The Cadillac Northstar LMP is one of only few Cadillacs I'm ever excited about. Granted this is a race car (as opposed to a street car), this is still a very beautiful racing car. Cadillac had two LMP racing machines. The first of which is the Northstar LMP followed by the LMP 02. So what you're getting is a double feature of Cadillac goodness. I learned about this car first in 1999 from AutoWeek magazine. I started watching the 2000 24 Hours of Daytona race. I noted this car had pretty good fuel mileage. Every time I've seen this car, I fell in love with it. Not as much as the Ferrari 333SP, but it was a very beautiful car. I would later see the second-generation LMP in the near future.
This is a blog entry about BOTH of Cadillac's Le Mans Prototypes. You're getting one blog entry on two race cars.
--- Motorsports Style: The Cadlliac Northstar LMP ---
^ from: autointell.com (I honestly couldn't find a better picture from a non-commercial website)
I actually have a model car version of the Cadillac Northstar LMP. Unfortunately, I kind of screwed up the rear wing, so I have it taped up to stay in place. I remembered once seeing a commercial featuring the Cadillac Northstar LMP racing on a wet race track. Truly a sweet car. I even played around with the Caddys in "Le Mans 24 Hours" for the PlayStation 2.
Two pairs of big headlights are encased in glass on either side up front for this car. The larger of the lights is up above with smaller diameter (only slightly in comparison to the big ones) headlights. Cadillac's grill design adorned the front of this LMP race car. Big louvers are situated above the tires and blends in nicely with the rest of this car's graceful design. The canopy is somewhat like an Indy car as the driver sits on the right-hand side.
The side profile features a big side duct as well as two large brake ducts up top. The design remains graceful as a whole. There is a single roll hoop sort of like on an Indy car. On the right side of the roll hoop is the gas cap. Whereas the Ferrari 333SP I highlighted on has an elegant and fast profile, the Northstar LMP doesn't have such a graceful design for the engine cover.
The rear wing is perhaps the highest element of the car. Miniscule endplates and a trick aerodynamic package delivers lovely style to compliment the car. The wing is mounted rather low for this car.
I can only think of the Cadillac team here in the United States and the French DAMS team that have raced this car. It's one of my favorite prototypes of the 2000-2009 timeframe.
--- Cadillac LMP 02 ---
^ from: theautochannel.com
An auto manufacturer named Audi was rocking and rolling with a car called the Audi R8 LMP, which did pretty well in its time (understatement). This car would have been Cadillac's best chance to take down Audi. Unlike the outgoing Cadillac LMP, this car possesses absolutely beautiful and gracious styling. It was just too bad this was never a car that could TRULY contend. Cadillac would go on to scrap their program to focus on making some high-performance sports cars.
This race car featured design elements that would follow for roadgoing Cadillacs. Most notably, the tall lights and sharp lines. The glass clusters featured a lovely pair of equal-size headlights. Small signal lights (or hazard?) were featured at the top corners of the headlight cluster. A miniscule front scoop up front is met with some bigger scoops further along the front of the car. More narrow louvers accentuated the areas above the tires. The same Indy car-style canopy was the office space racing drivers had for this car.
The previous Cadillac LMP had a lot of blunt edges. This one features a lot more streamlined edges with a healthy dose of style. The side ducts were now more towards the front tires rather than near the rear of the previous car. The side profile is much more elegant on this car. You get glimpses of how the headlights and tail lights look with this car. The tall tail lights also served its own outlook on style for future Cadillacs, such as the CTS, XLR, and other models. Even the brake ducts were more streamlined.
The rear wing sits lower than the previous car. The design elements suggest this car was made to take on Le Mans and its high-speed character. As previously mentioned, there were the tall tail light designs that complimented the rear.
This was just a car that never really competed to really take on the Audis. And in essence, became a glorious also-ran.
Both cars are lovely, and the only real Cadillacs I really care for. I'm easing up on road-going Cadillacs, but I am just not connecting with them style-wise. These two Cadillac prototypes are lovely machines.
(ADDED: May 29, 2011) Even though the video is in Japanese, this video gives you a look at the Cadillac Northstar LMP:
I couldn't find anything of the Northstar LMP-02. If I do, though, I'll be sure to feature that in a future edit. Thank you for reading!
My all-time favorite race car is the Ferrari 333SP. It was a car that was both beautiful and fast. Various teams have used this beautiful racing car to compete in racing competition. It's seen a variety of tracks, ranging from Le Mans to Sebring to various races in the former FIA Sportscar Championship. Various teams have used this car ranging from Risi Competizione, JMB Giesse, and various other teams. This car would ultimately be a car that would later be the product of the Ferrari F50 supercar. My all-time favorite 333SP is the Momo Ferrari 333SP, shown below:
^ from: kwyjibo.com - My personal favorite race car of all-time, the Ferrari 333SP.
This will begin a new blog label, Motorsports Style, a variation of my Car Style blog entries made entirely about racing machines. It will encompass all kinds of competition vehicles ranging from cars to motorcycles and... various other kinds of racing machines. And as always, I'm talking about how I think these machines look. I try to remain only on the base model itself rather than solely focus on a certain team's car. It may be tough talking about some machines because some have various aerodynamics packages. It's also going to be tough to discuss how the interior looks.
--- Motorsports Style: The Ferrari 333SP ---
This is my all-time favorite race car. It has very sweet engine sounds, though I'd rather the Ferrari engine rather than some of the Judd engines some teams have used with this car.
Four circular headlights (two on each side) are encased in a lovely glass cluster on either side up front. A big air dam up front seperated in the center gives this car a good deal of airflow. The front splitter is mostly flat up front, but there is a little upward curve for the splitter on the sides. The Ferrari logo is emblazoned above the centerpiece in the front air dam. Big louvers above the tires are styled beautifully and tastefully along with the other big scoops accentuating the view up front. Some 333SPs have just two big circular headlights (one on each side) encased in these glass clusters.
From the sides, the car carries a beautifully smooth profile, continuing the loveliness of the car from the front. Earlier versions of the 333SP had big side ducts. An aspect of the 333SP I don't really notice is how the side rollbars have glass side windows. Some of these glass windows have the driver names and flags on the sides. The side bodywork is styled beautifully and aerodynamically, matching the seductive lines of the front. The engine scoop is big with some rounded edges. The engine cover is styled a bit like an Indy car.
The rear of the car car features a pair of nice set of tail lights. The rear wing is big with some large endplates. The mounting of the rear wing is angled kind of like a drag racing car.
This is a beautiful racing machine I've missed since it was no longer raced. Just looking at it and hearing it is absolutely sweet. I always look at this car with loving interest. It's a truly fantastic car. Still is. I actually want to get a model car version of the Ferrari 333SP. Love this car so much, especially the Momo Ferrari 333SP, which I love most.
Tired of skinny pants? Long live flares! Flared legs offer the impression of longer legs. For many fans of flares (myself included), you get a sense of disco chic because of the unique appeal these flared bottoms provide. The right amount of flare can add a dramatic touch to any look. Those who have become so tired of skinny jeans would love to see something different. Something like this is not a bad alternative. Flared bottoms start off by fitting slim or loose, but flare outwards past the knees. The end result is something with enough flare to hide the shoes worn by the femme.
Last Update:
FEB 18 2012 - simple edits made to post
--- Flares at a Glance ---
This blog entry concerns multiple kinds of flared bottoms. I was initially intending to talk about just flared jeans, but you know me- I got to cover all the bases. Some people just got burned out on skinny jeans. So many tried to go with wide-leg or flared or bootcut pants. Some who love the feel of flared pants and jeans even made their own flare pants/jeans in do-it-yourself fashion. With the resurgence of high-waist bottoms, high-waist flare jeans and pants are very doable for true '70s style. The trend of very high-waist jeans and pants with short shirts and tops was a trend back then. For a spell, high-waist bottoms with cropped tops was revived as high-waists were brought back into fashion.
