For as much as we revere Sega for their creative and original output their arcade releases were just as brilliant. I would even say that they were pioneers of arcade gaming. Their rich arcade history lead to many a Genesis home port of varying quality. But as the mid-90s came Sega’s arcade technology outclassed the Genesis. Many a brilliant arcade title like Revenge of Death Adder were too much for the system to handle. And as 3d loomed many looked to the Saturn and 32X to experience arcade classics like Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter at home. But Sega had other ideas.
Virtua Racing is one of the most important arcade games of all time. While it wasn’t the first 3d racing game its impact cannot be denied. Compared to earlier titles like Hard Driving Virtua Racing was a quantum leap forward in every category. I’m pretty sure everyone thought it would be impossible to replicate on the humble Genesis. Yet Sega proved everyone wrong with their SVP technology. While the game is stripped down it captures the core experience well. Its just too bad it doesn’t do more than that.
The SVP (Sega Virtua Processor) powering Virtua Racing was pretty impressive at the time. With it the Genesis could shift more polygons that it could on its own and at a decent speed. The framerate is consistently high with relatively few dips. Compared to Stunt Race FX, its competition at the time, this is practically a revelation. You get four separate camera angles and an instant replay feature as well. The multiplayer mode keeps the same speed but removes a lot of trackside detail to keep up. There is very little music, if you can even call it that. A slight jingle plays at the beginning of every race and the menus but that’s it. The absence of a soundtrack is noticeable but isn’t distracting, oddly enough.
While the game is a technical marvel it does come with numerous caveats. The Genesis limited color palette affects the gameplay in a few ways. Distant objects blend together, and it is hard to see rival racers approaching at times. The game has a heavily pixelated and dithered look that makes navigation difficult. Also there is heavy pop-up, on the level of Daytona USA on the Saturn. That last one is understandable but can still be frustrating at times.
The last one was the game’s cost. The SVP was expensive to create with that cost was passed on to the consumer. At launch Virtua Racing cost $100 which was insane. Of course, now you can find it for $10 or so but at this point there are versions for the Saturn and 32X that go beyond the arcade with numerous additional features. The cost is probably why we never saw more than one SVP game, especially with the Saturn looming.
From a gameplay standpoint Virtua Racing feels right. The game’s handling is done very well and goes hand in hand with the exceptional sense of speed. The track design is overall excellent, with many expertly crafted twists and turns. The controls needed to be tight as this is a very difficult beast. There is a steep learning curve when it comes to learning each course and little room for mistakes. Bumping into a rival car at top speed is enough to cause a 360 spin out. One or two of these is enough to make it impossible to catch up to the pack. If it happens during the final lap you might as well start over. In the arcade I wasn’t a fan of the high difficulty. But at least here at home it is tolerable with free run mode enabling you to practice to your heart’s content.
Speaking of content, that is Virtua Racing’s one major drawback. Considering the hefty price tag at launch three tracks and a multiplayer mode is a big ask. It will take some time before you master each course but once you do there is little reason to go back. In the arcade this is fine. But as a home release it has to compete against feature rich games like Rock N’ Roll Racing and Outrun. And in that regard Virtua Racing comes up short.
In Closing
Virtua Racing is impressive for what it manages to accomplish. Technically this game should not exist on the Genesis. Yet it does. But while impressively technically as an overall package it is a bit lacking. Once you get over its technical achievements you are left with a game that has little content. While Virtua Racing certainly is impressive there are other Genesis racing games that give your more bang for your buck.
