Turbo (1981 Sega)

A driving race game with chasing 3-D view. The player must pass a set number of rival racers (usually 30) before the time limit expires. Success would see the player progress to the next stage. Turbo's gameplay was unique in that centered ENTIRELY on the passing of cars; while the tracks the player raced on had all of the usual bends and turns of the racing genre, they existed purely for effect and at no point did the player actually have to STEER through them.

Turbo was the world's first full-colour, sprite scaling racing game and not, as many assume, Namco's "Pole Position". Turbo was released a full year before the Namco legend and is a further example of how Sega have dominated and innovated within the arcade racing genre.

Top scores were kept on a LED panel to the left of the screen (unfortunately these scores reset every-time you turn the game off).

This was the first game ever to feature the now common third-person perspective (action is viewed above and behind the player's car), that virtually all subsequent racing games would come to utilize.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• arcade game
• driving
• racing
• 3-D
• racers
• wheel turns
• steering wheel
• pole position
• LED
• sega
• 1981

[AlfredRusselWallace]

this came out in 1981?! those graphics are insane for 81

[alex76gr]

I suppose that it's the first game to use scaling effects.

Really ahead of its time.

[chj2]

@DevilTC Showbiz Pizza, the place to debut an arcade classic, the first ever animated videogame, DRAGON'S LAIR.

[djflashflood]

This was the game that got me playing arcade racers in the first place. I will always love this game along with Outrun and Race Drivin.

[9isuzu5]

Sega's TURBO & Activision's ENDURO for the Atari 2600 have a lot in common.

[AlirazaVideoGames]

love the graphics at 4:13

[robmilsom]

Back in those days, to stop a kid from playing games for 5 hours straight, they gave them migranes from just playing for 5 minutes

[DevilTC]

I loved playing this at Showbiz Pizza Place; by far it was the LOUDEST game there. This is pretty much when I fell in love with F1.

[figment1988]

i remember this game from seeing it in the video for Rainbow's Death Alley Driver.

[kinmanyuen]

wow... older than pole position... i was only 2 years old!

[DjReietto]

So i have one of these in my garage...but it has no motherboard >.< any clue where i could buy one?

[jordannw2010]

3:50 1337 h4x0rZ?

[KweenFeonix]

GL!! I loved this game!!! I would love it if it got made into a video game. 

[AMEwrestling]

This was one hell of a game. The wheel was not so stiff.

[Normal1S]

Super nostalgic. . .Remember that FMV Monaco Sega game that came out in the early 80's as well?