Mention flares to most people, and many will envision the elephant bell bottoms of the '70s. My older audiences may have even worn bell bottoms back in the '70s! I will grant some people that skinny jeans basically give your legs some sweet curves for those who can't get nice curves in wider or looser jeans. I tend to love draping and dramatic fashions. That's why I've loved these bell bottoms. The ones in the '90s were mostly the best as it was a combination of flared jeans and some wicked platforms. I thought it was cute seeing teen girls wear some groovy flared jeans along with either platform loafers or platform oxford shoes. There were even some platform sneakers that were popular in the '90s. If you want some extreme platforms, the German shoe maker, Buffalo, has lots of '90s-style platform shoes for you to wear.
Maybe I've loved these pants so much since I've gotten tired of all the '80s fandom. I was born in 1983, but I think of myself as a '90s child. Fashion tends to have 20-year cycles. That's why we had that resurgence of '80s fandom back a few years ago.
And if you ask me, I think 7 For All Mankind makes the finest flared jeans and pants. The best-looking flares offered by 7FAM is the Bell Bottom Super Flare jeans. They look great in Vintage California wash. A pair of platform wedge sandals or pumps with those jeans will make your '70s chic look irresistable. They even offer a sexy pair of back pockets to help you look even more chic. If high-end flared denim is your calling, check out the flared denims 7 for All Mankind offers. To see their lineup of flared denim for women, check these links out: • 7 For All Mankind Bootcut Jeans (Women) • 7 For All Mankind Trouser and Wide Leg (Women) • 7 For All Mankind Flare Jeans (Women)
Here are the basic flare types as far as flared jeans and pants are concerned...
Bootcut.
^ from: tshirtandbluejeans.com - bootcut bottoms offer a modest flare.
Bootcut relates to a pair of jeans or pants with very modest flare. The name is most appropriate when wearing something like high-heel boots. Boots are worn over jeans these days as a style. But with '90s style, you only give a little peek at the boots or shoes. High-heel boots were primarily the hottest shoes to wear with these as well as high-heel pointed-toe pumps.
Split-Leg.
^ from: chinatowner.com - split-leg bottoms are considered flared bottoms.
Call it a poor man's flare pants. By having huge slits on the sides of jeans or pants, you create the illusion of flared bottoms (while also getting an elegant showing of the lower legs).
NOTE: I will NOT mention split-leg pants in this blog entry. I just wanted to share this as an example.
Flare.
^ from: polyvore.com - jeans with a significant amount of flare.
These bottoms are the namesake of this blog entry. These are jeans and pants with very wide flares to provide a dramatic touch as well as a vintage touch.
Bell Bottom (or Bellbottom).
^ from: kaboodle.com - denim styles and tastes may have changed, but bell bottoms are still every bit as cool now as they were in the 1970s.
Flared jeans and bell bottom jeans are used almost interchangably in today's fashion culture. But really, bell bottoms have extremely wide flares.
Elephant Bell Bottoms.
^ from: bonadrag.com - elephant bell bottoms from Judi Rosen.
The so-called elephant bell bottoms are flared jeans and pants with massively flared legs. These bell bottoms are the absolute extreme in flared jeans and pants.
These can be massively-flared pants either right from the designer or in do-it-yourself fashion. Some femmes love bell bottom jeans so much that they even take their own jeans and try to widen them out while including some extra fabric inserts to provide flare. Here is a sample picture I found online demonstrating putting in extra fabric to add flare to any average pair of jeans:
^ from: diyfashion.about.com - a diagram demonstrating how to turn a regular pair of jeans into bell bottoms by simply adding extra fabric.
If you're interested in taking jeans and giving them wider legs and inserting fabric for extra flare, I have two resources for you. The first is from the tutorial I got the picture above from, which is about.com's how-to on bellbottom jeans. You may also want to check out this wikiHow link to learn how to make jeans with wider legs.
--- What to Wear With Flares? ---
I'm going to be pro-70s or pro-90s here. Almost any kind of shoes ranging from flip-flops to any real shoes will suffice. But if you want to make a statement, there's nothing like platform shoes and sandals. Some '90s chic would mean you find a pair of platform pumps, loafers, sandals, or oxfords with chunky heels. Platform wedges would also do you well. When it comes to flared and bootcut jeans, I've always seemed to like pairing dark blue jeans bootcut or flare jeans with a pair of platform sandals. That's especially if you have a hot pair of cork platform sandals or something. If you're feeling sexy, go pick out a hot pair of platform peep-toe pumps with a sexy pair of flares!
Flared skirts, especially trumpet skirts, have the same options. Only that I'd probably stay away from boots. Instead, pumps, sandals (even flip-flops), and various sneakers will do.
UPDATE 3/15/2010: If you want to find some platform shoes or learn more about them, please read my blog entry on platforms.
--- Criticisms of Flared Jeans and Pants ---
About the only real criticisms of these flared bottoms is that they don't look very well for taller people and that there aren't any good flares for curvy/plus-size figures. And... just that fact that the '70s is so out of style (even though we CONSTANTLY have to have these '80s revivals as if the '70s never existed) are another reason why there aren't as many bell-bottom jeans and pants. As I've gotten sick of the '80s, it's always cool just to go with the '70s or '90s.
--- Fabulous Flares! (added: January 11, 2011) ---
Recently, an Australian designer known as Ellery designed a deliciously sweet pair of flare pants called Bloodstone. They don't come cheap- asking price is almost $1,000 USD! There are two of them. Allow me to introduce you to the most fabulous and funky pair of flare pants money can buy.
^ (ORIGINAL PICTURE CREDITS: www.shopbop.com) - "Bloodstone" pants in black (top) and silver (bottom). The black pants are in silk while the silver pants are tweed.
Australian designer, ELLERY, came along with a fabulous pair of flared pants. The Bloodstone Extra Wide Flare Pants boast elements that make them funky in this day and age as their '70s inspiration. They have massively-flared legs and a high-waist design. They come either in woven silk or silvery tweed. They don't come cheap- almost $1K USD for the black silk pants, and almost $1,500 USD for the silver tweed flare pants. To see these pants in better detail, visit ELLERY's homepage, and click on the "Spring/Summer 1 2010-11" collection. Begin now by clicking on ELLERY's homepage.
--- Flares Around the Internet ---
(ADDED: SEP 29 2011) Around the blogosphere and elsewhere online, here is your dosage of flare inspiration. Be an inspired diva by checking out these flares and the ladies rocking them!
Khatu wears a lovely pair of flared white jeans in this post. The petite princess keeps it classy and hot (even on a cold/cool day) in "I love you, but" on i am Khatu.
Flare Inspiration: KARLA'S CLOSET.
A yellow polka dot top and Prada platforms go nicely with a pair of See by Chloe flared jeans. Don't believe me? Well, you haven't seen anything yet until you see "golden dot" on KARLA'S CLOSET!
Flare Inspiration: zarna's runway.
So, do you want to see a pair of elephant bell bottoms? You're in luck if your answer is yes! Meet Zarna. This young lady wears a pair of lovely bell bottom jeans. They don't look that significant in the first picture, but wait until you see some of the others. It's flared beauty when you check out "casual flare." on zarna's runway.
Flare Inspiration: PetiteLittleGirl.
When I first followed Sydney's blog called "PetiteLittleGirl," the Ohio-based petite fashion blogger had one post showcasing a lovely pair of flared jeans. Though it was a cold day, she was hot wearing her 7 for All Mankind flare jeans. Trust me- I think 7FAM makes some of the loveliest flares of any designer. Or at least, the best flared jeans from a denim designer. The focal point of this post is on a button-down shirt, but you should see the flares on Sydney in "Review: BR petite tattersall ruffle shirt (runs tiny)" on PetiteLittleGirl.
Want me to shout out to you too? Feel free to contact me!
--- Remembering an Old Website... ---
(added: April 6, 2011) There used to be a website called bigflares.com, dedicated to showing people (both males and females) wearing flared bottoms. This site featured bell bottom pants and flared pants in many varieties. It even included some tips on how to turn a regular pair of jeans/pants into flared or bell bottom pants. The site even included some flare pants pictures of Mistress Flara, a beautiful model who proudly wore bell bottom and palazzo pants in her images.
So with this post being about flared jeans and pants, I say that I miss you all at bigflares.com. You were a wonderful site in showcasing the beauty of flared jeans and pants.
