Virtua Racing Comparison (Genesis vs 32X vs Saturn vs PS2)

[wave01twister]

Bloody good looking game for the Genesis/Mega Drive back then, fantastic port of a arcade title.

Ps2 version was good but that was out many years later, So to me it don't count. Honest I was never a big fan of VR.. Big fan of Sega I am.

[ogicabp4u]

PS2 feels and sounds the most arcade like apart from the engine sound.

32X was the best port at the time super seeded by the Retro-port PS2 version.

Genesis was really good for a 16bit console game!!!

Never played the Saturn version but heard Time Warner did a crap job with the feel of the controls. Engine sounds crap too!

Played this in the arcades and the ending screen is different - Man (i.e. you!) standing on a podium.

[therock238360]

i dont get it.............. the 32x is 32 bit like the saturn, however the saturn version has better graphics.

[CoCoLo1199]

@therock238360 The number of bits on its own doesn't really mean much. It was more a marketing ploy during the '90s than anything else. Have you noticed how no one cares about the number of bits in modern CPUs and GPUs?

[pavy415]

Genesis wins lols

[st1ka]

@hitkom5 nope, there were several before Virtua Racing, Hard Drivin' and Stunts come to mind

[MigueTK]

i don't know why but the music for the 32X version brought feelings of the cheerfulness that permeated the end of the 90's and made me feel happy and sad because the tint of nostalgia in my memories can never be replicated now, and it makes the new year feel shallow and not as upbeat as the last decade of the millennium . 2012 looks like it's gonna suck in comparison is what i'm saying =(

[SuperGilberto1977]

@MigueTK please be aware the 32x version of the game uses the genesis soundboard. The 32x soundboard was not used at all for this game which is a shame.

[MigueTK]

@SuperGilberto1977 is there a rom hack to make it use the 32X soundboard? and what it would've sounded like? thanks for the info!

[SuperGilberto1977]

@MigueTK what is a rom?

[anusdicktroll1]

@MigueTK I know how you feel...but I can relive those pasts by having a genises in the dark and having fun!!

[MigueTK]

@anusdicktroll1 i keep an old CRT TV in my room for just that occasion =)

[ViciousAlienKlown]

The Saturn version is nice but it does play different. The Genesis version is mpressive considering its running on a 16 bit CPU. I still like most versions, i've never tried the PS2 port.

[MattTheSpratt]

32X edition's music courtesy of the ineffable Naofumi Hataya.

[roubagalinhas]

i love the PS2 port

[bizarroeddie1]

The Saturn version is so messed up that instead of fitting the car with the tyres, the crew put them on the ground and wait for the car to 'land' on them.

Weird!

[cleanrapmusic5000]

Genesis Vers. Is The Best!

[PrrrromotionGiven]

32X version is the best, surprisingly.

[TwistLosi]

Time Warner did a crap job of VR on Saturn, the graphics are better then 32X but the 32X game play is far better. Never played the PS2 version though, only own the 32X and Saturn.

[spbusdriver]

Seriously why did I just watch this?

[therealAgerbon]

saturn looks so crisp

[sapiigor]

Its weird that this game graphically evolved 4 pixels for all these years

[Lousypenguin]

Why is Ryu from Street Fighter playing VR racing?

[theMaikol1995]

@Lousypenguin epic game fail you re right! i give a (Y) for u

[disabledpikachu]

Is the horrific draw-in and pop up intrinsic to every version?

[ultraborb]

MD version is most fun, plus the sound FX/music work so much better in this version. Deficits are: it's the scraggiest-looking version, plus the jerkiest in terms of fps.

Saturn version is *horrible*. Cosmetics are a big improvement on MD but the handling sucks and it lacks "soul", totally.

PS2 version *seems* to be a decent version but it's not the 90s anymore so I haven't played it that much.

I haven't played the 32X version at all.

