Daytona USA
Sega Saturn
Nostalgia Factor:
Believe it or not, there was a point in time where it seemed like the future of video gaming was Sega. It was the end of the 16-bit console era. 3D graphics were becoming the next big thing as we moved into the 32-bit era. Everywhere you looked in the arcades were games like Virtua Fighter, Virtua Cop, and Daytona USA. They all had this bright, cartoonish, and very distinctly "Sega" feel to them. All of these games were being ported to Sega's new home console, the Saturn, and I remember being so unbelievably goddamn hyped for this console.
One of the big selling points for the Saturn was Daytona USA. This was a game that immediately stood out in the arcade, with its multi-unit cabinets, its bright colors, and its over the top music. You could hear the singing a mile away. "Daytonaaaaaaaaa!!!" As a kid, I remember seeing screenshots of the Saturn version of the game and basically foaming at the mouth over the potential. And I wasn't even a racing fan!
When I got a Saturn, I ended up renting Daytona USA for the weekend. I remember spending a decent amount of time with it, but it didn't really grab me too much. Like I said, I wasn't a racing fan. And there were very few gameplay modes, with just three courses to race on. Plus I just flat out sucked at the game. I rented it with the intent of playing it with my step brother Kyle, but then we found out this game didn't even have a 2-player mode. Really?
I remember returning it to Blockbuster, already thinking about what Saturn game I was going to check out next. My brief time with the game was enough to satisfy my curiosity about it, but I can't lie. I've never been a giant Daytona USA fan. Not then, not now.
It's probably been a good 25 years at the very least since I've played this game. Would my mind change on it at all? I guess its is time to find out.
Story:
This game does not have a story mode of any kind. You simply pick which race course you'd like to race on, from a menu, and - well, race.
Gameplay:
As I alluded to earlier, there isn't much variety to be found here. The game contains only three race courses. There are two different race versions you can choose from: arcade or Saturn version. Arcade mode features a timer that counts down when you are in-between checkpoints. If you don't make it to the next checkpoint in time, it is game over. This is the version of the game found in arcades, where you very rarely actually get to finish a race. It's designed to get you pumping in more quarters as soon as you possibly can.
Saturn version is much more playable. You are not given a timer at all. Your goal is simply to finish (and hopefully win) the race. Even if you fall behind by like ten minutes, the game keeps going until you are able to finish.
There are a few different difficultly levels to choose from. The game also lets you pick different modes, such as Grand Prix and Endurance - but all these modes do is change how many laps you race. So let's say I was playing the standard circle racetrack on Saturn mode. The default number of laps is eight. If It was to change the game to Grand Prix mode, it would be 20 laps. Endurance: even more laps. But the same basic gameplay would be exactly the same. So these modes are pretty much worthless. Ain't nobody have time to be racing a 40 lap race, or some BS like that. Eight is long enough as it is.
Since this is a racing game, you'll have to learn how to handle your vehicle if you want to have any chance at succeeding at this game. You select a vehicle before each race. You pick between manual or automatic transmission. I'm pretty sure if you can master manual, you can smoke everyone. But I suck at manual and just stuck to automatic on each stage.
I've never driven a race car before, but I have to imagine the game's mechanics are fairly realistic. I was absolutely atrocious at this game as a kid, and when I picked it up in present day, I was just as bad. This isn't a game where you can just floor it and hope for the best. There is strategy involved here, where you have to break, drift, decelerate, etc. or you will go flying wildly off the course. This is probably a bad comparison, but I've spent a lot of time in my life playing race mode in Grand Theft Auto IV. While it obviously is a much different game, there are many similarities in the driving mechanics. Daytona USA is definitely a much more realistic feeling game as far as the driving goes than something like Mario Kart - and you HAVE to keep that in mind when you start playing this, or you are going to have a bad or mediocre time with it, like I did when I was a kid.
Keeping all this in mind, I had a MUCH better time with Daytona USA as an adult than I did as a child. I'm more familiar with racing and driving mechanics, and I am more patient as well. I was able to finish in first place on the easiest race course, which I was never able to do as a kid. I wasn't as good on the other courses as I would have liked (my best finish was top 8), but the challenge of it kept me coming back again and again and again. I was like dang it, I know I can do this! And that lends itself to a very addicting and entertaining game - despite the lack of features, despite the lack of options, despite there only being three race courses, and despite the lack of multiplayer. I still managed to have a good time with this game over the course of three days.