NOTE: This section contains links to Amazon products. You are welcome to click on images and links to learn more about each item. You are free to order any items featured in this section or in any widget if you choose. Please see "An Important Amazon Note" in my blog's sidebar to see more information on any Amazon items shown.
The Amazon content previously posted below is now on my secondary blog, including more items than what is below. You can visit my other blog to shop for flared bottoms here:
Or, you may check out these two widgets to shop for flared jeans, pants, and skirts:
For bootcut bottoms:
For flared jeans:
For bell bottoms (or bellbottoms):
For flare skirts:
I would appreciate your business if you find and buy something from these Amazon widgets if you enjoyed my blog post and found something you like. I'm doing this for you all in case you love my blog posts and want to find/buy something online based on your reading. So please... feel free to show your support if you love my work.
I send a special hello to everyone on the Sega forums!
Here's a radical concept- mix and match cars and tracks from every classic Sega racing game. Think this will ever happen? Probably not. Some of you may remember a game called Fighters Megamix for the Sega Saturn. Simply put, this was a game that combined characters from other Sega fighting games and put it all into one game, even bringing in the respective fighting styles of various characters from the games. Imagine if Sega did this for some of their Sega racing games. I'll explain the concept, and you let me know how you feel about this.
--- The Concept Explained ---
Here is the simple format- cars and tracks from certain past Sega racing games brought back to life, and you can race almost any car from past Sega racing games. This is basically a racing version of "Fighters Megamix." This game would do for Sega racing games like the Super Smash Bros. series did for Nintendo characters. Think about doing racing like this:
* race the Hornet High-Class stock car around Twilight Airport (the Beginner-Night from Sega Super GT * race the McLaren F1 (from Sega Super GT/SCUD Race) around Seaside Street Galaxy (from Daytona USA) * race the Indy Car (from Indy 500) around Three-Seven Speedway (Daytona USA) * race the Toyota Celica GT-Four rally car (Sega Rally Championship) around Virtua City (from "Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge") * race the Phantom Full Force Racing stock car (from "Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge") around Classic Castle (from Sega Super GT/SCUD Race) * race your Toyota Supra GT (from Sega Touring Car Championship) against all the cars from Sega Super GT/SCUD Race at Daytona USA's Seaside Street Galaxy * race any Sega Super GT/SCUD Race car around Night Section B (from Sega GT) * race any stock car from any Daytona USA game around Country Circuit (from Sega Touring Car Championship) * race any superbike (from Super Hang On or Manx TT Superbike) around Grünwalt Circuit (from Sega Touring Car Championship) * race your Indy car (from Indy 500) around Brickwall Town (from Sega Touring Car Championship) * race any stock car from the Daytona USA series around any rally stage in any Sega Rally Championship title * race any Ferrari (from either Ferrari F355 Challenge or OutRun 2) around Super Monaco GP's full course, or through Hang-On's course or any of the four courses in Super Hang-On (by course, I mean the different levels in the Novice, Junior, Senior, and Expert courses) * race the Formula car (from the Virtua Racing series) on Dinosaur Canyon (from Daytona USA) * race the Prototype (from Virtua Racing Deluxe) against Sega Super GT/SCUD Race cars around Ancient Ruins (from Sega Super GT/SCUD Race) * race the Stock (from Virtua Racing Deluxe) against Daytona USA stock cars around Dolphin Tunnel (from Sega Super GT/SCUD Race) * race the Rad Mobile car around Highland (from Virtua Racing Deluxe) * race the Indy car (from Indy 500) around
or... * race as a horse horse (from Daytona USA) around the Super Beginner track (from Sega Super GT Plus/SCUD Race Plus)!
Also important is being able to race any number of courses in any number of settings. Games like the Daytona USA and Super GT/SCUD Race titles allow you to race in any number of race lengths, preferably Normal, Grand Prix, and Endurance. I hope you got the general idea from the points I mentioned. Think of this as a mixing and matching concept featuring some of Sega's past racing games. I primarily stayed with most 3D Sega racing titles as I would be unsure as to how the other titles would play. Something I wouldn't be sure of is how to package everything and if the the cars should all have their original handling mechanics from the respective games they come from. I would imagine races would be a mixed bag of circuit races and point-to-point races. You may choose to "rock out" to songs from each of the respective games, choose one song from other Sega games, or just play your own music.
--- Mixing and Matching ---
The mixing and matching process begins with taking cars and tracks from other Sega racing games to be included in an all-in-one package. Here's what you would be able to control in this concept:
* the cars/motorcycles you race * the cars/motorcycles your opponents race * what track from what game is being raced on (even including the point-to-point courses like SCUD Race and Daytona USA 2 challenge courses)
The racing machines all come from Sega racing games past and present. That also applies to the tracks. What you're looking at is a racing game package where you could mix and match various Sega racing games to make a one-of-a-kind racing experience. Replay value would be nearly limitless since you could race a variety of courses from a variety of games with a variety of racing machines.
--- What Tracks Would Be Included? ---
This game would encompass a great variety of tracks from past Sega racing games. These can range from fan favorites to the only interesting tracks in Sega games. Please note that this list includes tracks from individual games, but can be raced on with almost any racing machine. This area just concerns the tracks. Only imagine racing various cars and such on these tracks!
Since this concerns circuit racing, I will NOT discuss racing/driving games like 18 Wheelers or whatever.
Motorcycle Games... * the route for Hang-On. * (maybe) all four routes in Super Hang-On. * (maybe) the course in Enduro Cross. * the track used in GP Rider. * Laxey Coast and the Isle of Man TT course in Manx TT Superbike.
Daytona USA Series... * all three tracks from Daytona USA * all original courses from Daytona USA Circuit Championship Edition, excluding the original three Daytona USA courses * all three tracks from Daytona USA 2, including the Challenge Course (all three courses linked as one super-long course) * some of the new courses in Daytona USA 2001
OutRun Series. It's uncertain you'll be able to race multiple routes from every game. So to be safe... * the Turbo OutRun route. * (maybe) all courses from the first OutRun. * (maybe) all courses in the East and West routes in OutRunners
Rally Racing... * all courses from Sega Rally Championship * all courses from Sega Rally 2
Touring Cars... * every course from Sega Touring Car Championship * (maybe) every course from Ferrari F355 Challenge (arcade and home versions)
GT and Sportscars... * every course from Sega Super GT/SCUD Race in their original form, including the continuous SCUD Race stage found in OutRun 2. * both tracks from Le Mans 24, including the 24 hour race event. It has two venues featuring the Circuit de la Sarthe and a fantasy Expert course.
Open-Wheel... * the course in "Super Monaco GP" (arcade version) and both of its variations * all three courses in "Indy 500," including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (which could post a licensing issue) * the courses from Club Kart (obviously only enjoyable with karts) * the courses in F1 Exhaust Note and F1 Super Lap
Others... * (maybe, as a bonus) the Super Beginner course from SCUD Race Plus * (maybe) courses based on Crazy Taxi cities * all courses from Virtua Racing, and the two extra courses in Virtua Racing Deluxe * various courses from Sega GT and Sega GT 2002. Most importantly- Night Section A and Night Section B from Sega GT, and (the interesting courses from Sega GT 2002).
--- What Cars Would Be Included? ---
This game would encompass a great variety of racing machines from past Sega racing games. Here would be a general list of cars to be featured, if there ever was this Sega Racing Legacy package. All cars are sorted based on the game they come from:
Motorcycles... * all racing motorcycles from the Hang-On series, including Hang-On GP 1995 * the motorcycles from Enduro Racer and Stadium Cross * the bike you race in Racing Hero * (maybe) the motorcycles from Harley-Davidson & LA Riders, only for motorcycle diversity
Daytona USA Series... * #41 Hornet High-Class Racing stock car * all player-selectable cars from Daytona USA: Circuit Championship Edition (Daytona USA CCE) * all player-selectable stock cars from Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge * various player-selectable cars from Daytona USA 2001
OutRun Series... * the car from the first OutRun * the car from Turbo OutRun * the car from OutRun 2019 * every car from OutRunners * NOTE: Due to licensing issues, I'm uncertain about getting every Ferrari in OutRun 2.
