Arcade Memories Game Of The Week - OutRun

[MarkGrossi]

Along with Afterburner, Powerdrift and Spaceharrier, Outrun scared the sh*t out of me when I was a kid. It was so overwhelming to look at, with how fast it scrolled and how loud it was. Plus the machine itself meant business. I knew it would be wasting my 10 pences even attempting to play it, so I just went back to Rampage.

 

[patloz]

Apologies slight drift off topic But still arcade memories….

Arcades in the 1960s seemed much more fun without the crt video . We bet on rotary horse race games with jockey Lester Piggott and Harry Wragg The big Brittania penny was cheap 240 for a pound but we never ever had a whole pound but 24 for 2 shillings (10 p decimal) lasted ages ,, dock crane grabbers for a penny fruit salad and blackjack sweets you could win one or two but the realism you could buy 4 for a penny in sweet shops

I take your point about amusements without CRT screens being more fun, now days you get linked games but you are still in effect playing on your own.

I loved the mechanical horse races where you all put in your 2p and risked the odds of the 5-1 outsider actually ever winning or the roulette wheel which stopped spinning literally for seconds before it was off again.

This was real family fun where Grandparent's to toddlers and all in-between would play at the same time with limited if any skill required, hard to think of where you can get the same experience now?

I have a fair few 80's cabs and the one that gets the most play by newcomers is Ice Cold Beer , the only one I have with no CRT.

 

[Bods]

Apologies slight drift off topic But still arcade memories….

Arcades in the 1960s seemed much more fun without the crt video . We bet on rotary horse race games with jockey Lester Piggott and Harry Wragg The big Brittania penny was cheap 240 for a pound but we never ever had a whole pound but 24 for 2 shillings (10 p decimal) lasted ages ,, dock crane grabbers for a penny fruit salad and blackjack sweets you could win one or two but the realism you could buy 4 for a penny in sweet shops

Coin pusher penny falls really got a big push not achieved with the tiny 1p replacement which valued at the higher 100 for a pound .. what a rip off decimalisation was in 1971 I was 18 then

One of my all time favourites was a huge rocket shaped old penny drop in game the coins ran a zigzag chute to land on a sloped moon crater surface and craters filed with pennies until heavy enough (at various pressures) to fall through to win that crater full and moon surface pennies were lost unless they sometime avalanche d down the slop into the crater on a lucky drop? But more often lost, especially if they ran full slope to the coin box below

The wheel em in just came out to land 1d penny between the lines for 3d or 6d wins a mate of mine in Rhyl found a glass top key universal to all. And we used to go in Parker’s arcade lift the glass and put a penny on the 6d but you had to get the glass down quick as the wins cascaded down the glass from above…
You can’t do that now on the new roll a coin as the electronic control sees the coin enter the mech and several coins transfer to the rear elevator on entry count and when it knows the lift hopper is full the transfer belt reverses and coins go to the collect box below while the lift hopper goes up .. if the glass is off the payout is barred unless you put a coin through the mech

cranes too count coins in to meet gaming regulations you will see in the prize out chute a infra red like bar code supermarket till reader beam break counts teddies out which weakens the crane grab for a random amount of input which is why you never hardly win a prize even when you steer them directly to grab a toy. The perils of processor controls??


All the arcades still had the all win 9 cups and win/lose ball traps at 1d all round the walls and one of my all time favourites was… Tooty Fruity on the big penny we could spin the coin left or right and almost guide them skilfully to the unlit fruit to win .. they were our bankers and returned to them when penny stocks ran low to sort of top up … not always and Sol Parker used to chase ours out if we hit him for a few penny wins I STILL HAVE ONE OF THOSE ON 1p coin at home good money box for trouser change it probably has about 40 quid in it as the massive coin box probably hold a hundred quid full or more?

All the other old pier style machines could also be played in some seaside arcades ‘what butler saw ‘ saucy flick photo wind round the handle viewer our first video simulators …. L O . L ….. and huge animation working models like wardrobes full of moving figures and of course who could resist MORGANA The real gypsy fortune teller whose severed upper body dispensed a penny card with your live and life fate ??????? Depended on how they were shuffled and stacked but we naive young kids believed All Arcadia was another real world to a ten year old unleashed from parental guidance .. fun fun fun I would go back if I could but as most people on here would agree owning your childhood memory cabs is best alternative?

I have a couple of oldies from back then and have even made one or two in that style along the way but space is restricted and age tends to quell enthusiasm a bit . But…..

The show must go on !!!!

