Sega Ages Virtua Racing announced for Switch (out now)

Quo Vadis · Sep 22, 2018

MikeNeko said:
Games you remember, names you don't ;)

And yeah, labo support would be good for kids, however VR is still a fast paced game, i hope the cardboard and assembly are robust xD

Thank you! Added to Watched Threads so I won't miss it next time.

Getting the game working with Labo's Vehicle Kit wheel sounds like a great way to recreate the arcade experience at home. This actually sounds amazing.
Deemo devs added Labo's Piano support to their game so if Sega's willing to put the effort into theirs, we might start seeing more devs following suit.

Opa-Pa · Sep 22, 2018

This is awesome, I always wished I could have the authentic Virtua Racing arcade experience at home, but don't like MAME as an option. God bless M2.

I wanted to say this will finally shut up people saying these are pointless and that they'd rather have shitty collections like the Genesis ones and then I remembered the Genesis version exists, sigh.

HyGogg · Sep 22, 2018

Platy said:
SEGA Ages Sonic 2 was also announed but since everyone expected that =P

Also they showed the results from the twitter poll

translation from someone in the chat :

1- Jet Set Radio Series
2 - Shenmue 1 & 2
3- Panzer Dragoon Saga
4- Virtua Fighter
5 - Shining series
6- Panzer Dragoon Series
7- Sakura wars
8- puyo series
9- Virtual on
10 - Burning Rangers
11- skies of Arcadia
12- NiGHTS
13- Golden Axe
14 - Bug King Series (?)
15 - Phantasy Star Online
16- Space Channel 5
17 - Outrunners
18 - Sonic Adventure series
19- DAYTONA USA
20- SPikeout
21- Dynamite Deka series
22 - Sonic 3&K
23- Virtua Racing
24- Fantasy Zone
25 - Dragon Force
26 - Sega Rally
27- Phantasy Star series
28 - Guardian Heroes
29 - Outrun 2 SP
30 - Wing War (?)

It is really a damn shame Guardian Heroes is so low on this list. Like seriously, below Dynamite Cop and Mushi King? Come the fuck on.

fiendcode · Sep 22, 2018

HyGogg said:
It is really a damn shame Guardian Heroes is so low on this list. Like seriously, below Dynamite Cop and Mushi King? Come the fuck on.

The bigger shame is it's the only Treasure game to make the list. :/

HyGogg · Sep 22, 2018

fiendcode said:
The bigger shame is it's the only Treasure game to make the list. :/

Well this is just Sega published games, and Gunstar, Alien Soldier, Light Crusader, and Dynamite Headdy were all on that recent compilation, so that kind of sounds right to me. There are some other Sega/Treasure games like Yu Yu Hakusho, and the later GBA stuff, but I wouldn't really expect those to rate.

Rolento · Sep 22, 2018

I'm all over this as well as future releases esp if it's Virtua gamea

rawhide · Sep 22, 2018

xabbott said:
I know Daytona, Virtual On, etc are all on back compat for Xbox. Did Virtua Racing ever come there?

No, it hasn't been re-released since the PS2 days and none of the ports are arcade-authentic.

Fart Master · Sep 22, 2018

Cool I've never played this classic.

Are these arcade ports?

i-Jest · Sep 22, 2018

Yukinari said:
Virtua On when?

Indeed.

Baladium · Sep 23, 2018

There's no way M2 went to the trouble of emulating the Model 1 with the sole intention of porting just Virtua Racing and nothing else. Let's look at the small handful of other Model 1 games to see what else we could be getting in the SEGA AGES lineup:

• Dennou Senki Net Merc (Super obscure Japan-only rail shooter that featured a built-in virtual reality headset. I'm having a hard time understanding exactly what this thing is and what kind of gameplay it had since there's very limited info about it online. I couldn't find any footage on YouTube and the images I've seen are few and blurry. However, apparently it was the first commercially playable video game released to feature head-tracking VR input. Once again SEGA was innovating years ahead of its contemporaries. Despite its historical merit though, I have to believe there's next to no chance of this getting ported thanks to its extreme obscurity. I mean, the VR motion-sensing could perhaps be imitated by the Switch's gyro controls...)

• Star Wars Arcade (Could Disney be a bro just once and work something out with SEGA to get this greenlit for a SEGA AGES release? Not getting my hopes up but it would be an incredibly cool thing to see happen in my lifetime. Not to mention you'd have to imagine it'd be a sales behemoth on Switch, with a confluence of retro, SEGA, and Star Wars fans eager to buy the first home console release of the game in over 20 years.)

