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!
See my related entry called "What If... Sega Racing Legacy?"
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