That's okay

You have some good stories and info, I'll have a proper read a bit later
I have a few No Video stuff also, Pirate 'No Arm' Mills Bandit, Dockmaster Crane, Trolls Steer A Ball, Streets Penny Bowl, 2 Coin Pushers and a small Electronic Gumball dispensing Pinball which has no name on

 

[Bods]

I only really appreciated the deluxe again ,when I played it in arcade club
I had myself convinced .it was just like a child’s amusement moving left and right .with a great game installed
But the music behind me ,the big monitor ,and just sitting there relaxing changed my mind .
I better get off this thread or I’ll be wanting one

Sorry mate, I did think I hope it doesn't get more members in trouble wanting more cabs lol

The Upright is cool cab, nice artwork sides and marquee, If I had the space I would of had Upright as well because that's all I got to play and it's memories of being on one, the wheel shaking side to side is also really great feature

 

[Bods]

Apologies slight drift off topic But still arcade memories….

Arcades in the 1960s seemed much more fun without the crt video . We bet on rotary horse race games with jockey Lester Piggott and Harry Wragg The big Brittania penny was cheap 240 for a pound but we never ever had a whole pound but 24 for 2 shillings (10 p decimal) lasted ages ,, dock crane grabbers for a penny fruit salad and blackjack sweets you could win one or two but the realism you could buy 4 for a penny in sweet shops

Coin pusher penny falls really got a big push not achieved with the tiny 1p replacement which valued at the higher 100 for a pound .. what a rip off decimalisation was in 1971 I was 18 then

One of my all time favourites was a huge rocket shaped old penny drop in game the coins ran a zigzag chute to land on a sloped moon crater surface and craters filed with pennies until heavy enough (at various pressures) to fall through to win that crater full and moon surface pennies were lost unless they sometime avalanche d down the slop into the crater on a lucky drop? But more often lost, especially if they ran full slope to the coin box below

The wheel em in just came out to land 1d penny between the lines for 3d or 6d wins a mate of mine in Rhyl found a glass top key universal to all. And we used to go in Parker’s arcade lift the glass and put a penny on the 6d but you had to get the glass down quick as the wins cascaded down the glass from above…
You can’t do that now on the new roll a coin as the electronic control sees the coin enter the mech and several coins transfer to the rear elevator on entry count and when it knows the lift hopper is full the transfer belt reverses and coins go to the collect box below while the lift hopper goes up .. if the glass is off the payout is barred unless you put a coin through the mech

cranes too count coins in to meet gaming regulations you will see in the prize out chute a infra red like bar code supermarket till reader beam break counts teddies out which weakens the crane grab for a random amount of input which is why you never hardly win a prize even when you steer them directly to grab a toy. The perils of processor controls??


All the arcades still had the all win 9 cups and win/lose ball traps at 1d all round the walls and one of my all time favourites was… Tooty Fruity on the big penny we could spin the coin left or right and almost guide them skilfully to the unlit fruit to win .. they were our bankers and returned to them when penny stocks ran low to sort of top up … not always and Sol Parker used to chase ours out if we hit him for a few penny wins I STILL HAVE ONE OF THOSE ON 1p coin at home good money box for trouser change it probably has about 40 quid in it as the massive coin box probably hold a hundred quid full or more?

All the other old pier style machines could also be played in some seaside arcades ‘what butler saw ‘ saucy flick photo wind round the handle viewer our first video simulators …. L O . L ….. and huge animation working models like wardrobes full of moving figures and of course who could resist MORGANA The real gypsy fortune teller whose severed upper body dispensed a penny card with your live and life fate ??????? Depended on how they were shuffled and stacked but we naive young kids believed All Arcadia was another real world to a ten year old unleashed from parental guidance .. fun fun fun I would go back if I could but as most people on here would agree owning your childhood memory cabs is best alternative?

I have a couple of oldies from back then and have even made one or two in that style along the way but space is restricted and age tends to quell enthusiasm a bit . But…..

The show must go on !!!

Interesting read

We enjoyed the arcades in the 70's, The Glendale Chicken machines clucking away, the Parrot talking outside them. I have Chicken, Parrot and Monkey, I restored quite a few of them and had about 4 of the later Elephant ones, they had 2 types, just coin in and could move head around (one on ebay recently) and the full working suck the prize with trunk version, found patent online for that. The Pink Elephant case is same as in your photo of the Puppet show. The last one I had I decided to sell and took it up to the guy that bought it, he has Ice cream parlour in Withernsea, has a few of them in use still which was really nice to see it go and be used, nice guy

I did have a Sam Moffet Clown vending machine, i couldn't figure out the wiring though to get it working. also remember seeing one of the Converted Space Invaders grabber machines on ebay