• Virtua Fighter (By far the most obvious and likely follow-up to SEGA AGES Virtua Racing. And even if M2 isn't working on a port at this very minute, we know full well that they're aware the Virtua Fighter series placed 4th in the Twitter survey, so the demand is definitely there. A fighting game would also provide some nice variety to the current SEGA AGES lineup, and fit perfectly with the Switch's innate two-player compatibility.)

• Wing War (Another likely SEGA AGES candidate. It just barely squeaked into the Twitter survey at the final #30 spot, and if it wasn't for knowing that, I'd be just a tad doubtful of its chances to get the rerelease treatment. But since Net Merc and Star Wars are pretty much off the table, why not port the three Model 1 games that aren't super obscure or bound up in copyright limbo? Hopefully SEGA will do just that. I'll be waiting to buy them the instant they're made available on the eShop. :)

Hero of Legend · Sep 23, 2018

AdReNaLiN_FaLc0n said:
There's no way M2 went to the trouble of emulating the Model 1 with the sole intention of porting just Virtua Racing and nothing else. Let's look at the small handful of other Model 1 games to see what else we could be getting in the SEGA AGES lineup:

• Dennou Senki Net Merc (Super obscure Japan-only rail shooter that featured a built-in virtual reality headset. I'm having a hard time understanding exactly what this thing is and what kind of gameplay it had since there's very limited info about it online. I couldn't find any footage on YouTube and the images I've seen are few and blurry. However, apparently it was the first commercially playable video game released to feature head-tracking VR input. Once again SEGA was innovating years ahead of its contemporaries. Despite its historical merit though, I have to believe there's next to no chance of this getting ported thanks to its extreme obscurity. I mean, the VR motion-sensing could perhaps be imitated by the Switch's gyro controls...)

• Star Wars Arcade (Could Disney be a bro just once and work something out with SEGA to get this greenlit for a SEGA AGES release? Not getting my hopes up but it would be an incredibly cool thing to see happen in my lifetime. Not to mention you'd have to imagine it'd be a sales behemoth on Switch, with a confluence of retro, SEGA, and Star Wars fans eager to buy the first home console release of the game in over 20 years.)

• Virtua Fighter (By far the most obvious and likely follow-up to SEGA AGES Virtua Racing. And even if M2 isn't working on a port at this very minute, we know full well that they're aware the Virtua Fighter series placed 4th in the Twitter survey, so the demand is definitely there. A fighting game would also provide some nice variety to the current SEGA AGES lineup, and fit perfectly with the Switch's innate two-player compatibility.)

• Wing War (Another likely SEGA AGES candidate. It just barely squeaked into the Twitter survey at the final #30 spot, and if it wasn't for knowing that, I'd be just a tad doubtful of its chances to get the rerelease treatment. But since Net Merc and Star Wars are pretty much off the table, why not port the three Model 1 games that aren't super obscure or bound up in copyright limbo? Hopefully SEGA will do just that. I'll be waiting to buy them the instant they're made available on the eShop. :)

Wing War looks outstanding from the footage I looked up. I'm so there if it ever comes to Switch! :D

LewieP · Sep 23, 2018

AdReNaLiN_FaLc0n said:
There's no way M2 went to the trouble of emulating the Model 1 with the sole intention of porting just Virtua Racing and nothing else. Let's look at the small handful of other Model 1 games to see what else we could be getting in the SEGA AGES lineup:

I initially thought the same, but apparently this is just a new port based on the original source code, rather than an emulation based solution. Perhaps they'll embark on emulating Sega Arcade hardware down the line, or perhaps they'll be able to access source code for other old arcade games. Fingers crossed.

Hero of Legend · Sep 23, 2018

LewieP said:
I initially thought the same, but apparently this is just a new port based on the original source code, rather than an emulation based solution. Perhaps they'll embark on emulating Sega Arcade hardware down the line, or perhaps they'll be able to access source code for other old arcade games. Fingers crossed.

Or ports are the only way to do 3D games properly. Especially Saturn as wouldn't that be a nightmare to emulate?

Medalion · Sep 23, 2018

Not bad...

