Hard Drivin' - Arcade

[Ytsewolf]

This was one of my favorite games. The interface was the best part. It had a key to turn and if you sucked with the clutch it would stall and you'd have to start it with the key again (and remember to push the clutch in!). The force feedback on the wheel was strong, but felt very good. You could tell when you were at the edge of traction on the car. And all the sounds were good considering the technology of the time. I still love the sound of running over a sign post.

[PHILLYandSWAMP]

This is probably the best game to play while listening to Wesley Willis

[BigDogNose]

Wow I couldn't stop laughing while watching that. Squeeeaal squeeeeaall rumblerumble squeeaaal BOOM! I remember trying to play the arcade machine when I was about 9 years old and I was awful. Never once got round the banked corner without flying off!

[PandoraKyss]

How didn't this technology catch on? Between this and I, Robot, it seems gaming should have evolved much faster.

[Koppite29]

When I took my first driving lesson the instructor asked me if I had ever driven before and I said yes. I never really but I mastered Hard Driving as you could use a clutch and gears

[ludlowish]

i remember this from when i was a kid in skegness. i was convinced because i could do this i could really drive. i found ine around 8 months ago in skeggy again and i was right, its harder than driving my real car.

[TheMike16112]

My dad had a mini sit down version of that game, but the screen was broken, not that the screen didn't work, it just refused to turn on. He spent hours trying to fix it but had no luck. He decided to sell it as is on eBay

[wantapgt]

You pussy! Why didn't you goose the stick

Shift mode?!?

[bliglum]

This was one of the best Atari games for me.. I pumped sooo many tokens into that damn thing!!

[yamspaine]

The arcade game is amazing, the force feedback feels real enough that It helped me drive a car better... This is a rear wheel drive car... you hit the gas too hard in a corner, you oversteer. If you don't hit the clutch, the gears grind... You have to turn a key shaped lever to start the car... You wreck your car if you hit something.. see the facebook pages/Atari-Race-Drivin/297956­096881253

[glenndar]

Wow, even Xbox 360 has better graphics than this

[SouthwesternEagle]

@glenndar This game is from 1988! OF COURSE the 360 has better graphics.

[HSimon1981]

I have this game on the Midway Arcade Treasures 2 for the PS2.

[CaptFlanimal]

The original arcade simulation was great.

But this Xbox emulation version of the arcade was dumbed down with a spoon fed control system, hence all the continual tyre screeching.

In the original arcade, YOU had to maintain control of the vehicle. The xbox version only needed half the skill.

[classicgamevideos]

@CaptFlanimal This is not the xbox version. I just suck ^_^'

I used mame and I dont think that the emulation was 100% accurate.

[CaptFlanimal]

@classicgamevideos

Ah, my apologies, on rewatching I realise that the screeching was not as continious as the xbox version. I must try out MAME hard driving on my PC, as I loved arcade Hard Drivin.

[jpmartineau]

How the f--- did the truck make through that loop?

[Toysrme]

dude you didn't hit the cow. if you run into the cow by the barn it goes Mmaaaaaa OOOOOOOOOO!

[jimmykinkade]

I remember telling my dad he should let me drive his car cause I could finish this course.

[jimmykinkade]

Everyone crashes in the same spot.

[Ricochet1616]

I just shed a nostalgiac tear to this

[beanough]

Your shit mate..

[MagicAyrtonforever]

That is how GT5 should simulate damage!!!!

[josepht86]

i hate this game

[alphamone]

reminds me of the game "stunts" for DOS.

[MikeAM78]

YES!!! I've been trying to put a name to this game for years now. I remember playing it at my mall's Aladdin's Castle in the early-90s. The only name I could think of was "Cruisin' USA," but I knew that wasn't it. I always loved hitting the cow just to make it "moo." LOL! Man, I really miss video arcades.

[timhomer2009]

I liked running over the cow. Yet since Cruisn' World came out, the mooing in Hard Drivin' isn't as good as the guts flying in CW.

[X3CuT1oNR]

loved the replays and the music on it....just retro awesome

[SergeantLuke]

I've always found it funny how Atari used the exact same font for pretty much every single one of their arcade games from 1983 on. I suppose it was a nice, quick way to let gamers know who made the machine!

[bowlofarthritus]

I love how they include basic civilian traffic in the stunt course. See an 18 wheeler do the loop

[MrHalloweenjoker]

the replays used to make me laugh my ass off

[wpmonster]

This game was way ahead of it's time, I used to love this game.

[tdelfino2509]

I think S.T.U.N. Runner made better use of this hardware.

[LarryBundyJr]

People put down Hard Drivin' all the time, but it is one of the most important racing games of all time.