The cranes we played on holiday were the old Mechanical ones, I can still kinda picture one, pretty sure the crane arm was on the left, I've never seen any exactly the same as that else it would probably spark a memory as things often do. like you said, you basically put money in and more often than not you win something, modern ones I don't like because there fixed but the old ones aren't and more fun to me, I didn't want one in wood case as it wouldn't fit in with my other penny type machines, Dock Master one is perfect with metal case, mock ship end with crane in centre back, not sure what year they from but looks nice with the pushers etc

Streets Wheel Em In was awesome, we played it loads, my dad had forgot the coins roll down the glass to you, I had to be honest till I bought one, it was massive 3 player yellow one, not the earlier version, too big with everything else I have so had to re sell it quick

Enjoy all coin operated stuff, shooting cabs, not sure if I played driving games or not, wish I could remember more

 

[Bods]

Sorry mate, I did think I hope it doesn't get more members in trouble wanting more cabs lol

The Upright is cool cab, nice artwork sides and marquee, If I had the space I would of had Upright as well because that's all I got to play and it's memories of being on one, the wheel shaking side to side is also really great feature

I think that's why I assumed all driving games had some sort of force feedback because Outrun did, thinking about it I don't remember playing any other driving game in the arcades, I know they had Sitdown one in Thomas's and sure it was F1 game, always thought cockpit ones were cool but never played any I can think of, real strange to be honest, will have to ask me mate if he remembers any driving machines

Gotta say I'm really enjoying this and really nice reading everyone's replies, so many to do it will keep me entertained for ages

 

[Bods]

So you have
Year Unknown

0000 Mototour (Comercial Electronica)
0000 Red Zone (Jaleco)
0000 Rally Cross (Cherry Leisure)

1974 Formula K
1974 Gran Trak 10 (Atari)
1974 Gran Trak 20 (Atari)
1974 Speed Race (Taito)
1974 Trak 10 (Atari)
1974 Twin Racer (Kee Games)
1975 Alley Rally
1975 Crash 'N Score
1975 Destruction Derby
1975 Indy 800
1975 Hi-Way
1975 Racer (Midway)
1975 Pace Car Pro (Allied Leisure Industries)
1975 Street Burners (Allied Leisure Industries)
1975 Stock Car (Atari)
1975 Wheels (Midway)
1975 Wheels II (Midway)
1976 280 Zapp
1976 Crashing Race
1976 Death Race (Exidy)
1976 Indy 4
1970s Death Race 98 (Exidy)
1976 Fonz (Sega)
1976 LeMans (Atari)
1976 Midnite Racer (Midway)
1976 Moto-Cross (Sega)
1976 Night Driver (Atari)
1976 Nurburgring-Powerslide (Dr .Foerst Gmbh Germany) Cockpit Simulator
1976 Race (Fun Games Inc)
1976 Speed Race Twin (Taito)
1976 Sprint 2
1976 Stunt Cycle (Atari)
1977 Cisco 400
1977 Drag Race
1977 Fisco 400
1977 Formula M Vrooom
1977 Fire Truck (Atari)
1977 Laguna Racer (Midway)
1977 Night Racer (Mocronetics)
1977 Road Champion (Williams)
1977 Sprint 4 (Atari)
1977 Sprint 8 (Atari)
1977 Super Bug (Kee Games)
1977 Super Death Chase (Exidy)
1977 Super High-Way (Taito)
1978 Road Champion (Taito)
1978 Smokey Joe (Atari)
1978 Speed Freak (Vectorbeam)
1978 Sprint One (Kee Games)
1978 Super Speed Race V (Taito)
1979 Crash
1979 Get A Way
1979 GT Roadster
1979 Nurburgring 1 / Nurburgring 2 (Dr .Foerst Gmbh Germany)
1979 Rolling Crash (Nichibutsu)
1979 Splash (Atari)
1979 Super Speed Race (Midway)
1980 Ferrari
1980 Mad Alien (Data East)
1980 Monaco GP (Sega/Gremlin)
1980 Monte Carlo (Atari)
1980 Nurburgring 3 (Dr .Foerst Gmbh Germany)
1980 Pro Monaco GP (Sega)
1980 Safari Rally (Taito)
1980 Speed Race CL-5 (Taito)
1980 Speed Race GP-5 (Taito)
1980 Super Speed Race GP-V (Taito)
1981 Grand Champion (Taito)
1981 Turbo (Sega)
1982 Bump 'n Jump
1982 Burnin' Rubber
1982 Desert Race
1982 Pole Position (Atari)
1982 Wheels Runner (I G Spa)
1983 Car Action
1983 Change Lanes
1983 High Way Race
1983 MotoRace USA (Williams)
1983 Spy Hunter (Bally Midway)
1983 Star Rider Laserdisc (Williams)
1983 Traverse USA (Irem)
1983 Up'n Down (Sega)
1983 Zippy Race (Irem)
1984 Buggy Challenge
1984 Demolition Derby
1984 Driving Force
1984 Excitebike (Nintendo)
1984 GP World (Laserdisc) Sega
1984 Kick Rider (Universal
1984 Kick Start (Taito)
1984 Laser Grand Prix (Taito)
1984 Mad Crasher (SNK)
1984 Pit Run (Taito)
1984 Road Fighter (Konami)
1984 Sector Zone/Seicross (Nichibutsu/Alice Co. Ltd)
1984 Stocker (Bally Sente)
1984 Top Gear (Universal) animated laserdisc
1984 TX-1 (Namco)
1984 TX-1 V8 (Tatsumi)
1985 Cruisin'
1985 Hang-On (Sega)
1985 Hang-On Jr. (Sega)
1985 Konami GT
1985 Konami RF2 Red Fighter
1985 Shot Rider (Seibu Kaihatsu)
1985 Street Heat (Cardinal Amusement Products)
1985 Super Dead Heat (Taito)
1985 Super Speed Race Jr. (Taito/Bally Midway)
1985 Top Gear 2 (Universal) animated laserdisc
1985 VS. Excite Bike (Nintendo)
1985 Vs. Mach Rider (Nintendo)
1986 Buggy Boy/Speed Buggy (Tatsumi)
1986 Championship Sprint (Atari)
1986 Enduro Racer (Sega)
1986 Max RPM (Bally Midway)
1986 Redline Racer (Cinematronics)
1986 Super Sprint (Atari)
1986 Top Secret (Exidy)
1986 WEC Le Mans 24 (Konami)

