3DS OutRun

M2's version of OutRun for the Nintendo 3DS is out in Japan. M2 have done a fantastic job with the previous SEGA ports, so it's exciting that OutRun has finally made it. Playing these titles in 3D for the first time is an awesome experience. This is also the first new port of the original OutRun for around ten years.

Whilst I haven't tried the 3DS version yet, I've checked out the videos and information online. There's a good interview with M2 in Japanese. Part 1 and Part 2.



There are plenty of solid features: 3D graphics, 60 FPS gameplay, widescreen mode, optional car colours, car handling settings and the usual difficulty and time DIP switch options from the arcade machine.

In terms of bugs, interestingly, M2 opted to fix the timing issues that we discussed in a previous post. However, the arcade mode uses the original timing. It's a confusing way of doing things I think as it creates two separate OutRun timing systems. The sprite scaling bug is fixed and the level object issue with the broken Gateway arches also appear fixed. Regarding the audio, the corrupt PCM samples are fixed.

So, you're probably thinking - is this the best best version of OutRun ever? Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks if you're looking for a truly faithful experience. The biggest gripe is the Ferrari substitution, an inevitability due to licensing issues.

Whilst the car is purely cosmetic, it's also THE memorable graphic from the original game. It would be disappointing to replace Sonic the Hedgehog with a blue badger for example, even if the gameplay was identical.

Other graphics that have been changed include the Porsche graphic, which has had the spoiler removed.

The Marlboro lookalike sign on the start banner has been altered further to differentiate it from the cigarette brand. I spotted a sign that had been edited to contain an M2 logo also. 

There appears to be a sprite clipping bug on Stage 2 with the large stone graphics. It's possible this is an optimization to help the game run faster on the 3DS, but the large stones are disabled as they get closer to the camera. It's also possible M2 forgot to update a hard-coded value in the drawing routine for this object for widescreen displays. 

The shadows also seem to be too dark, so I'm not sure what's happened there. Maybe a palette optimization with the translucency for speed purposes on the 3DS? The Saturn conversion got this right, so I'm guessing it's not an oversight.  

Regarding the extras to change the car handling, I have mixed views on their merits and will wait to see how they play. Maybe being able to bump into traffic with no ill effects, drive off-road at full speed, grip corners more tightly and drive at a higher speed will be awesome and add a new dimension to the game. Maybe these are just cheap and easy features for M2 to implement! ;) Either way, they are pretty easy additions to CannonBall if they prove to be popular and there is a genuine demand for them.

In terms of a commercial OutRun release, this is probably as good as it's ever going to get so please buy a copy when it's released in your territory and show M2 and SEGA some support.

I'll keep this post updated as I find out more information!