[ibm5150]

Game starts to look real, when Youtube craps the bed or the player fails at a drift .

The cow part is too on my Genesis cart, anyways that version isn't that bad when played on real hardware, makes one wonder if the Virtua Racing's SVP processor was really needed...

[tdelfino2509]

@ibm5150 The Genesis version came out in 1990, long before the SVP processor was conceived. Indeed, all of the graphics were rendered by the main processor in software, which explains the relatively low framerate.

[istalo1]

This looks a bit familiar to Stunts.

[paddytheunique]

Wow, how is it that I remember this so damn clearly! The sound effects and everything. A truly awesome game for its time.

[oneUNITED7SS]

I wonder if someone can hack it so that I can see my car.

[alengard77]

This game was so cool, despite is running, obviously, on an emulator (You can't record a video with this resolution from the arcade) it brings me AWESOME memories from the arcade. The car shaped cabinet, the steer wheel, the transmission, clutch pedal. Man, this was just awesome! I spent a fortune in this one and AFTER BURNER back in the day xD The FPS rate on this game was so cool, it looks so smooth and fluid. THANX 4 UPLOADING MAN!!!

[lolahavasuaz]

I'll never forget how cool this game was to play ... omg manual trans , with clutch pedal and all ! Awesome . as "cheesy" as the graphics are I would still love to own this Arcade game. Ebay ? ? who knows , anything is obtainable $ $ $

[joedanger27]

Old school gettn' it in!!!

[gobo760]

I used to fucking LOVE this game. For me, part of the challenge was also figuring out what was wrong with the game (because it always had something broken on it in EVERY arcade I'd go to). So I'd have to figure out "okay the wheel is loose so when you think you're steering strait, you're actually steering to the right" or the gas pedal would be stuck down all the way so you'd have to put your foot under it and pull back to slow down. That was part of the challenge... that and hitting the cow.

[BigSCTVfan2]

Whoever is playing this game is making it look too easy!

[TheVideogameDC]

this game is featured in Midway arcade trwasures 2

btw, where did you got the emulator???

[SpeedyC362]

this is NOT the arcade; it is some type of emulator.

[classicgamevideos]

@SpeedyC362 It is the original arcade game running on an emulator.

[sonicrulz101]

LOL ending

[SniperStorm7]

Sounds like Need For Speed

[shaggs727]

That's it!!!! I never seen anyone beat this crappy game. I thought there would be a 2nd level with more card board cows. lol.

[kanfor]

1988... wow!

[jazzx251]

It was cool how the British version had right-hand drive.

But, unfortunately, the car was pretty awful.

LIsten to the screeching at 60 mph when you turn the wheel even slightly - there's no way this car would pass its MOT. (Every car in the UK is required to pass a road-worthiness test every year)

[rsalek]

I could NEVER get anywhere on this game. Of course I was like 12 when I was playing it, but even still... I really sucked.

[ForceMaximus84]

LOL Moo

[markadair]

2:57 = SICK jump!!

[turdferguson2]

i used to love trying to pass people on the loop

[Zolega89]

stunts was inspired by this?

[bullymac68]

Man, the steering on this game was unforgiving !

[TK2008BEST]

Great game! :)

[TheTerraTitan]

Remins me of  "Stunts"

[lugit36]

I love it whenyou crash because the replays and the music that goes with it

[theguyinthefunnyhat]

0:32 lmfao fart

[LanceCampeau]

Learned how to drive stick playing this game.... spent over $300 in the process.... could have just taken regular driving lessons... lol

[linuxpenguin73]

I have one of these, deluxe cab.

[NinjaGhostScorpion]

The only good parts of this game were the instant replays after every crash.

[MetalDragonX694]

I thought that this was made by Midway. This game runs so slow on Midway Arcade Treasures 2 on the PS2 Version.

[TheDurnans]

My buddy and I played this game so much that we learned that there was a cheat available in the Championship lap. Even though it says "Stunt Track" only, you could crash through the barriers and use the speed track. You'd win every time if the "ghost car" took the stunt track. The "ghost car" was the game using the fastest driver's run exactly. However the #1 driver ran the course, that's how the ghost car would do it from then on too.

[TheDurnans]

@TheDurnans I used to laugh when I would sit back at the bowling alley and listen to other kids bitch that the ghost car was cheating by going through the barrier! 

[blastofo]

dumped a lot of quarters in this game. loved the instant replays.

[gram440a]

this makes the Sega version look like a steaming pile of puke! XD

[classicgamevideos]

@gram440a I've played the Sega version. Even without the comparison your description is accurate.