So going on the list of Driving games, it covers Motorbike and Cars, Trucks till 1986 when outrun released

Visually the Laserdisc ones would be impressive but probably letdown by gameplay but certainly the best looking ones before 1985

Buggy Boy is 1985 not 86 as on KLOV it seems, Buggy Boy Jr was released 1986 so thats one of the best driving games to precede OutRun for Graphics and playability I'd say

and again in 1985 the best you have is Konami GT which probably looked good, not sure about the driving experience though, that's until you see Sega Hang-On or Buggy Boy and you would play them instead

Outrun definitely blew everything else driving/riding wise out the arcade in every aspect

Taito Top Speed wasn't even out till 1987

 

[John Bennett]

I dunno, it's top-notch graphics for 1986, but I wouldn't say it's a million miles from Buggy Boy and Top Speed, especially considering the former is older tech.

Namco were even doing texture-mapping type affairs in 1986.

I think the art on the Sega games is usually better than the competitors though, and Outrun's a great example. The Tatsumi stuff looks a little tacky in comparison.

 

[Bods]

Not seen Thunder Ceptor before, if were talking Space Games then I'd say Space Harrier has that beat specially the speed and gameplay

Didn't know there was another 80's 3D game though

 

[Stokers]

Racing games didn't peak until Konami's Racing Jam

My local arcade had one of these beauties.

 

[Bods]

One thing that didn't get mentioned was the spectacular crashes with car rolling

Also anyone played the Dreamworks version that comes with the book for Dreamcast, nice updated music and car

 

[Flinnster]

Sorry the 'not-licensed-by-Ferrari-so-here's-a-rebadge' versions of the game just break my heart.
The fact Sega managed to sort it all out for Outrun 2 across arcade and home console ports, but still couldn't get it sorted for the Switch version is a travesty.

So the Unlockable 'OUTRUN86' on the console versions of Outrun 2, or the Sega Ages Saturn version are still the best console ports I think.

 

[Stokers]

Sorry the 'not-licensed-by-Ferrari-so-here's-a-rebadge' versions of the game just break my heart.
The fact Sega managed to sort it all out for Outrun 2 across arcade and home console ports, but still couldn't get it sorted for the Switch version is a travesty.

So the Unlockable 'OUTRUN86' on the console versions of Outrun 2, or the Sega Ages Saturn version are still the best console ports I think.

Yeah the Saturn version is excellent, 60 fps as well 👌

 

[Bods]

Sorry got that wrong, the Yu Suzuki Game Works book for with disc for dreamcast, has the classics to play in in DC

It was good to play it fully working, at the time I got this you didn't have full audio in System16 Emu and I was waiting to get original machine so this was best I could get