Daytona USA

From the full-screen attract mode to the cars-flipping-everywhere 'Congratulations!' sequence on the Expert track, Daytona USA is a joyous, jubilant celebration of everything that made arcade games so exciting and got us into gaming in the first place. Get it.

It's this simple: Daytona USA is the perfect console port of an arcade legend.

Alongside the recent port of Guardian Heroes, this is the perfect example of how to revisit your back catalogue. With 18 years' worth of dust carefully brushed aside, Daytona USA has been lovingly restored and thoughtfully explored - providing a fitting tribute to one of arcade racing's enduring icons.

Our favourite addition is the brilliantly insane Karaoke mode, which enables you to sing along to instrumental versions of the famous theme music. Less hilariously, but more usefully, there's support for eight players over Xbox Live to replicate the legendary showdowns that occurred at amusement arcades around the world in the mid-'90s.

A must-own for classic Sega fans.

A gorgeous HD edition of the classic Arcade, with special modes and online multiplayer... And Sky High! Sega fans will not be disappointed.

It's the most accurate home port yet. [Issue#80, p.102]

It may not have the multitude of options or the shiny visuals of today's racers, but Daytona USA is still a game with a plenty of depth. Easy to learn but difficult to master, this is the definitive home version of Sega's arcade classic.

Simplistic but really fun racing. You should get it.

I wound up loving the downloadable version of Daytona USA. If you grew up playing it in its heyday, or enjoyed it as Sega Racing Classic recently, definitely give it a shot. For $10 on XBLA or $7 on PSN for a limited time, you'll be able to play one of the finest arcade racers whenever you want against anyone in the world.

While it's light on content and features and isn't about to make anyone forget about the triple-A racing titles coming out this holiday, Daytona USA is an enjoyable ride that proves that great gameplay almost always ages well. For those who still long for the simplicity of old school titles and the challenges that typically come with it, this downloadable slice of gaming nostalgia is well worth a look.

Overall, this is an excellent port; things have definitely come along way since this was first seen in arcades, some of the fundamentals of the game certainly still hold up to modern races, particularly the driving. For those that spent their youth racing around these three tracks this is definitely worth a download, for those who love racing games and have little or no experiences playing this game, it is also worth a look just to see what was popular years ago.

It looks dated and there have been many arcade racers since this debuted in 1994, each iterating and experimenting - taking the arcade genre to thrilling new heights.

Basic. But it's a lot of fun. [Jan 2012, p.89]

Daytona USA is a must for all fans of the arcade version, as it perfectly recreates the atmosphere and the desire to beat the records that marked the original as a masterpiece.

Daytona USA will make for a welcome trip down memory lane for fans of the original, but newcomers to the franchise won't find much to entertain themselves here.

Daytona is back to show us that the fun of driving in a video game doesn't necessarily require realism.

Daytona USA is a loyal remake to the mythic arcade game we loved so much in the mid-nineties. It is still as fun as ever, and adds new game modes and online play, but it is still just three tracks, and that might seem limited.

Daytona USA's charm fuels up on nostalgia. From the theme song to the timed checkpoints, each race is built on stealing quarters, virtual or not, and getting you to try again. But eighteen years later, it just doesn't hold the appeal it once did - though the first few laps are a pleasant return to a simpler time.

Quotation forthcoming.

A slick port of still-great gameplay and distinctive visuals. [Feb 2012, p.111]

Daytona USA is a classic game. Unfortunately, classics don't always age well and Daytona suffers from a heavy lack of content, resulting in little to do. The still pretty decent gameplay and nice looks can only go so far.

Daytona USA sits in the unique position where it suffers not from its faults, but from the perfection of its original design. There was nothing better than being enveloped in those speaker laden seats, inches away from a ridiculously bright CRT screen, friends or strangers seated either side of you.

If Sega had spent some more time creating content for the game or giving its mechanics an overhaul, there'd be something here for new players to sink their teeth into. As it is, this is one of those titles that will likely only be appeal to folks looking for a quick drive down Nostalgia Lane.

A lazy port that could have offered players more. In a crowded and competitive marketplace, only those most nostalgic gamers should purchase this. Everyone else will get enough from the demo.