[falkerhard]

@classicgamevideos pc version was even worse, bleeper sound but faster than megadrive version

[nooblet911]

sega mega drive version sucked because the console couldn't handle it and it ran too slow and choppy

[Thermalfiredotcom]

Man oh man did I play this game to death in the arcades. I sucked big time, bit I still had a lot of fun.

[just2damcoo]

@Thermalfiredotcom Same here. Me and my cousin wasted way too much money on this when we were younger

[Skinski7]

Great game. I remember one fella at the arcade who mastered it and would gain seconds each lap. He would play it for as long as he wanted then just walk away. Saw him play for an hour sometimes before he would get sick of it or have to go.

[leerees]

This game was the nuts, used to play it all the time in the arcade.

[LAmonk76]

OH man! this was the game i, and others, learned to drive on. i am with craigybus, if the machine was abused, you had to improvise and push it. as a 14yo in 1990, it was the best time to be in the arcade. where else can you learn how to torque steer, drift (yes its possible)and drive a stick! the best of times.

[6V92TA]

boy the memories of this game being at every major Greyhound Bus terminal. Aside from Tekken, Cruise'in USA and NBA Jam, Hard Drivin and Race Drivin is what made those long lay overs at Greyhound Bus stations enjoyable.

[rivercityrandom]

@6V92TA I think it's funny that they have racing arcade games at every Greyhound station ever. I wonder if they're trying to tell the bus passengers something... like "get a car, you lazy bum." XD

[6V92TA]

@rivercityrandom LOL!!! Aint that lazy if im doin what their old slogan told me. Go Greyound and leave the driving to us!

[liquid49286]

were you driving a pinto? that first explosion was so BS

[Lukerativestopaction]

pardon my language but HOLY SHIT!!!! They had a 3D rendered CAD built racing game in 1988?!?!?! They were making Pole Position type 2D racers until like 95, I thought Sega Daytona in 94 was the first game like this....

[JesperKyd47]

Awesome graphics for 1988 O__O !!

[alanboro]

The sega genesis port was HORRIBLE

[FreeportHometown]

whoever made this game 22 years ago deserves a metal, or a hug

[AmericanVideoGames]

I've played this at an arcade, pretty advanced for 1988 considering the SNES wasn't even out yet.

[sideslide23]

the only thing I hate about this game is when the service brake is not working and the brake doesn't work even though I try pressing it.

[sideslide23]

thats why there a yellow speed limit sighs out there so you don't blow up your car by flying too high.

[classicgamevideos]

@sideslide23 When I was young and didn't know how to drive I never paid attention to the signs and considered it part of the background. I crashed all the time.

[sideslide23]

@sideslide23 sorry I just learned by watching right now, and yes I didn't know what is a speed limit sighs is or the purpose of it and I was 9 when I played this. I went too fast on the jump ramp and blow up from the fall.

[catboyx20]

that music when you crash is so funny



[NoMac90]

Finally I know what the Genesis graphics with the barn and stuff means. Just with a better framerate. Looks pretty cool if you are used to that MegaDrive crap.

[joshknape]

After twenty years, I have never laughed as hard as I laughed when I saw someone fly the car off the side of the loop in an arcade.

[capitalistpigdogus]

/almost/ hit the cow.  Almost.

[aegisforex]

Awesome. This game helped me learn how to drive stick.

[Doommaster1994]

That death music sounds funny to me...

[TheShepster80]

the arcade unit had a 4 speed gear stick and clutch pedal if i remember right!! i loved this game it was my favorite for ages!!

[injectiontuning]

I remember this game from when i was little! NEVER managed to do the loop!! (i was only about 6-7 when i played it! lol

[pseudoartiste]

Classic! Cracked windshield and instant replay

[AgentQuinn]

hmm, the track is strikingly similar to one of the tracks from Stunts.

[BMSNoHope]

Nostalgia.... lol

[mickystormont]

the replay used to whale my 10pzz

[craigybus1]

Being British, I always played this arcade game in manual mode. It was amazing how each different machine had its own little faults. You would have some with a stiff gearbox, others with sloppy, some with really heavy steering, others with it Yank car light, then you would have the odd machine with no clutch, or the seat wouldnt lock...Troublesome machines, but good fun

[BigAssController]

man Playing this at Union Station in Toronto when I was a kid was the realest thing to any driving I was ever going to do until I was old enough to get my license to drive. This was the best thing ever to me at the time!

[pyraplastic]

i used to love this on the amiga a500, looking back now makes me laugh

[walgman]

WOW

[navyman4]

This game actually taught me how to drive stickshift at 9 Years old.

[GWBsucksMonkeyNuts]

driving into the cows were the best part

[sphudson]

This and Race Drivin' are still the best driving simulator games ever made. These YouTube videos don't do the games justice. You have to sit down and play the actual coin op arcade game with force feedback in order to understand. The number of comments to these YouTube videos says enough about these two games.

