OutRun Online Arcade Preview

Few games are as great as we remember them being. OutRun is one of those that seems to have survived the aging process that has claimed the cool of so many arcade games of yesteryear (Dragon's Lair, I'm calling you out!). Perhaps 2D simply ages better than some of the earlier 3D, vector, or Laser Disc graphics from back in the day, or perhaps it's just a winning combination of great music, gameplay, and charm. Regardless, OutRun is still fun to revisit, and should be even moreso in this upcoming makeover.

Hi-Def did wonders for Street Fighter 2, and SEGA is hoping it will do for them what it did for Capcom in OutRun Online Arcade. Available "early 2009" for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (via the PlayStation Network) OutRun Arcade will be getting a major graphical overhaul thanks to Sumo Digital.

This re-envisioning of OutRun will come complete with the original 15 branching courses and 10 different Ferrari cars. Of course music will also play a major part and OutRun Online Arcade is expected to feature the same selectable stereo that many thought originated with Grand Theft Auto (sorry to disappoint, but it's a feature from way back in the arcades).

OutRun Online Arcade will feature online multiplayer racing for up to 6 players, with classic OutRun, Heart Attack and Time Attack modes. According to the publisher, OutRun Online Arcade on Xbox LIVE will feature achievements and voice; and on PlayStation Network it will include trophies, voice over IP and leaderboards.

Either way, OutRun Online Arcade should look and sound superb. Let's just hope OutRun is as fast and handles as well as it did back in the arcades.