Rally Racing... * both the Toyota Celica WRC and Lancia Delta from Sega Rally Championship * every car from Sega Rally 2.
Touring Cars... * every car from Sega Touring Car Championship (the Alfa Romeo 155 V6T, the AMG Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Opel Calibra V6 Touring Car, and the Toyota Supra GT) * Ferrari F355 Challenge (may not be possible because of licensing issues)
GT and Sportscars... * every car from Sega Super GT/SCUD Race (Porsche 911, Ferrari F40, Dodge Viper GTS-R, and McLaren F1) * every car from Le Mans 24 (Sauber Mercedes C9, Gulf McLaren F1, Ferrari F40 GTE, Porsche 911 GT1, Porsche 911 GT2, Nissan Skyline GT-R, Mazda 787B, and Porsche 917) (some cars had to be looked up from (Le Mans 24's Wikipedia entry)
Open-Wheel... * the cars used in Power Drift * the Indy Car from Indy 500 * the Formula 1 car from F1 Exhaust Note and (maybe) every car from F1 Super Lap. The cars from F1 Super Lap are actual F1 team cars, so licensing would be an issue. * the Renalt Renaultsport Clio Cup Car from Sega GT (only with MUCH better handling)
Others. * the car used in Gale Racer/Rad Mobile. * all cars you can control in Crazy Taxi * the horse from Daytona USA. * the sheep from Manx TT Superbike * (maybe) the fighter jet(s) used in the After Burner Series, as a bonus * (maybe) the machine used in A.B. Cop, though AB Cop is not a racing game * the Formula car from Virtua Racing, as well as the Stock and Prototype from Virtua Racing Deluxe * the vehicles used in "Dirt Devils"
--- How Would This be Executed? ---
More than likely, everything will need to be 3D. One way to execute this is to give past Sega cars and tracks a 3D makeover, a la Mario Kart Wii's retro courses. Games already in 3D can be given 21st century makeovers. For nostaglic reasons, I'm torn between making everything super-detailed or allowing you to race the track the way it was from the original game.
Executing the Racing. The key to this game is on a "megamix" of Sega racing games. So this game would allow you to race on almost any track with any kind of cars or motorcycles or whatever. What does this mean to you? It means that you can possibly do the following:
* race Three-Seven Speedway (Daytona USA) with Indy cars (Indy 500). * race Dolphin Tunnel (Super GT/SCUD Race) with Daytona USA stock cars. * race Twilight Airport (Super GT/SCUD Race) with Le Mans cars (Le Mans 24). * race Dinosaur Canyon (Daytona USA) with superbikes (Hang-On, Manx TT Superbike, etc.). * race the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indy 500) in Daytona USA 2 stock cars (Daytona USA 2: B.O.T.E.). * race Night Section B (Sega GT) with touring cars (Sega Touring Car Championship or Ferrari F355 Challenge).
It may also be possible to have certain "rival series" races. So what would be "rival" race events? Here are some: * Sega Super GT/SCUD Race vs. Le Mans 24 * Daytona USA vs. Daytona USA 2 * Daytona USA series vs. Indy 500 * Hang-On vs. Manx TT Superbike * Sega Rally series vs. Sega Touring Car Championship * Sega Touring Car Championship vs. Sega Super GT/SCUD Race * Enduro Racer vs. Stadium Cross
You may even test the limits of car vs. bike. Imagine racing Seaside Street Galaxy (Daytona USA) in a cars vs. bikes race. It would be dangerous putting cars and motorcycles on the same track, but it would be possible.
Another positive to this model is that you can imagine racing different machines on different tracks from different Sega racing games. Always wondered how fast you could go if you raced an Indy car around Three-Seven Speedway? What about a motocross bike on any of Sega Rally Championship's courses?
Options. You may elect to run races the way they were meant to run from the games they come from. Or, you may try to run races in various lengths. Think of the big 3D racing titles. You could race a Normal length race, a Grand Prix length race, or an Endurance length race.
It may also be possible to race the machines as they handled from the original games, or use a one-size-fits-all driving and collision model that makes every car as accessible to race as any other. You may set races of original length to be even longer to compliment your time.
What should be a must is the ability to race against others in online multiplayer action.
Challenges? Imagine if you could unlock some bonus vehicles by clearing challenges. Challenges can range from time trials to race challenges to almost anything. Here are a few crazy ideas:
* Pass ten cars in only two laps around Dolphin Tunnel using a Dodge Viper (Super GT/SCUD Race). * Beat the Toyota Supra in Sega Touring Car Championship around Brickwall Town (Sega T.C. Championship) racing the Toyota Celica WRC (Sega Rally Championship). * Win the race at Twilight Airport (Super GT/SCUD Race) against SCUD Race machines while racing the Mazda 787B (Le Mans 24) * Win the Daytona USA 2 Challenge course racing against motorcycles from Hang-On GP '95 while racing your motorcycle from Super Hang-On. * Win the SCUD Race course from OutRun 2 racing as and against cars from Daytona USA 2. * Complete a lap of Seaside Street Galaxy in 1 minute, 45 seconds or less using an Indy Car (Indy 500). * Win the race at Highland (Virtua Racing Deluxe) against SCUD Race cars in your McLaren F1 (Super GT/SCUD Race). * As the Mazda 787B (Le Mans 24), beat the Sauber Mercedes C9 (Le Mans 24) in a three-lap race around Night Section A Normal (Sega GT). * Using the Formula car from Virtua Racing, beat Indy Cars (Indy 500) around Classic Castle (Super GT/SCUD Race). * Using the Stock car from Virtua Racing Deluxe, win the race against Daytona USA stock cars at Bay Side Street (Indy 500). * Using the Ferrari F355 Challenge Car, beat Sega Touring Car Championship cars around Super Monaco GP's Grand Prix course (Super Monaco GP - Arcade) in a three-lap race. * Win the 24 Hours of Le Mans (Le Mans 24) racing as and against Super GT/SCUD Race cars.
Can you think of any other unique challenges? :)
Bonuses? Bonuses should be a good way to enjoy each of the games in better detail. These can include: * original samples of songs from various games * artwork and flyer artwork for multiple games * movie sequences. These can be things such as attract mode videos, attract mode videos for twin cabinets and when multiple units are linked together (like with Daytona USA or Super GT/SCUD Race), hints on how to win certain races, and more. * history on each game and fun facts about each game
--- Maintaining Retro Solidarity ---
The option should exist for you to be able to play a lot of these older games the way they were in arcade form. So if everything was made of sprites and had great sprite scaling, you should be able to play the original game as it is for enjoyment. Then when you want to cross various Sega racing games, you try picking a certain game series of cars to take on any number of cars/motorcycles and tracks across multiple games.
That's why I call this concept more like the "Fighters Megamix of Sega Racing games" because of the unlimited potential for almost any kind of race with any kind of car or motorcycle. It's unlimited potential with a variety of cars and tracks.
The possibilities are endless. The race types are endless. This is just about the culmination of Sega racing games past and present that serves as a true tribute to all or almost all Sega racing games. Would this EVER happen? Probably not. But would you want something like this? Not just yes... ABSOLUTELY! What are your ideas on a project like this? Comment away!
Here is a chance for me to talk about one of the most little-known Sega racing titles ever. Le Mans 24 is only known if you've actually played it at an arcade place before. I don't think this game has EVER been seen in the United States. I would really love to play this game in an arcade room or someplace. Part of my motivation to do blog entries on things is to help people out. And so what I want to do is to explain as much as I know about this game based on what I've read online and in other media. Please note... I am NOT discussing "Le Mans 24 Hours" for the Sega Dreamcast. I am talking about the 1997 or 1998 Sega arcade game, "Le Mans 24." Here is how the title screen looks:
^ from: imageshack.us - This is the title screen to the little-known "Le Mans 24" arcade game by Sega.
