Sega and M2 have been on quite the roll lately (Pun Intended), with the Sega Ages lineup on Switch. From titles like Outrun to Phantasy Star, the re-releases have been fantastic. However, we have now seen the release of one of the most anticipated games so far in the lineup with Sega Ages Virtua Racing. Sega’s nontextured 3D polygonal racer has received a new lease on life and it may be the best the title has ever seen.
Before I go any further I want to just state that this is a gorgeous game. The visuals have always looked great in Virtua Racing, and the non-textured look has aged spectacularly. Even in handheld mode, I found no complaints with the visual effects and everything popped off the screen in the way it should.
Virtua Racing is a classic, nothing to dispute there, but this release has several new tricks up its sleeve. In addition to online play, a new offline mode was added to allow for 8 player competition on one screen. This works surprisingly well, and there is no noticeable slowdown. While its preferable to do this on a TV screen, it can be done in portable mode as well, provided you do not mind the cramped screen.
The game includes a new helper mode to avoid crashing into other cars as well. This is something of an easy mode for the game, but until you learn how to control the cars right, it might be smart to use it. The controls are what you remember, but new players will find that there will be some time needed to adjust. The game is fast paced, and you will need to remember to break at the right times to avoid crashing. That said, this is part of the fun. of the game. The helper mode will be great for new players as part of the adjustment, at the cost of not being included in rankings. It will even work in online play as well.
The online in the game worried me at first. My first online race was a disaster, with a horrible connection and even the music stuttering at every moment. Fortunately, I had a different experience from my second attempt onward. I began to experience excellent online races with no lag, framerate issues or stuttering and had an excellent time. The online races were very competitive and I look forward to more of them as I keep playing.
Overall, this is a very impressive package and Sega and M2 did a great job bringing Virtua Racing to the Switch. I highly recommend this one as you will not get bored of it anytime soon.
A review key was provided for this review.
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