Sega made some really great arcade racers back in the day

funkygallo · Sep 23, 2018

absolutely DAY ONE.
I played days and days with the Sega megadrive 32x version

fiendcode · Sep 23, 2018

LewieP said:
I initially thought the same, but apparently this is just a new port based on the original source code, rather than an emulation based solution. Perhaps they'll embark on emulating Sega Arcade hardware down the line, or perhaps they'll be able to access source code for other old arcade games. Fingers crossed.

Porting probably makes it easier to add 32X/PS2 content too. ;)

fiendcode · Sep 23, 2018

As far as other Model 1 games I don't expect any. Star Wars is a licensing no go and VF1 and Wing War both have superior Saturn ports (VF Remix, Wing Arms) if they wanted to do them. Which they probably don't, jumping right to VF2 probably makes more sense for that series and despite polling high I doubt there's that much real interest in Wing War.

LewieP · Sep 23, 2018

fiendcode said:
Porting probably makes it easier to add 32X/PS2 content too. ;)

M2 have managed to do similar with other emulated releases, but yeah I guess in scenarios where they have the full source code it lightens the workload.

I just hope Sega properly archived the source code for more of their classic arcade games.

Ardiloso · Sep 23, 2018

Krvavi Abadas said:
Look at those crisp polygons.

No word on any new additions. But the blue car is taken from the PS2 version, so it most likely includes the rest of the added content from it as well (3 extra tracks and 4 extra cars.)

I don't remember VR being this bright at the arcades. I hope there's a bright slider.

Baladium · Sep 23, 2018

Hero of Legend said:
Wing War looks outstanding from the footage I looked up. I'm so there if it ever comes to Switch! :D

Same! I've never played it and would welcome it with open arms.

LewieP said:
I initially thought the same, but apparently this is just a new port based on the original source code, rather than an emulation based solution. Perhaps they'll embark on emulating Sega Arcade hardware down the line, or perhaps they'll be able to access source code for other old arcade games. Fingers crossed.

Hmm, interesting. I wasn't aware of this and I'd say this somewhat lessens the chances of seeing the other Model 1 games, but I'm still bullish that we'll see them.

fiendcode said:
As far as other Model 1 games I don't expect any. Star Wars is a licensing no go and VF1 and Wing War both have superior Saturn ports (VF Remix, Wing Arms) if they wanted to do them. Which they probably don't, jumping right to VF2 probably makes more sense for that series and despite polling high I doubt there's that much real interest in Wing War.

I can totally see M2 focusing on VF1 now and saving VF2 for later. If they release VF2 first, most fans would just be satisfied with that and pass over VF1 afterwards. I also think there's enough of an audience for Wing War to justify a port, even without taking the Twitter survey into consideration. There's quite a few people out there who are nostalgic for these early flat-shaded polygonal arcade releases. Do we know if the Switch-exclusive Sky Rogue sold well at its $20 launch price? That would be a good place to start when determining if an $8 port of Wing War would be worth pursuing for M2.

BubbaMc · Sep 24, 2018

Subscribed to this thread, hoping for a release date to be announced soon, for what is essentially my favourite arcade game by far.

PepsimanVsJoe · Sep 24, 2018

HyGogg said:
It is really a damn shame Guardian Heroes is so low on this list. Like seriously, below Dynamite Cop and Mushi King? Come the fuck on.

Guardian Heroes got a full-on remaster back on the Xbox 360 that's way superior to the original. I'm surprised that it charted at all.

Teh_Lurv · Sep 24, 2018

Hell yes! I loved this game in arcades.

Ogodei · Sep 24, 2018

This gives me hope that this will be more than just the same Genesis classics they've been trotting out for 20 years.

Tbm24 · Sep 24, 2018

I'd love to see Daytona 2 on switch.

Deleted member 34949 · Sep 24, 2018

PepsimanVsJoe said:
Guardian Heroes got a full-on remaster back on the Xbox 360 that's way superior to the original. I'm surprised that it charted at all.

In all fairness, that port was 360 exclusive and it was a Japanese poll.

ILikeFeet · Sep 24, 2018

Seven Force said:
In all fairness, that port was 360 exclusive and it was a Japanese poll.

I get the feeling this poll has a lot of western input. Just how popular is JGR in japan anyway?

Deleted member 34949 · Sep 24, 2018

ILikeFeet said:
I get the feeling this poll has a lot of western input. Just how popular is JGR in japan anyway?