--- "Le Mans 24" at a Glance ---
I am not sure of this, but I had a hunch that this game was only a natural evolution of the Sega arcade classic, Super GT/SCUD Race. Why so? It's because you're racing some of the fastest cars in the world. "Le Mans 24" takes you for a spin around the Circuit de la Sarthe in a variety of different sportscar racing machines. There are no Le Mans prototypes, but you can race cars like the Ferrari F40 GTE, Sauber-Mercedes C9, Mazda 787B, and more. I think there are about six or seven cars in this game you can race. This game runs on the Model 3 Step 1.5 system.
There are three tracks. The first two are held at Le Mans, and there's an Expert-level fantasy street course (doesn't it seem like most street courses in games are almost always Expert level courses?). You have a choice of running the 24 Hours of Le Mans in this game or a circuit race around Le Mans. You earn time when you pass other cars or stay in the race long enough. You lose time when you get passed. If you run out of time doing the 24 Hours of Le Mans, you can buy extra credits to complete the race.
The 24 Hour course showcases the beautiful time cycles as day becomes evening, evening becomes night, night becomes morning, and morning becomes day. As many as 40 cars can be raced on for the Le Mans races. The Le Mans 24 units come in Twin formats, but I am uncertain as to whether multiple cabinets can be linked for a huge number of players.
This game allows for: • realistic handling of the cars • big 29' monitors • four different camera views • three Twin cabinets can be linked for six-player racing • great sound • good music • mid-race buy-in (meaning, anyone can deposit credits and get right into the race at any time while the race is still going on)
Maybe the thing that has made this game not as known was because this was only released in the European markets (and perhaps even the Japanese market as well).
--- "Le Mans 24" in Video ---
Here are two videos that give you better perspective of this game.
This video gives you great sound quality of this game:
And this video gives you great visual quality of this game:
Both races are held in the 24 Hours of Le Mans event. This is about the best I can do for all of you as far as visual footage of this game is concerned. I included two videos because it's the best way I can show you what this game is capable of.
I'd have to be fortunate or lucky to see this game in an arcade room. It looks like the arcade unit is the same as the Sega Super GT/SCUD Race twin cabinets. This is a great shame that not as many people have heard of or know about this game. If you know more about this arcade game, you are more than welcome to comment in my blog about it. I'm just doing what I can to expose this game to you all.
With Spring coming up, I think it's time to talk about floppy hats. Because when the sun beats down on you, one way to keep your head cool is with a good hat. A floppy hat can be great to help stay cool on warm days. Or for you ladies, stay cool while looking hot! Speaking of my female audience... the right kind of floppy hat can be cute. I personally don't mind cold weather. But for those of you who can't wait for warmer weather, let me give you a lift here.
LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):
FEB 18 2012 - made several edits, updated post
--- The Floppy Hat at a Glance ---
The only celebrity I really know of that sports the floppy hat is Ashley Judd. I still remember watching some races in the IndyCar Series whereas Ashley Judd wears her very cute floppy hat. The right kind of hat can help you stay cool. Some may even grant you extra protection from the sun. A hat with a wider brim can grant you better protection as your head and neck cool. Think about wearing a hat that's durable and cool for both your head and your neck. While they may look goofy to some people, some floppy hats can actually be very cute for females and plenty functional for guys. Here are a few floppy hats to set the mood for this blog entry:
^ (from: northernvirginiamag.com) The big floppy hat above is cute, stylish, and functional.
^ (from: refinery29.com) Three big floppy hats here along with three outfits to wear them with.
^ (from: accessories.about.com) This is a big floppy beach hat. You can probably wear some sunglasses underneath for some extra cute. That's probably even if you're wearing a pair of big sunglasses.
^ (from: hubpages.com) This one... is a bit extreme. It's probably a floppy hat for if your face is too good to be shown to the public eye or if you want sunlight protection for your head and neck, but also your upper back too. It's probably not recommended to wear this hat when doing limbo or something.
^ (from: thisfish.ivillage.com) Here is a casual and cute floppy hat.
There are floppy hats for men as well. Sadly, I couldn't find any I like that I can actually feature.
--- What to Wear With a Floppy Hat? ---
You can wear almost anything warm-weather or hot-weather appropriate. It can be a T-shirt, some long shorts, sandals or sneakers, and a floppy hat for the males. It can be a spaghetti strap tank top, short-shorts, flip-flop sandals, and the floppy hat for the females. It all depends on you.
Here's a little look I think I nice for ladies. If you want a nice look, I would probably go with a lemon yellow dress, a blue denim jean bolero or denim jean vest, either dark brown gladiator sandals or cowboy boots, and a big floppy hat. This look is kind of in the realm of prairie or country chic, only without purely overdoing it.
How cute can floppy hats be for femmes? Check out this video of randomness:
^ Told you they can be fun and cute...
If you like your own floppy hat, I'm willing to share with you some on Amazon.
--- Floppy Hats on Amazon ---
NOTE: This section contains links to Amazon products. You are welcome to click on images and links to learn more about each item. You are free to order any items featured in this section or in any widget if you choose. Please see "An Important Amazon Note" in my blog's sidebar to see more information on any Amazon items shown.
I'll try to cover both bases- men's and women's floppy hats. I have a feeling that some floppy hats may even be unisex. Don't forget that you're encouraged to check out any floppy hats you like and order them if you see something you like.
Added: July 15, 2010 I've made a new blog entry on John's Shop Space (my secondary blog) featuring a Search Widget with all available floppy hats on Amazon. Visit my secondary blog or read on after the Jump Break.
^ This is supposedly a physician endorsed hat. So I would imagine that this hat can be worn to give you lots of protection from the sun. In fact... this hat allows up to a 50+ UPF (ultraviolet protection factor), meaning that about 1/50 (or 2%) of the sun's rays will actually impact you. It's a good way to fend off sun rays while looking great at the same time. It's called the "Diva" hat by Physician Endorsed Hats. So... unleash your inner diva, baby! :)
^ This is a beach hat with an eight-inch brim. It's casual enough to wear with your swimsuit, or even on a warm day with your girl friends. You'll be sure to stay cool while looking great. This is also similar to a floppy hat Ashley Judd would wear.
^ While a much less dramatic floppy hat, it's still plenty capable of keeping you cool on warm or hot days. I used to have my own bucket hat or floppy hat. If your head gets sweaty and hot, maybe you can use a hat like this.
^ Pretty in pink! Or pretty cute in pink with this hat. It has a big brim to help your head stay cool on warm or hot days.
^ Simple. Basic. Cute. With a brim of over 4.5 inches, this is a very basic floppy hat that can lead to some excellent style.
^ Nine West has you covered with this nice floppy hat. It provides ample head protection with even a little neck protection.
That's all I hae to show for all of you. Hope you liked this!
Didn't see a floppy hat you like, but you still want one? Find some in my widget below. Remember... you're encouraged to check out each item and if you see one you like, you are free to order one. If you live in a cold weather place right now and awaiting warmer weather, go get yourself a floppy hat in preparation of warmer weather! Thanks for reading (and shopping, in case you're doing any)!
WARNING- this blog entry is VERY long! When I joined YouTube, one of my reasons was to discuss little-known racing games. Well now that YouTube's new channel layout really disallows you to actually see all the videos, I'm going to discuss as many old and forgotten games here. What you will see are MANY racing/driving games from video game history that are either little-known or forgotten. You may be introduced to games you may have never heard of before. Some games are probably forgotten for good reason- they weren't all that good. Please note that this lineup of games is not only about forgotten gems in racing game history. Instead, it's a look at various little-known or forgotten racing titles. This can include very good games... and very bad games. So keep reading because you're going to get schooled proper on little-known or forgotten racing games.
Are you a dedicated blog reader? Reason why I ask is... THIS BLOG ENTRY IS VERY LONG! So here are three options you have as you're reading this blog entry:
2.) Check out all of the videos in this embedded YouTube playlist below, (embeddable player)
or...
3.) Read below to see all 80+ games I have to mention and discuss!
The choice is yours, player! :D
--- Origins of This List ---
This project of mine on YouTube all began with one game- Le Mans 24 by Sega. Being a fan of Sega Super GT/SCUD Race, "Le Mans 24" was almost completely forgotten. This was the origin of my list of little-known or forgotten racing games. The game looks beautiful as well as having that lovely 24-hour racing model. "Le Mans 24" is both little-known and forgotten to many racing game fans. And please note, I am not talking about "Le Mans 24 Hours" (which is a racing classic), but rather the arcade game, "Le Mans 24."