While I didn't technically "beat" the game, I think I've played it enough to be able to put forth a pretty accurate review. I can totally see myself just popping this on periodically every once in a while to try to master those two more difficult race courses. I probably will never finish in first, as the enemy AI is flawless, but I know for sure I can improve my performance with each additional attempt.
Oh yeah, before I move on, I should tell you: don't bother with the pit stops! While your car does show signs of physical damage as you play, stopping at a pit stop to fix this damage will do absolutely nothing for you other than assure you that you won't win the race. It is a complete waste of time.
Graphics:
Even when this game came out for the Saturn back in the mid-90s, it looked rough. At first glance it doesn't look too different from the arcade version. Bright colors, detailed looking vehicles, a fully 3D world to drive around in. But on closer inspection it really falls apart.
The draw distance is the main culprit. What is draw distance? Well, when you are playing a modern game, you can stare out into the distance as far as the eye can see, with little to no problems at all. In this game, you can barely see 30 feet ahead of you. Things just "pop" into existence as you get closer to them. Look at the screenshot blow. Notice how the mountain and the race track just kind of disappear in the distance? That's what I am talking about.
This entire game is plagued by terrible draw distance. In fact, when I think of Daytona USA that is the first thing that comes to mind. Not the gameplay, not the music. The draw distance. I remember criticizing this back when the game first came out and saying how it was inexcusable. In present day it looks even worse. It's almost comical, to a point.
The surrounding graphics aren't too great either. Pixels, jagged edges, walls that just vanish into thin air. Considering this was one of the flagship games for the Sega Saturn, you'd think they would have done more to make this game look visually appealing. There is a follow up to this game called Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition that fixes the game's graphics and improves on some of its flaws, but by the time it was released the damage had already been done to the Saturn's credibility.
Sound:
I love this game's soundtrack. It is just oozing with that classic Sega cheese. It's not as extreme as, say, Sonic R. But it's up there.
Who doesn't love the classic "Daytooooooonaaaaaaa!" theme that plays when you start the game up? Or "Rolling staaaaaaaaaarrrrt!" Or blue, blue skies. Any of these songs, really. So freaking good. I could listen to this music all day long.
The actual sounds of the game like the revving engines, skidding tires, and the announcers' voice are all perfect, and really do a great job adding to the game's arcade-like feel.
Overall:
I came into this game expecting it to be absolutely terrible. I thought the graphics would make the game unplayable. I thought the controls would be god awful. I thought that the lack of options and features would give the game no replay ability whatsoever. I was wrong on all fronts.
Not that I am saying this is a great game by any means. It leaves a lot to be desired in several areas. But at its core, this is still a really fun racing experience. I sunk many hours into this game, trying to perfect my handle on its mechanics. While the game is supremely hard, even on normal difficulty, I never found it to be frustrating. Everything you need to succeed is right there at your fingertips. The rest is all on you. If you aren't up to the challenge of mastering drifting, turning, and strategic braking - you are not going to have a good time with the game. If you look at it as a challenge that you must solve, it makes it so much more fun.
I trialed and errored my way through these race courses, learning new strategies and ways to handle difficult sections with each successive attempt. While I never did "master" the game, I have to say I really had fun trying to do so. I can easily see Daytona USA becoming one of my go-to games that I turn on when I only have about 20 to 30 minutes to play a game. It is a terrific time killer.
Despite the limited race courses and the limited features, the game still hasn't gotten old to me. It's like a classic arcade game such as Frogger that you can't really beat, you just have to get the high score. And for this game it works.
This may not be a deep game, a good looking game, or a game that gives you lots of different vehicles and race courses to test out, but gosh darn it - it is fun. I can easily recommend this to my fellow readers, especially if you are a racing fan. If what I have written about the game doesn't appeal to you - then no bother. You won't be missing much if you decide to pass on it. But if you give it a chance, you may find a very enjoyable game that has more to it than meets the eye.
THE GRADE:
B
For your listening pleasure, here is a YouTube video of this game's music. Enjoy!
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