  The replay value on this game would be high because not only is Star Fox 64 a fun adventurous title but people can beat the game multiple times to play on various stages along with varying difficulty levels.   Following its release Star Fox 64 was not only known as one of the best games to be released for Nintendo 64 but it also had received great reviews from many gaming publications.  GamePro had given Star Fox 64 a five star rating for being an excellent scroll shooter game probably one of the best for the Nintendo 64 game console.  The reception this game had received was  positive and makes people wonder if the game would have been as great if it was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.  But due to the limitations of the SNES it would be safe to say that scrapping Star Fox 2 for the 16-bit Super Nintendo console had worked out for the best in the long run;  it had also allowed the creators to produce a classic that some people still enjoy today.

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Classic Gaming- Star Fox SNES: (1993)

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When you talk about games that includes epic Sci-fi like adventures the original Star Fox title would probably be the first thing to come to mind.  The original Star Fox was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993.   This game centers around Fox McCloud and his allies Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad and Peppy Hare to stop a mad scientist known as Andross  and his army forces from destroying the Lylat system after being banished from Planet Andross.  This popular rail shooter title had included numerous features that made it stand out from other games within the same genre.  Some examples would include spectacular space like effects as players navigated throughout various stages of the game. Sometimes the effects made players feel like they were playing a 3D game on a 2D cartridge which was awesome.   This takes us to the Super FX chip which was utilized during the production of Star Fox which provided advanced graphics during gameplay.

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Star Fox had a total of sixteen different levels that would not only provide gamers with hours of excitement but also challenges if one has played it enough times to master each stage.  Even though, many gamers find Star Fox somewhat challenging it would be debate on what stage was the most difficult.  Some people may argue Sector Z & Aqua on Medal difficulty would be considered the most challenging while others would suggest that Macbeth or Titania is better suited for being the hardest stage in the game.  However, this usually depends on the player and how skilled they are on mastering the controls and navigating through each level.  Speaking of levels there many stages in the game that are exciting but the BGM for stage 1 entitled “Corneria” was a soundtrack that many gamers thought was great mainly for an SNES game.

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Star Fox had received positive reviews from both critics and gamers alike and had also earned a five star rating from GamePro following it release.  Star Fox had also received a positive reception from numerous other publications including AllGame, EGM and many more for being an iconic rail shooter game that many people like to this day.

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Retro Gaming- Top Gear 2: (1993)

Top Gear 2 was another racing titles that was developed by Gremlin Entertainment and was originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in late 1993.  Unlike it prequel Top Gear the second title was published for multiple game systems including the Sega Genesis and Amiga in 1994.  Many people who have played the original Top Gear for the SNES would probably agree that the second title is every bit as enjoyable as the first. The gameplay for Top Gear 2 has improved along with the music composition for each track which makes the game more exciting.  Some of the music including: Auckland, Ayers Rock, and Canterbury Plains for Australasia utilizes different genres that flow smoothly with each stage.  While some soundtracks have nice outrun feel others provide an 80s type vibe that contributes to  excitement & suspense of the game.

Some people would probably prefer the music from Top Gear 2 over the original or vice versa.   Along with the mechanical improvements Top Gear 2 was able to add new features to make the game more realistic.  In Top Gear 2 players can earn money during races and use it to upgrade their cars for better quality during races.  Also, players are allowed to upgrade their nitro boosts in order to make their cars accelerate much faster.   The inclusion of weather was another feature that not only made Top Gear 2 more realistic but also challenging.  Weather plays a significant role in this game as players compete many countries around the world such as Australasia, Egypt, and South America.  Many people who have played this game would argue that Top Gear 2 was among one of the most exciting racing games they have ever played.  Some people who were fans of the game probably had hoped for a remake or re-release of some of the old Top Gear titles; but sadly Gremlin Interactive had become defunct in 1999.  While the first two Top Gear games will never receive a remake in the future it would safe to say that both titles were enjoyable;  these two racing games may not have been considered among the best of all time but they still hold a special place in the memories of people who have played them.

 

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Retro Gaming- Top Gear: (1992)

Top Gear is one of the many exciting racing games that was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and published by Kemco Corporation  in 1992.  Top Gear was similar to many generic racing games that were released in the late 80’s & early 90’s which is often compared to other racing titles such as: Outrun and Rad Racer.   Top Gear is one of the few racing games that many people enjoy because of its decent gameplay & controls among many other titles which was released during the 16 bit era.   While some people may lock at the first installment in the Top Gear series as a generic racing game for the SNES one of the many features that people who have played the game remembers includes its musical composition.

The soundtrack for Top Gear provides players with a unique gaming experience as they race against nineteen other racers during grand prix mode.  The first stage in Las Vegas, USA is arguably the most popular soundtrack in the entire game along with Chichen Itza, Mexico.  Players have the options of choosing multiple levels in terms of difficulty including: amateur, professional, and championship.  Considering the fact that players are competing against nineteen other drivers during these races the championship level would appear to be impossible to complete.  However, if one has played through each stage enough times along with mastering the controls for Top Gear it would be absolutely no problem.  Some critics of Top Gear would argue that the first installment of the Top Gear was underrated while other would say that it just like any other generic racing game released during the 16-bit era.   Either way it was a fun game to play during the 16-bit era.  While Top Gear may not be one of the best racing games of all-time the developers  for this title  “Gremlin Graphics” did everything in their ability to make it just as exciting in comparison to Outrun or Rad Racer.