As I started looking up many games online, there are many that are either little-known, forgotten, or both. The list below consists of games that are little-known and/or forgotten and WHY they are so. You have the Internet at your disposal, so if you see a game mentioned here, you're free to look up on (your favorite search engine) and even YouTube.
--- Origins of This List ---
My entire playlist can be found here: Little-Known or Forgotten Racing/Driving Games. These are the majority of little-known and/or forgotten racing games since I joined YouTube and started taking count of racing game titles. I'll be fairly brief in all of the games I've selected. But do remember... there are MANY MORE little-known or forgotten racing games. So I'll leave it up to you to find as many old racing games as possible. I'll only explain why they are forgotten as well as what they are about. Pictures, videos, and things of that nature... that's for you to do.
And remember... THIS ENTRY IS VERY LONG!!!
Racing Hero (1989).
The game is like a combination of the Hang-On Series and the OutRun series. Impressive graphics for its time.
Racin' Force (1994).
This racing game uses voxels (think 3D pixels) for the playing field. You race these GTP race cars similar to an old game- WEC Le Mans 24 released in the '80s.
Le Mans 24 (1998?).
A completely little-known arcade racing game from Sega. You can run the 24 Hours of Le Mans in this game. Passing cars earns you extra time while being passed takes away time. There was also a fictional course in addition to the two Circuit de la Sarthe races.
The Cycles.
PC-racing game that allows you to race motorcycles around a variety of real-world courses. Made by Distinctive Software Inc., the same people behind the 1990 PC racing classic, Stunts (or 4D Sports Driving).
Super Monaco GP (Arcade Version, 198?).
While you don't race the real F1 Grand Prix of Monaco course, you do race a ficticious track resembling Monaco. Graphics are absolutely amazing. You think it's 3D, but it really isn't. A testament to Sega's lovely use of sprite scaling.
Mille Miglia and Mille Miglia 2 (1990s)
Both games allowed you to race on various stages of the Mille Miglia using some of the fastest cars in their day. Absolutely challenging (yet rewarding) gameplay.
Drift Out '94 - The Hard Order (1994).
This game plays like the two games I mentioned earlier. Difference is, you're racing rally cars around a number of different rally stages. There are two stages to each locale, and you must clear the stages in time to advance.
GP World (198?).
This is a laserdisc game from Sega (as well as Bally Midway) that allowed you to race three different tracks. If you see that the video footage is very thin-looking, that's because this game had a double screen format.
Laser Grand Prix.
Taito's answer to GP World was "Laser Grand Prix" back in either the early 1990s or late 1980s.
Race Drivin' and Hard Drivin'.
These games are really forgotten as one of the first simulation racing games. They tried to give a simulation feel to stunt racing. Don't worry about wrecking your car- you'll be doing this VERY often! It's even tougher in manual transmission cars. How so? Everything you have to do to start the car and get off cleanly is what you'll have to do even after you crash your car and respawn!
World Tour Racing.
This game is a formula-style racing game. This game was for the Atari Jaguar (remember that epic fail?).
Cisco Heat.
This is a strange concept. On the streets of San Francisco, brace yourself for one of the fastest races using... police cars? Yes. The 2D graphics look very interesting as your racing your cop car around the streets of San Francisco.
Cyber Cycles (1995)
Namco released this arcade game in 1995. Set in the future, you race with one of three different motorcycles on two different tracks. Green Hill is your basic kind of permanent race course while the more advanced course is Neo-Yokohama, a futuristic street course at night down... Yokohama in the future, apparently. I actually played this game before.
Speed Haste (1995).
I know very little about this PC game. I just personally haven't seen it before until seeing a YouTube video on it.
Whiplash/Fatal Racing
This was a game I wanted to get a long time ago, but like so many '90s game I've wanted to get, I eventually didn't.
Moto Champ (1973)
Of all the games you will see here, this is the ONLY game that is not an electronic game. Instead, it is an electromagnetical game from Sega.
Checkered Flag.
Checkered Flag was a failed attempt by Jaguar to overtake Sega's Virtua Racing. This game is basically Virtua Racing for the Jaguar, just with extra setting features and more tracks. But still, nowhere near as exciting and fun as Virtua Racing.
Ace Driver Series.
This is a futuristic Indy car racing game from Namco. It featured some very nice music and lovely graphics.
TX-1.
This game was created by Tatsumi on the same year I was born- 1983. This game can purely be described as Pole Position meets OutRun. You can choose multiple routes like in OutRun. This is a gem of a racing game.
Continental Circus (1989).
Apparently, the story behind the name of this game was that it was to be called "Continental CIRCUITS." Instead, it was called "Continental Circus," and usually is in conjunction with "F1 Circus." Regardless, this is Formula 1 carnage like never before from Taito!
Ultim@te Race Pro Series.
This is perhaps the most little-known AND forgotten PC racing game. Nobody knows anything about this racing game unless you've actually played it and this series before. I couldn't find a working demo of this game online. But basically, think of it as an extreme version of Daytona USA. Great graphics and lovely gameplay. It was one of the first few games to really capitalize on the lovely graphics the 3DFX graphics cards could muster.
All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) (1998 for PlayStation 1).
This game was a mystery until a future YouTube friend of mine shown me this game for the first time ever. This game allows you to race some of the finest (then) JGTC cars in its time on some of the most intense courses raced by the series now known as Super GT.
Super GT 24H (from Jaleco).
DO NOT confuse this game with the beautiful Sega racing title, "Sega Super GT"/"SCUD Race." While this game doesn't have the beautiful Sega graphics and Sega racing gameplay, this is a game that uses the Sega Model 2 engine. The biggest draw to this game is the beautiful time cycles. When you race the Long course, you note afternoon become evening, evening become night, night become morning, and more. While it's mediocre, it's worth a look just to see the long course and the nice time cycle.
Indy Car Racing 2.
What happens when NASCAR rules the roost? Other series get relegated and left for dead. That was probably the untimely fate of Indy Car Racing 2. While the NASCAR Racing series got a beautiful upgrade with NASCAR Racing 2 and NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition, ICR2 was left to die, basically. There would be a future downloadable program that allowed you to convert ICR2 tracks to be used in NASCAR Racing 2.
SODA Offroad Racing.
More people know "Monster Truck Madness" than "SODA Off-Road Racing." I know very little about this game, except I heard you could make your own off-road courses.
Top Gear Rally.
Think Top Gear, and you think of the insanity of the three Top Gear hosts and the Stig. However, this is NOT the Top Gear we are discussing. This is Top Gear Rally for the Nintendo 64. It was also called Boss World Rally (I believe). Up to 20 cars can compete on a track as you have a bevy of car settings, track settings, and more to become a championship rally racer across these very long rally courses. You need to listen to the introduction to this game, made by Barry Leitch. It's one of the most awesome songs used in any racing game. It's a mellow electronica-type song, but it has a fierce edge to it. MUST hear!
World Driver Championship (1999).
While it couldn't hold a candle to PlayStation's Gran Turismo series, World Driver Championship is considered by many to be the most beautiful racing game ever on the Nintendo 64. You're racing GT2-spec cars across mostly city streets. Gameplay is a bit boring, but it does have its exciting moments. The music can be a bit intolerable. The cars resemble certain real-world GT race cars, but are all fiction.
F-1 World Grand Prix.
Video System created the only American-shipped game in the long-running "F-1 Grand Prix" series of games, which dates back to 1991. It's was one of the best simulation racing games for the Nintendo 64. You could even challenge yourself to relive history... or rewrite history. You had a number of scenarios to challenge your abilities with.
POD (1997).
In 1997, a revolutionary processor called the MMX was unveiled, delivering amazing performance. This was one of the first games to capitalize on this. I had a very weak computer when I got a demo of this game from PC Gamer magazine.
Rollcage.
I haven't played this futuristic game, but it is pretty fast and exciting.
Kinetica.
Everyone had their ideas on the future of racing. For this game, you ARE the car! You race with these spiked gears or blades against other opponents in fierce competition.
