this one is definitely more of a time investment to get good at than ridge racer, as drifting is a lot more meticulous than that games simplistic control style thanks to it being manually gear-shifty-based. It makes this game definitely harder to get into because at first the car feels really stiff and unresponsive, but the more you play it the more you can get out of it as you slowly figure out what makes the car tick. That kind of depth is what all arcade games strive for, and this game has it in spades. Also the OST is legendary. DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO DODOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When I was making my Look & Listen list for the Look & Listen survey thing, I felt I needed to put a racing or sports game. Just like Atari games they deserve representation too, but for some reason my mind went straight to Daytona USA. I could've repped car combat with Twisted Metal 2 or something, but instead in went DAYTOOOOONAAAAAA!!! Now I know what you're thinking, "Vee, you are the biggest idiot on the planet Earth! Everyone else is putting real entries and you're over here wasting your spots on a stock car racing game!" That's fine! I too thought I was a nincompoop for leaving off Off-Road Challenge, but clearly something had to be clicking for me to use this...

I remember being mostly unimpressed by 3D racers for a while when I was but a wee guppy, the likes of Hard Drivin' just made me laugh and Stunt Race FX while cute felt less fun to me than something like Biker Mice From Mars on the same system. Will 3D ever catch up to the likes of only two dimensions? It only took one step forward in the console generation for me, as unfortunately I was a bit small at the time to make use of the racing cabinets in the arcades at the time. What was I missing?! Someone gimme a hand with the pedals at least! Stop kicking my ass at X-Men Children of the Atom! I don't even know the moves!

My dad eventually came home randomly with a Sega Saturn and copies of Daytona, Virtua Fighter 2, and Virtua Cop. I assume he used me as an excuse again to buy a new console, hence why he probably let me play first to convince my mom.

"Hey, you get dibs on first play! Pick something will ya!" (100% guesswork on the situation)

I chose vroom vroom car game of course! What else? Soon as you knew it I was taken aback by the 3D game that was running with an actual sense of speed! It even came with a free singer to serenade to my heart! The sight of seeing Sonic the Hedgehog's lazy pose carved into the side of a cliff while my mom cheered me on is forever ingrained into my mental capacity. There's a fine art to porting a real sport into the world of gaming where things are allowed to be even more hype, which gives us master class entries like NBA Street vol. 2 or WWE Smackdown Here Comes The Pain. It makes a world of difference when you get rid of the snazzy tunes and the dancing Jeffry McWild statue, which leaves nothing but what feels like a void of unhappeningness. No fun allowed!!! Screw you, gimme my fun back!

"B-b-but...you're talking about the terrible Saturn port!"

B-b-but get over it! I'm never more happier than when I play this shoddy port!

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Cold Side of The Pillow Game Design
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Freshly Peeled Orange Game Design
Riding a Bike Downhill Game Design
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