Dunno, but it ranked high on the last few polls Sega's ran.

Seemed to be the one HD port last generation Sega tried the hardest to push, too. Even got ported to mobile platforms and Vita of all things.

digita1alchemy · Sep 25, 2018

I assume model 2/3 games aren't in the cards for Switch, but then I remember Gunblade NY + L.A. Machine Guns came out on Wii. AM2 handled that themselves, so maybe they were actual ports and not emulated?

rawhide · Sep 25, 2018

digita1alchemy said:
I assume model 2/3 games aren't in the cards for Switch, but then I remember Gunblade NY + L.A. Machine Guns came out on Wii. AM2 handled that themselves, so maybe they were actual ports and not emulated?

Sure, and that's not out of the ordinary--AM2 handled the Sega Ages 2500 ports of VF2 and Fighting Vipers themselves, and other ports like Panzer Dragoon and Dyamite Deka were handled by studios that had some connection to the original versions, too.

The Sega producer said there's no reason why they can't allow additional studios to work on select Sega Ages Switch titles in a similar fashion, but all the big ambitious requests people have are contingent on these games selling, and selling well.

Hero of Legend · Sep 25, 2018

rawhide said:
Sure, and that's not out of the ordinary--AM2 handled the Sega Ages 2500 ports of VF2 and Fighting Vipers themselves, and other ports like Panzer Dragoon and Dyamite Deka were handled by studios that had some connection to the original versions, too.

The Sega producer said there's no reason why they can't allow additional studios to work on select Sega Ages Switch titles in a similar fashion, but all the big ambitious requests people have are contingent on these games selling, and selling well.

Yeah, Panzer Dragoon on PS2 was by Land Ho, a team formed by ex-Team Andromeda folks. They also created Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire on Wii and co-developed Crimson Dragon with G-rounding which was formed by the creator of Panzer Dragoon.

Actually Arzest would be invaluable as an assist in the Switch games they'd be best suited for. Hell Sonic Adventure 1 could have assistance from them, or maybe Knuckles Chaotix since the director is there (who also directed Yoshi's New Island).

Fun fact; Arzest co-founder Yoji Iishi was the mastermind behind many of the old arcade games (probably as much as Yu Suzuki was), and is also most credited as being behind Flicky.

Prope's status is a big unknown now that Yuji Naka is at Square-Enix, and they seemed to have gone quiet since he left.

rawhide · Sep 25, 2018

The studio behind the recent ports of SA1&2 and most of the other Dreamcast ports is the same one that did Dynamite Deka & Nights for Sega Ages 2500, and if anyone gets tapped for those games it'll probably be them.

I know they invited all sorts of requests by saying nothing's off the table but a lot of peoples' dreams are not going to be realized via Sega Ages--many of the heavily-requested games are too complicated and too niche to ever recoup the expense of porting them as part of a budget series that plays in a $10 price bracket.

Drifters_ · Sep 25, 2018

HOLY SHIT!!!! HOLLLYYY SHITT!!! HOLLLYYYYYYYY!!!!!

Crayon · Sep 25, 2018

I hope it turns out good. I really like Virtua Racing.

Xx 720 · Sep 25, 2018

Hope it's not a straight port. I remember the Saturn version had more tracks.

Hero of Legend · Sep 25, 2018

rawhide said:
The studio behind the recent ports of SA1&2 and most of the other Dreamcast ports is the same one that did Dynamite Deka & Nights for Sega Ages 2500, and if anyone gets tapped for those games it'll probably be them.

I know they invited all sorts of requests by saying nothing's off the table but a lot of peoples' dreams are not going to be realized via Sega Ages--many of the heavily-requested games are too complicated and too niche to ever recoup the expense of porting them as part of a budget series that plays in a $10 price bracket.

Not necessarily. Think about it, if M2 can perfect a Dreamcast emulator on Switch, they have potentially HUNDREDS of easy games they can add. Not just DC, but also any NAOMI titles since the board is literally just a DC.

Literally it'd pay itself if they master such a feat. No need for individual ports when they'd just put in the rom file in the emulator and just add stuff from there like they are doing with the Genesis games and whatnot. Surely Switch can easily run a DC emulator, especially one created by M2.

SiG · Sep 25, 2018

LewieP said:
I actually think it's a disaster people saying JSR.

Because it already had a remaster on 360/PS3/pc, which was not very successful.

The big question: Was JSR's port handled by M2?