Quantum Redshift (200?).
Quantum Redshift may be one of the most beautiful XBOX racing games ever. It was no WipEout or F-Zero, but it was truly beautiful.
Grand Prix Circuit (Commodore 64).
This title for the Commodore 64 was made by Distinctive Software Inc., which you've seen make Stunts and The CYCLES. The game was made in 1988. You race on one of four real-world racing tracks and able to race as and against multiple F1 teams.
King the Spirits (1995).
For the Sega Saturn, this game from Atlus allowed you the chance to get mad sideways in your four-wheeled drifting weapon. Real cars are featured, but don't have real names.
Bari Bari Densetsu.
Get ready for racing action on two wheels. There's a real storyline feel to this title with lots of unique animations and artwork. It was made by Taito in 1989.
J's Racin'.
Enjoy the full impact of Super Taikyu in "J's Racin'! This is the premier endurance racing series in Japan feauting some incredible cars bred and tuned for racing. It's all production-based cars rather than anything along the lines of a silhouette
C1GP.
The United States never got in on this game. This is a racing game from the underrated racing game maker, Genki. It looked to have a combination of circuit racing and drifting and a bevy of interesting cars to tune and race. It's described as a car tuning RPG. It looks like a great game. Just a shame the US didn't get this.
Superbike 2001.
EA Sports' Superbike series may be the best simulation motorcycle racing game series of all time.
Castrol Superbike Honda.
When I downloaded a demo of this game, this game has EXCEPTIONAL control of your motorcycle. And as the name suggests, you can only play as the Castrol Honda team like from the Castrol Honda RC45.
Night Driver (1976).
My brother played this game more than 20 years ago (because I was just a child or a baby when this game was played at my cousin's house... and, I have a strange memory). This game is quite hard to say the least.
Buggy Boy (1986).
This is a fun-looking game from the same makers of TX-1, Tatsumi.
Screamer (199?) and Screamer 2 (199?).
Both screamer titles deliver intense high-speed racing. Screamer 1 puts you behind the wheel of sports cars at breakneck speed in a variety of environments. Think of it as a classic Need for Speed title, only with more edge and character. Screamer 2 wa almost purely about rally racing with rally cars in rally environments.
Top Speed.
Taito released this game which has pretty cool graphics. It's just you, your high-speed sports car, and the highway. This game allows you to go crazy fast down the road. Everything seems a blur as you fly down the road.
WEC Le Mans.
Especially the Arcade version gives you an amazing performance of high-speed racing. You are racing a GTP race car on a nice interpretation of the Circuit de la Sarthe. There are some time cycles to content with and experience as day becomes night, and night becomes day.
F-Zero Climax.
This game is foreign to me, but looks incredibly exciting!
F-1 Grand Prix Series.
While Video System may best be known for the Sonic Wings (Aero Fighters) series, they've also made classic game series like F-1 Grand Prix. Three titles were released for [and only] the Super Famicom. There was an F-1 World Grand Prix II, but it was NEVER released to the United States, sadly. I think the only thing missing from F-1 World Grand Prix II is the Jerez Circuit round.
HUMAN Grand Prix Series.
Japanese developer, HUMAN, made their own series of F1 racing games. I think the first two titles were released to the United States known as "F1 Pole Position" through Ubisoft. Then in the mid-late 1990s, a game from this series was called "F1 Pole Position 64" for the United States for the Nintendo 64.
Gale Racer/Rad Mobile.
This early 1990s 2D racer had incredible graphics. It was als one of the first games to request you to turn on headlights, windshield wipers, and more. Amazing sprite scaling i nthis game. There were lots of graphical and environmental touches to this game that almost no other racing game had. Plus, it was Sonic's debut before he even got his own game.
NASCAR Racing (Papyrus, PC, 1994).
Enjoy the excitement and thunder of NASCAR in this game. This game allowed you to race as various NASCAR stars of their time. It was the first in perhaps the best-ever series of NASCAR games in history.
Turbo OutRun (198?).
A spiritual sequel to the classic OutRun titles, Turbo OutRun takes you on an American tour. Your job is to go from New York City to Los Angeles while racing crazy fast in your Ferrari F40 (or at least, it resembles the F40). That F40 has something fearful- insane turbos. Use it to help you blast down the road while traffic is a thing of the past!
OutRunners (1992).
If you've never seen this game in pictures or in videos, YOU NEED TO SEE PICTURES AND VIDEOS OF THIS GAME! This game features some of the most amazing graphics for any 2D racing game in history. The graphics are outstanding. As for the racing, it was one of the first OutRun games to where you could actually choose different cars. It also featured two different routes for you to take. It basically took what past OutRuns have done and made everything better by leaps and bounds. This is sadly the ONLY OutRun I've played in an arcade. There is great music to listen to as well.
Virtua Racing Deluxe.
Virtua Racing is the godfather of many future 3D Sega Racing Games when it was unveiled in 1992. Two years later, the little-known Virtua Racing Deluxe was released only for the Genesis/Megadrive and 32X. This game adds two new courses and two more kinds of cars to race- a stock car and a GTP prototype race car. The unreal thing about this game was that this game was every bit as fast and as fun to play as the original version. However, you had to pay a lot to get this quality to your home to use fwith your 32X.
F1 Challenge (Sega Saturn, 1995).
It is a very cool Sega Saturn F1 game. Lovely music as well.
Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge.
No other 2D racing game has given you such an illusion of things like cliffs you could actually fall off of (not that I've played this game) or anything like that. You only
Jaguar XJ220.
At one point, the Jaguar XJ220 was the fastest car in the world. This game allowed you to harness the unreal power and performance of this beautiful and fast car. It had fantastic music.
F1 Beyond the Limit ().
This game challenged you to take on actual scenarios from the 1993 Formula 1 World Championship. This game was for the Sega Mega CD. Really ahead of its time in giving you actual scenarios from the actual 1993 season. Graphics were quite impressive as well.
Super Burnout.
Some nice music was in this motorcycle racing game for the Atari Jaguar.
F1 Pole Position.
Mentioned earlier, this game was released as "F1 Pole Position" for the Nintendo 64 in the States, but this game originally made by HUMAN entertainment was actually very lackluster.
WipEout.
Considering how long this series would last, not many people know about the original title. Also, I've never played the original WipEout because my first WipEout was WipEout XL.
WipEout 64.
The only WipEout for the Nintendo 64 was basically WipEout XL for the N64. But for what you get, it's pretty amazing what this game was able to achieve. Maybe the most fun aspect is that you could play multiplayer action without needing some kind of link cable like with the PlayStation 1. Everything you love about WipEout XL is in lovely detail for the Nintendo 64. This game contains certain Super Weapons and about eight cool songs. Considering this is on an N64 cartridge, it was amazing just finding out what this game was able to accomplish including featuring some cool music.
Power Drift (Arcade, 1989).
This game was an exciting and comical showcase of sprite scaling. Everything looks and runs amazing in this game, especially the Arcade version.
R: Racing Evolution.
While not a true Rider Racer title, this was an attempt by Namco to make a more sim-oriented title in the Ridge Racer universe. Real-world cars and venues were featured including some fictional courses.
Off-Road Redneck Racing.
This was an off-road racing game within the universe or realm of Redneck Rampage.
Burning Road 2 (1997).
Where else can you enjoy racing cars and motorcycles on the same track? Drive hard or ride hard!
TT Superbikes.
You may see this game and this series on bargain racks, but I got to tell you- the sense of speed and control seems amazing. While I've never played any of these titles, some say that this is an enjoyable game series as long as you have the patience to understand how the game plays and how to operate these motorcycles. This is all about real road racing- road racing on country roads and city streets in the United Kingdom. All in its dangerous glory.
Battle Grand Prix.
Interesting concept, failed execution. You race a variety of courses around the world with a variety of drivers. Everything's in top-down mode with a split screen. The most interesting aspect is that you can take on a computer or human opponent in one-on-one races or in Survival Mode. The one-on-one races are usually five laps long, and it's a Best-of-3 format. The vertical split-screen format of this top-down racing game just obscures lots of things into view.
Kawasaki Superbike Challenge.