[srarcade]

@D1G1TALMAF1A Yea i remember this cab even had a clutch! It was so real i remember my first time playing as a kid of 10 i couldn't even start the car because i didn't know you had to hold the clutch in lol

[BECKERvaiMALMSTEEN66]

lol I have not played this game in ages, I remember playing it in the arcae and had it for the genesis. I used to love crashing into that cow lol

[classicgamevideos]

@D1G1TALMAF1A I used to valet park I can tell you that losing control of a ferrari was really easy. The older versions didnt have traction control. Going uphill in the rain is the dumbest move you can make. ^_^'

[Tata996]

Haha. I thought you forgot about the cow!!!

[theloganrocks]

I spent so much money on this damn game! Awesome post!

[chrisnapierutube]

This is my all time favourite arcade game. It was so advanced for its day. Its title was very apt as its realism dictated you couldn't just floor it and steer wildly as in other driving games such as "Outrun", this was a proper simulation and it rocked. Unfortunately the surviving arcade machines all seemed to have faults last time I tried to play, (no clutch, dodgy steering etc), I'd love to own one now to play with and for my kids.

[ericaroane]

man I loved playing this at the bowling alley as a kid in the arcade..... I could never get past the loopty loop..... LOL Id like to give it another try one day LMBO You did an amazing job at playing this!

[alengard77]

Man, I remember playing this ages ago. Thanx 4 the upload. 100/100

Atari's best 80's polygon driving sim.

[stfergus608]

i was fancinated by this game years ago first game i went for in the arcade

[philipriding]

the best bit was when you raced the phantom photon,,coz if you won,,,the next time you raced,,you was playing with yourself???. the amount of time i played this game was un real, wish i had all them 50p s back!.

[DixieRected]

I remember basically learning how to drive a stick-shift from playing this game.. haven't seen for over 20 years!

[Akira625]

I loved playing this game when it came out. But I found it kinda weird how that slow-moving truck was able to successfully negotiate that big loop without falling straight down. But then again, game physics was a new concept at the time.

[jasonfinancier]

@Akira625 Actually I think the physics in this game were probaby more acurate in many ways, it was like a simulator, I think most games now are less simulational and more arcade. I recall the physics being very well tied to real physics.  I would guess that this game took more coding and is used less now than back then, because its cheaper to do arcade feel rather than open physics.

[TheSy1972]

Takes me back to the acardes down at bournemouth with my pockets full of 10ps playing this beauty for hours and hours.

Thanks for the posting.Happy Memories.

[Tbolt1000TForLife]

this game was awesome, i remember playing this at a hotel in 1996 when i was 5, it was one hell of a fun game, i miss it

[Hotrodx199]

Hard Drivin Airborne and Street Driven were never released, i would of loved to see what it looked like at least...

[Hotrodx199]

When i was younger i pretended to be a bad ass when playing this game, i miss those days.

[noelio67]

Played this in the Arcade first then the Megadrive....retro classic---aka legend...nuff said

[xpez]

for the time..the sit down cockpit version with three screens , was unfucking real...Yeah,,,,thats the one I want to find...

[xpez]

this is one of the greatest video games ever made...

[intothebluemr]

One of the best driving games ever!

Watching this brought back so many memories of a misspent youth.

Did anyone else use to goof off on the skidpan when they had extra time to kill, or was it just me?

[tachikaze222]

I worked as an arcade attendant 1986-1992, and this was the only game we stayed overnight and played when we got it in.

That is the highest compliment a game can get.

[Rompcom]

@tachikaze222 - that's pretty good job security. Hey, what's an "arcade" anyways?

[flywithsean]

This game was awesome when it came out and the force feedback steering was out of this world at the time. I dumped way too much money into these machines

[dbeezycentex]

oh holy shit your not lying...ten dollars barely got me started back in the day on this game!

[RJTamm93]

Wow. From this to like 1990 they had gone from simple colored polycongs to texture mappings and simple shadows. Technology progress is just amazing to see.

[EminemFan202]

I had this game for the Genesis and I always used to purposely fuck up on the loop cos as a kid i liked the replay feature

[Anubisxian]

I played this game all the time! Great stuff!

[Orpheusftw]

'88, really? Pretty cool for 21 years ago.

[kwabara1983]

@Orpheusftw

This game was aweasome.....

U need to start the ignition in the beggining.

if your car is manual, u need to press the clucth to run the car...

It was new and original...but very hard.

Imagine a 11 years old boy pressing the clucth and start the ignition....Was very cool....

Actually the modern´s arcade don´t have this....