OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast is arcade-style racing defined. Well, defined as a compilation of a previously released Xbox titles and an arcade-only update with a few new features thrown in. A game like that -- a game that isn't really offering something new -- is obviously geared toward people who love the series. This would be an immediate red light for casual gamers everywhere if it weren't for one simple fact: five minutes of playing this game might be enough to make you a fan.

I have to admit that I never played OutRun before in my life -- at least not to my knowledge. The game just seemed to click. Once you know which button does the gas and which one does the brakes there's really no further explanation needed, and the laws of physics are mercilessly subjugated in the name of speed and fun. The big thing here is the "powerslide." When your car is going insanely fast (which is probably 90% of the time) and you turn around anything more than a slight corner (and not many of the corners here are slight), your traction will start to slip, and you'll find yourself gingerly working the stick back and forth as you slide your way through traffic with your vehicle turned nearly sideways. It won't even really be a conscious decision for beginning players -- it just happens and you instinctively ride it out. This thrilling maneuver is what the game is all about. You can really feel the momentum here, and it may be the reason for the game's semi-cult status.


Without the powerslide, the game would have to coast by on its na¿ve, and frankly cheesy, '80s style. Still, it could be considered part of the game's charm. Unlike remakes and forced updates of other series, this game is old school without trying; never dropped out, never graduated. Every day it wakes up, puts on a pair of shades and its Members Only jacket, hops into a Ferrari, and screams down the highway in a red Ferrari, powersliding around every corner. Bitchin' rock music blares out of the car speakers at full volume, and there's an excitable blonde in the passenger seat wearing at least one article of hot pink clothing.

The cheesiness of the title works its way into your blood. You'll know you're driving under the influence of heady, '80s videogame rock when your virtual girlfriend asks, "How far are you going to take me?" and you're thinking, "All the way, baby." She only says this in OutRun mode, where you're driving through a branching stretch of road with your only goal being to reach the finish line as fast as possible. You're racing against the timer, and you'll need to gain momentum and keep it to beat the clock on each progressively more difficult section.