This was a game I once played before. Never played through it a whole lot, but it was a pretty good motorcycle racing game for the Super Nintendo. Not great, but good.
V-Rally 3.
This was a game I'd see often on bargain basement shelves and bins. Looking at it for the PlayStation 2, it's just so beautiful to look at. It's a beautiful-looking racing game even today.
WRC Rally Evolved.
Never released to the United States, this game offers impressive detail on rally racing in the World Rally Championship. The scope of cars you can race is amazing- everything ranging from current (as of the cars in the game at its time) rally cars to classics can be raced. The action is pretty awesome from what I've seen. Unfortunately, I think this game was ONLY marketed for Europe.
GTC Africa.
In this game, you race in various locations in Africa. I'm not sure how to explain this game. You're mostly racing rally cars across various cities and countries in Africa. But that's as much as I know, unfortunately...
SD F1 Grand Prix.
What happens when Formula 1 racing meets Super Mario Kart? You get this Super Nintendo game released only in Japan.
Kat's Run.
Released by Atlus in the mid-1990s, this Super Famicom game is a high-speed racing game featuring... Kei cars. There's a storyline to this game supposedly, but I can't really tell you.
Asphalt Urban GT 2.
The N-Gage has been a fading memory in its own right. However, this game looked pretty good for such a forgotten game system.
Grand Prix Challenge.
G4 TV "X-Play" gave this game a "2 out of 5" because of its intense challenge. More sim-happy racers think this is one of the best Formula 1 racing games ever for the PlayStation 2. It has beautiful graphics and some nice music. It's based on the 2002 season of F1.
Hang-On GP '95.
Hang-On Grand Prix '95 was a modern attempt at making Hang-On relevant again. Unfortunately, it fell flat with only six tracks in a game that is nowhere near as fun as the classic Hang-On titles.
Racing Lagoon.
What happens when you cross Final Fantasy (or your favorite traditional RPG series) with touge racing? You get a game like this. The "battle" sequences are kind of like random battles that automatically load you into these quick races. This was basically a true car-RPG. Victory in battle yields you some credits good for tuning your car. Oh, and if there are those DNA ties to an RPGs, what if I told you that this game was made by Squaresoft?
--- Other Little-Known or Forgotten Racing/Driving Games --- Now if you can believe it, there are some games NOT in my playlist, and I'll tell you more about some of those little-known
Grand Prix Star.
Jaleco's foray into Formula 1 racing yielded this game and this series. The first arcade title featured Hockenheim and Monte Carlo (though not using their names). What I liked about the first game is how the clouds in the air move.
F1 Exhaust Note and F1 Super Lap.
The only difference between these two arcade games from Sega is that F1 Super Lap actually features real F1 teams. I think for both games, you are racing on only one track in a four-lap race. The graphics look impressive for these 2D games.
GP Rider.
GP Rider is similar to the two F1 games I mentioned, and this Sega arcade racing game has you racing on only one track while trying to finish four laps around the course.
GT Racing (1996).
This game was released in 1996 for the Super Famicom. You race around eight different Japanese race tracks with a number of real world cars. Cars come from makes ranging from Alfa Romeo to Toyota.
GT 64 Championship Edition.
This 3D racing adventure for the Nintendo 64 was pretty boring as a whole. However, I do remember playing and renting this game. All of the cars are from the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC, now known as Super GT). You are only racing on street courses. The American version has three different course with two different variations each. If you think this game is too much on racing on city streets, you'd be exactly right when you learn that the name of this game's Japanese variant is called (thanks: Wikipedia) "City Tour Grand Prix: Zen Nihon GT Senshuken." And the Japanese version has one extra track not released for the North American and European versions.
That was a LOT of reading! And well... this was a lot of games I've found on YouTube. Note that some games from my YouTube list were not included in this massive blog entry. All I can say is... if you love racing games, learn to love and appreciate the entire scope of racing games from the past and the present. This list gives you some much-needed insight. The moral of this blog entry? Appreciate all racing games both past and present. They bring so many things to the table even if most of them aren't as classic or as loved as other racing games.
A program I've recently installed on my computer is called Digsby. One of the reasons why I considered getting this program was to look for an alternative to chat with friends of mine on Facebook without having to use the browser's Facebook Chat feature. This was shown to be a mere way to enjoy chatting without having to have your browser logged in to Facebook.
^ from: programs.holyfile.com
IM Connections. This feature is really the best feature about this program. You can have no other programs running, but still be able to enjoy chatting with others as long as you have an active Internet connection. So you can connect to people through AOL/AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Windows/Windows Live Messenger, and other IM services. You can even connect to others through Myspace and Facebook IM'ing.
The best thing is that you can chat with multiple people rather efficiently. I've had Facebook chats with multiple people, and this program worked efficently. There was no lag like what you experience while using your browser for Faecbook Chat. And most of all... you do not need to be logged into any browser to connect with your friends via any social networking site.
Other Features You can even use Digsby to keep up with Email. Just be sure to set up how frequently you want Email updates from various services. There are also a few customizable skins you can use for the main window and for chatting. LOTS of options to choose from.
My final verdict is that this program handles IM'ing duties quite well and is much more efficient to use than using your browser for chat. And you don't really need to have a browser running to be able to check on updates and post IM comments to others. So this is a lovely alternative. I think Digsby is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. All you need to do is download and register. It's free to download and register. What you're getting is a program that allows you to connect to all of your IM clients and even connect with your friends on social networks.
Japanese-American cutie Arika Sato is a television personality as well as a model. She is best known for being a contestant on the second season of "Paris Hilton's My New BFF (Best Friend Forever)." Unfortunately, she was eliminated from the competition for kissing a bachelor in a challenge. Arika is trying to break through as a TV Personality. Arika Sato has a beautiful smile, lovely hair, a nice sense of fashion, and plenty of charm. She is also a stylish goddess with a nice sense of fashion. Amid her fashionable looks, her loveliest accessory is her sweet smile.
If you've never seen or heard of Arika Sato, here is a picture of her:
^ from: gotcast.com - Arika Sato is the sweetest eye candy you will ever see with sweet looks.
--- How I Came Across Arika Sato ---
This story may be the most logical. In one of my most recent blog entries, I talked about some of my fictional characters. One of my fictional characters for my MUGEN project is Candy Love, who is Japanese-American. So when I did a random search for Japanese-American girls, I came across Arika Sato. I was introduced to her overall style both with her looks and in her videos. I've grown great appreciation for her work that I'd subscribe to her YouTube channel.
--- Arika's Aspirations ---
Her hosting aspirations have been made pretty clear as this video suggests:
From TV hostess to journalism, Arika does dream of being a TV personality in the mainstream. She was once among the many ladies to become the next Spike girl. Maybe one of the finest aspects of Arika is that she is very determined and well-educated. I think Arika is capable of anything she wishes to accomplish, even as watching this CorpShorts YouTube video featuring Arika Sato.
I personally want Arika to accomplish any such aspirations she has. Arika Sato is a young lady who is well-equipped to become a great TV personality- beautiful looks, exceptional character, amazing charm, and loads of entertaining value. She is a lady with great style and great fashion charm. There's also a cultural reason why I do cheer her on... how many Asian or Asian-American stars are there in mainstream American media? The last thing really close to an Asian superstar in American media is Tila Tequila. So if you're probably looking for the next lovely Asian star, look no further than Arika Sato. I really think she could be the next Asian superstar in American media.
--- My Message to Arika (if she were to read this) ---
I just want to say that you are beautiful as well as charming. Best of luck to you in all of your aspirations. You are truly capable of anything you set your mind to and work towards. I would love for you to become a celebrated superstar here in American media. I send you my best wishes and kindest regards. I hope you become your own superstar either in entertainment or in journalism. I pull for you as a friend and as a fan of yours.
Would I Like to Meet Arika Sato (if given the chance)
Are you kidding me? Of course I'd love to meet her (if given the chance)!
That concludes this blog entry. Arika = awesome! I wish her the very best in becoming a celebrated celebrity in American media. She'd be up there along with the likes of Brenda Song and Anna Maria Perez de Taglé as far as young Asian-American celebrities are concerned (both of which, I am also fans of).
