Written By: Alex Shaw

This is an update of the 2006 Xbox release of Outrun 2,
(which was itself based on two Outrun Arcade cabinets by Sega). The graphics
have been polished up and all the cars are available immediately making it game
very accessible.

Taking control of one of a selection of Ferrari’s the player
races through various branching zones trying to make checkpoints within the
time limit and ending up in one of five finish lines. All the while, the hot
babe on your arm rewards you with adoration when you perform well and derision
when you fail. You can also do time trials and heart attack mode, in which
you"re asked to drive in specific ways (hitting no traffic or staying within
colored lines for example). Thereâs also a basic online mode in which up to six
people can head for the finish, either with collision on or off.

The best part of this shallow but shiny  racer is the drifting mechanics. Take a corner at speed and itâs
fairly easy to swing your car into a long and gratifying drift which not only
looks and feels the business, but shaves valuable seconds off your time and
saves you having to slow down. With collision off in multplayer and six
gorgeous looking Ferrariâs all arcing in unison round a hairpin bend itâs hard
to remember a time when racing felt as fun or stylish. The graphics are crisp
and colorful taking you through a variety of different backdrops, from Niagra
Falls to a Shuttle launch-pad, all
beautiful and exhilarating to cruise past.

The original Xbox version, rated as one of Edgeâs top 100
games of all time, was released with additional modes, some of which have been
trimmed for this XBLA (and PSN in Europe only) version. The most obvious
omission is the originalâs extensive series of challenges. This increased the
longevity allowing you to daisy-chain unlocks (Cars, tunes and more challenges)
in a series of achievements. Thereâs also, like the original, no local
multiplayer mode, which is a shame. However itâs worth remembering that for 800
points rather than the 1200 most classic Xbox games command youâre still
getting most of the game for two thirds the cost. I personally enjoyed Outrun
Online Arcade so much I picked up Outrun 2 on Xbox for Â1.99 ($2.91) in a
bargain bin, so if this loss of extra modes has you fuming, you can find it on
eBay or elsewhere for a very reasonable price. The XBLA version wins over the
old, for me at least, due to the polished graphics, immediate accessibility of
all cars and most importantly the chance to play with friends or strangers in a
360 online race. There are general leader-boards available, but Sumo have not
yet gathered that most of us only care about our friends fastest times.

In summation for 800 points you get a flashy, slick,
hellishly addictive arcade racer. Itâs not going to win any awards for depth,
complexity or originality, but as someone who rarely gets much out of racers
other than the Burnout series itâs got me back into feeling the need for speed,
and the drifting is absolutely second to none. Itâs closer to Ridge Racer and
Daytona than Gran Turismo and GRiD, but if thatâs what you like then at this
price youâd be crazy not to bag this classic.

Rating: 8/10