Daytona USA (Revision A)

Arcade Video game published 31 years ago:

Daytona USA (c) 1993 Sega.

An excellent checkpoint-style racing game.

- TECHNICAL -

Runs on the Sega "Model 2" hardware.

Players: 2
Control: paddle
Buttons: 7

- TRIVIA -

Even if titlescreen says 1993, Daytona USA was released in March 1994.

The first game to come out on Sega Model 2 hardware, worth mentioning above and beyond anything else due to the fact that it is the number one grossing game of all time.

Daytona also caused and still causes a problem in the arcade industry, Sega had come up with such a 'killer app' that no other game from them or any other company since has matched it in terms of profitability, leading to the phrase heard from most site operators, 'It's no Daytona'.

This game contains statues of Sonic the Hedgehog and Jeffrey from "Virtua Fighter".

Toshiba EMI released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Daytona USA / B-Univ - TYCY-5392) on September 7, 1994.

- UPDATES -

The US version has the "Recycle It, Don't Trash It!" screen.

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

* Time Attack Mode : At the Transmission Selection screen, hold the Start button and press the Accelerator. In Time Attack Mode, only the cars controlled by players are shown in action. If you score high enough to rank in this mode, the letters 'T.A.' (For Time Attack) are shown next to your record in the ranking table.

* Hidden Musics : If you play well enough to make the high score table. You can enter special initials at the Name Entry Screen to hear music of some of SEGA's classic games. Here is the list (Game name - Initials to enter) :
"Hang-On" - H.O
"After Burner" - A.B
"Virtua Fighter" - V.F
"Galaxy Force" - G.F
"F1 Exhaust Note" - EXN
"Turbo Out Run" - TOR
"Fantasy Zone" - F.Z
"Quartet" - QTT
"Space Harrier" - S.H
"Power Drift" - P.D
"Super Hang-On" - SHO
"Rad Mobile" - R.M
"Strike Fighter" - S.F
"Out Runners" - ORS
"Enduro Racer" - E.R
"Sword of Vermillion" - VMO
"Out Run" - O.R
"V.R. - Virtua Racing" - V.R
"Super Monaco GP" - SMG
"Stadium Cross" - S.C
"G-Loc - Air Battle" - GLC
"GP Rider" - GPR
"SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative" - SDI
"Thunder Blade" - T.B

* Special Ending : You must finish in third place or better in every course.

* Secret View : To get an overall view of the race condition during gameplay, hold the Start button and simultaneously press view change buttons 2+3+4.

* Extra Time : On the beginner track there is a slot machine on the top of the stone arch. To play the slot machine, press Start to stop the movement of the wheels. If you get a 777 you'll get 7 seconds of extra time. If you get three Bars you'll get 5 seconds of time.

* Fast Start : In the transmission selection screen hold the 'Start' button down, you will notice that it says 'Real Players Only'. Keep holding the 'Start' button down, until the transmission selection time runs out (You have to choose manual). From my knowledge this only works on the beginner track. Continue holding the start button down through the whole first lap. If you notice you reach 210 mph just before the Jackpot machine. This will give you at least 2 car lengths lead over other racers that don't do the cheat (if you do it right and don't bump any other cars). This will give you time to get away from the rest of the field and keep on truckin'.

* Intermediate Course Easter Egg : If you drive onto the elevated path just before the Pit Road, a billboard will appear stating that you just lost your sponsor.

* Expert Course Easter Eggs : If you stop on the last corner the seagulls will get closer to your car. If you drive the second lap in reverse the Statue will be standing on it's hands. If you stop completely near the statue you can make it spin by pressing the Start button repeatedly. When the game starts press the start button repeatedly to make the seagulls get larger.

- SERIES -

1. Daytona USA (1993)
2. Daytona USA 2 - Battle On The Edge (1998)
3. Daytona USA 2 - Power Edition (1998)
4. SR - Sega Racing Classic (2009)

- STAFF -

Sound composer : Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
Planner : Yokinobu Arikawa, Makaoto Osaki
Programmers : Kouki Koiwa, Daichi Katagiri, Hideomi Miyauchi, Masahiko Kobayashi
Designers : Yasuo Kawagoshi, Yasuko Suzuki, Takafumi Kagaya, Hiroyuki Nakagomi
Chief Programmer : Takuji Masuda
Chief Designer : Toshihiro Nagoshi
Special thanks to : Yu Suzuki
Special thanks to all staffs of Sega R&D Dept. #4 and #2

- PORTS -

* CONSOLES:
Sega Mega Drive : Unreleased prototype
Sega Saturn (1995)
Sega Saturn (1996) "Daytona USA - Championship Circuit Edition [Model 81213]"
Sega Saturn (1996) "Daytona USA - Championship Circuit Edition - Netlink Edition [Model 81218]"
Sega Dreamcast (2001) "Daytona USA 2001"
Microsoft Xbox 360 [XBLA] (2011)
Sony PlayStation 3 [PSN] (2011)

* COMPUTERS:
PC [Microsoft Windows 95] (dec.1996) [Model HCJ-0121]
PC [Microsoft Windows 95] (nov.1997) "Daytona USA Evolution [Model HCJ-0129]"