[MegaCallum10]

the best is the megadrive as it showed how powerfull a megadrive is plus it does not use an fx chip

[ManolitoMystiq]

@MegaCallum10: But it does use a SVP chip (Sega Virtua Processor) and raised the cost of the game to $100. Technically, Sega's chip is more powerful than the Super FX one (although I'm not sure about textured polygons), but ... you pay for it.

[MegaCallum10]

@ManolitoMystiq then why make 32x sega

[ManolitoMystiq]

@MegaCallum10: What has that to do with anything? You said that this game shows how powerful the MD can be without the use of an FX chip. I simply stated that although the game indeed doesn't use the FX chip, it does use the SVP chip to enhance the capability of the MD. The MD by itself does not have the capability to show such graphics just as much as the SNES can't handle Star Fox without the FX chip. Sega did practically the same thing Nintendo did. They're timing wasn't so good, though.

[MegaCallum10]

@ManolitoMystiq as if md used that chip on the games that went on 32x, then we would not need 32x, so sega sold at a lost

[ManolitoMystiq]

@MegaCallum10: Don't you see the idea behind the 32X? Instead of spending more money for each game, because of the inclusion of an extra chip, you pay for an expansion kit (the 32X) so the console is updated, and then you only have to pay for the games again, instead of a game plus a chip. Even though the 32X is being seen as a failure, it sold relatively well when it came out.

[Liam3072]

@MegaCallum10 Not really, the 32x (which was a big error and failure mind me) was way more powerful than what could handle the poor SVP chip. You can tell the difference in Virtua Racing, and I'm not sure the SVP could have even handled Virtua Fighter like the 32X did. Besides, MD's VR really pushes the console to its ultimate limits and it's a struggle. Must have been a pain in the *ss to optimize. Whereas the 32X was underexploited by VR and still had plenty of horsepower.

[xxxdrummerxx]

The best version is for Saturn, very close to arcade and COLORED!!... Ps2 version is just polished but opaque colors.

[realfearclown]

Ps2 version is Beautiful!

[bassvo1]

saturn has the best music

[sinni800]

... It feels like Genesis, 32x and Saturn are almost the same!? They do not improve imo...

[KieranD212]

@sinni800 there is less slowdown on the 32x and saturn, the saturn uses cd quality music, also the saturn and 32x have extras like tracks and cars

[henryd1981]

The PS2 version, in terms of the audio, sounds just like the arcade version (if memory serves right)

[LarryBundyJr]

@henryd1981 That's right. The only problem the PS2 version really has is the car physics feel a bit off/weird.

[edzzzwin]

Wow.. This game is like racing trough the land of The Sentinel! On all formats, hehe.

[barlog20]

I first read about it on a neo geo forum years ago.This guy made a post saying that the genesis processor was really a 32 bit processor and broke down the specs of that processor.Then i did research on Wikipedia and numerous other sites and it turns out that he was right.

[OldsXCool]

Genesis was extremely impressive in it's day. VR was probably the best out of the very few games available for the 32X and overall probably the best version. The Saturn version should have been perfect, instead it is massively flawed. The PS2 version looks better than the arcade and sounds just like the arcade, but the instant fish tailing and constant tire screeching ruined it. Surprisingly in the end the Saturn version is my favorite because the of all the extra tracks and vehicles.

[bagelghost]

Thanks for making the effort to post. Great to see them all together. Now you just need the arcade version in there and we'd really be set!

"Time boner!!!"

[LewisLongshanks]

I still need to get the Saturn port of Virtua Racing.

[BeamSplashX]

I think the 32X version has the best music, personally. Though the Saturn has better instrument sounds, the arrangements just aren't as good.

[ROY0666]

PS2 version looks like it has a Ridge Racer feel to it....why am i thinking that?

[ROY0666]

hey bro? you see that neo-geo download in tha ps3 store yet? its like 60 fucking bucks....who tha fuck is gonna buy that shit?

[teh2Dgamer]

@ROY0666 I haven't checked the store in a while. Was it for a bunch of Neo-Geo Games? I guess it really depends on the games provided.