Hero of Legend · Sep 25, 2018

SiG said:
The big question: Was JSR's port handled by M2?

Nope! Blitworks did that!

They also did Sonic CD on consoles, and more recently did de Blob 1 and 2 on all current systems, as well as Baja: Edge of Control HD on PS4 and XBO, and tons of indie ports, including on Switch.

SiG · Sep 25, 2018

Hero of Legend said:
Nope! Blitworks did that!

They also did Sonic CD on consoles, and more recently did de Blob 1 and 2 on all current systems, as well as Baja: Edge of Control HD on PS4 and XBO, and tons of indie ports, including on Switch.

How good are their ports? Last I've heard, de Blob ob Switch had performance problems.

Sander VF · Sep 25, 2018

Hey I'd like Wing War, but it looks like something that would benefit massively from online multiplayer.

Have any of these M2 conversions had that?

ResidentDante · Sep 25, 2018

Please let me turn off the huge ass ugly rotating map.

rawhide · Sep 25, 2018

Hero of Legend said:
Not necessarily. Think about it, if M2 can perfect a Dreamcast emulator on Switch, they have potentially HUNDREDS of easy games they can add. Not just DC, but also any NAOMI titles since the board is literally just a DC.

Literally it'd pay itself if they master such a feat. No need for individual ports when they'd just put in the rom file in the emulator and just add stuff from there like they are doing with the Genesis games and whatnot. Surely Switch can easily run a DC emulator, especially one created by M2.

They've already said emulating Armed Police Batrider to their standards on PS4 is going to push them to their limits, and that game runs on comparatively simple, conventional hardware that they already comprehensively familiar with, so there's no way they're going to produce a Dreamcast emulator that meets peoples' expectations. M2's a talented, passionate company but they're not miracle workers.

Hero of Legend · Sep 25, 2018

SiG said:
How good are their ports? Last I've heard, de Blob ob Switch had performance problems.

Don't know first hand. They seem a bit iffy, but budget could be to blame, who knows.

Sander VF · Sep 25, 2018

rawhide said:
They've already said emulating Armed Police Batrider to their standards on PS4 is going to push them to their limits, and that game runs on comparatively simple, conventional hardware that they already comprehensively familiar with, so there's no way they're going to produce a Dreamcast emulator that meets peoples' expectations. M2's a talented, passionate company but they're not miracle workers.

Perhaps they could lower their standards just a tad? I am sure that would still be a servicable product.

Nvidia got a Wii/Gamecube emulator going on Shield, right?

SiG · Sep 25, 2018

Hero of Legend said:
Don't know first hand. They seem a bit iffy, but budget could be to blame, who knows.

I guess my point is JSR would be a great Sega Ages title if it was handled by M2, not to mention JSRF...

(And if they have to pull people from the Yakuza team, I'm all for it!)

rawhide · Sep 25, 2018

Sander VF said:
Perhaps they could lower their standards just a tad? I am sure that would still be a servicable product.

Nvidia got a Wii/Gamecube emulator going on Shield, right?

Possibly, but think about how few DC games are left that haven't already been ported (or aren't ports themselves) and would actually sell well enough to justify investing in the emulator. I'd be nice, but I really don't think it'll happen.

I also expect them to focus on arcade games in general, Sega Europe and other branches are already pushing for console ports and deploying them on multiple platforms but there are certain games they'll never touch.

ILikeFeet · Sep 25, 2018

SiG said:
I guess my point is JSR would be a great Sega Ages title if it was handled by M2, not to mention JSRF...

(And if they have to pull people from the Yakuza team, I'm all for it!)

JGR has already been ported to modern systems, doing another port by another studio would be redundant. JSRF, however, could still use a port.

kitsuneyo · Sep 25, 2018

There's no trailer for this yet, is there?

Robin64 · Sep 25, 2018

Sander VF said:
Hey I'd like Wing War, but it looks like something that would benefit massively from online multiplayer.

Have any of these M2 conversions had that?

The upcoming Columns II does.

mclem · Sep 25, 2018

Drifters_ said:
HOLY SHIT!!!! HOLLLYYY SHITT!!! HOLLLYYYYYYYY!!!!!

It's the wrong game, but in my head I was hearing this to the tune of Daytona's "Rolling Staaaaaaaaart". It works quite well.

Sega Ages Virtua Racing announced for Switch (out now)

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