No. 3: Out Run
Classic Driving Action from Sega

Outrun. Sega (1986). A legend in racing games, still to be found in seafront arcades up and down the country, the sit-down Ferrari version was more than a game; it was an experience. A real self-centering steering wheel, two gears, great music and even wind in your hair - this game had it all. Surely no explanation is needed, put pedal to the metal and don't collide with trees, signs or other drivers . Complete a level and you get more time, it's really that simple.

Fifteen levels were on offer, but if you finished the game, you'd only get to see 5 of them in any one go. This was due to a quite ground-breaking pyramid level design. At the end of every level the road would split in 2 and you'd have to choose - sharpish, whether to go left or right. There was then a fantastic transition as you eased from, say, a desert stage, complete with sandstorms, to a spacious tree-lined Autobahn. The map had character, with some areas holding a certain mystique. You could either choose the quickest route (generally sticking to the centre path of the map), or simply go sight-seeing. Because of this, Outrun offered fantastic replay value, I lost count of the amount of times I crossed the finish line at one of the 5 end-points. I estimate that I must have spent pretty close to £100 ($160) on this single game between 1988 and 1990.

Your score was based solely on how much time you had left at the end of the game. The default time the machine started you off with was 75 seconds, on this setting I achieved a hi-score of around 25 million.

Outrun was the first really thrilling racer around. It was simply a joy to play and still is, viva Outrun!

Features: Amazing tilting, windy (yes windy) cabinet, Driving your own path across the map, a Ferrari Testorosa, 15 fantastically atmospheric levels.

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