[ROY0666]

@teh2Dgamer yeah its a bundle for like 60. i think it has about 10 games in it

[teh2Dgamer]

@ROY0666 It really depends on what games they are, and if they haven't already been released in a compilation previously.

[ROY0666]

@teh2Dgamer got no idea bro, sign into tha store n look at tha neo geo section

[spicyechidna94]

@teh2Dgamer The Neo-Geo Station bundle is definitely a rip-off. Most of the games have been seen before on past compilations like SNK Arace Classics: Volume 1, except that collection had more games for only $20.

I realize that Neo-Geo cartridges were expensive, but that doesn't mean that it is okay to charge $10 apiece for HD versions of games that have been cheaper in the recent past. They don't even run perfectly.

[Kousaburo]

@ROY0666 That's a bargain, NG carts were hundreds of $'s when first released.

[teh2Dgamer]

@Kousaburo Well, aside from Neo Geo. Of the mainstream consoles, VR was one of the most expensive games of all time. Yeah, I forgot about the Neo Geo. I still need to get my hands on one. I was poor growing up, and had no prayer of ever getting one.

[Kousaburo]

@teh2Dgamer How much? Yeah the Neo Geo games look amazing. 24bit apparentely. It was a 2D powerhouse that could run numerous sprites better than any other console up untill the Dreamcast I'd say. Keith Appercary's review is the best.

[teh2Dgamer]

@Kousaburo VR was $99 dollars when it hit, so it was definitely the most expensive Genesis game of all time. Nothing compared to Neo Geo carts, but what really is except games like Panzer Dragoon Saga?

[CoCoLo1199]

@teh2Dgamer I still remember how a had saved enough money to buy the $99 Genesis version, but after seeing it running I bought six used Super Nintendo games instead. I played the 32X version to death and later the Sega Saturn version, which was a disappointment to me because I was expecting it to be just like the arcade. Huge letdown.

Could you please do a follow up head to head video of just the Genesis and PS2 versions. That would be awesome.

[barlog20]

@Kousaburo The Neo Geo was really a 32 bit system so was the Sega Genesis.Both had a Motorola 68000 running at different clock speeds from each other which has a 32 bit data bus.Sega nor SNK was aware that it was really a 32 bit processor.None of the Genesis games ran at 32 bit mode though,i don`t know about the Neo Geo.

[Kousaburo]

@barlog20 Where did you get this info? I've not heard of this anywhere before.

[haxor758]

@barlog20 neo geo ran 24 bit

[scotlandisdabest]

Ps2 is better but it should have been the ps1 vs sega

[StudioGuyMN]

Why didn't Sega make a sequel? I never understood that

[Abuelo0611]

Excellent video man, keep up the good work. Congratulations.

[synthem]

what an awesome vid! and the sense of speed on the genesis is amazing, wow!

[elbryan42]

Now that's an awesome video! I have a few observations: The Genesis has the best sense of speed, the 32X has the most cars/tracks, the PS2 has the best graphics, and the Saturn is somewhere in the middle.

Funny, I never heard of the PS2 version before. I might have to hunt it down. Currently I only have the Saturn version.

I'd still say the 32x is the best version overall. Too bad I can't find a copy that doesn't lock up. Someday...

[teh2Dgamer]

@elbryan42 The PS2 version is on Sega Classics Collection which is a compilation of remade Sega Games. They revamped them with polygonal graphics (or in this case, better polygonal graphics). Some of the games it doesn't make a big difference, but when they re-did Golden Axe, they screwed it up pretty badly.

[A2Nesk]

I remember this joint like it was two days ago, providing I remember yesterday better.

[reggiardito]

I loved this game back then.

[SomedaysDreamersBC]

whoa nice rewind back to a damn classic game!

[GoldenEye0001]

I luv u

[teh2Dgamer]

@GoldenEye0001 What? Why? What did I do? I'll undo it pronto!

[GoldenEye0001]

@teh2Dgamer You found the key to my heart. In my butt.

[teh2Dgamer]

@GoldenEye0001 That's not me. It's probably Shammon.