Before I was lucky enough to wake up to the Christmas gift responsible for making kids completely loose their sh*t in the 80’s, Nintendo, the arcades or stinky kid with the cheese noodle encrusted NES up the street were my saviors. Below are eight of the 80’s driving games that were the Grand Turismo’s of us twentysomethings childhood.

1.) Pole Position - 1982 - Namco

Hop into an F1 racer and slam your Converse All Star on the gas pedal in this timed driving game.  Once you qualify you’ll face some of the toughest 8 bit race cars of 1982.  Pole Position I followed with a sequel, Pole Position II and the unofficial final version Final Lap.  In the minds of arcade game fanatics this game is a legend. It was the first realistic racing game to offer the rear view race format and would inspire many racing games that followed.

2.) Up’n Down – 1983 – Sega

In this 2 player birds eye view racing game navigate your VW bug through a winding track while running over colored flags and your opponents. Players must watch out for a variety of obstacles including bridges and broken sections of highway. Make it through the first four rounds in under a minute and Pengo the Penguin will appear on a surfing in the water in round 5.

3.) TX-1 – 1983 – Tatsumi

TX-1 introduced a surround three screen display to arcade game fanatics. On the left and right of the primary screen two additional screens were mounted at 30 degree angels. The displays included stats such as stage, speed, time and number of cars passed during the race. The layout of the game featured an F1 race car  with game play extended by reaching a checkpoint before time ran out.  The final levels of TX-1 were based on actual Formula One race tracks,  giving players the closest virtual simulation of real life formula racing in 1983.

4.) Out Run – 1986 - Sega

Out Run was considered by many a breakthrough video game of the 1980’s.  With enhanced graphics, moving cabinet, selectable music and optional driving routes, many hardcore adolescent gamers would save their lunch money in exchange for some pixie stick, sugar high fueled game play. In this pre Lara Croft era, the driver was accompanied by a blond girlfriend in his Ferrari like convertible. Players needed to navigate a coastal landscape within a set time limit in order to advance to other stages of the game. Gamers would choose there next level by forks in the road before each checkpoint. One of the innovative features of Out Run was its use of the sprite-scaling technique which gave players a sense of speed by allowing a fast frame rate.

5.) Continental Circus – 1987 - Taito

Throw on a 3D helmet and get behind the wheel of a Honda/Lotus 99T Formula 1. Travel the world as you race on eight different courses against 99 other racers on each circuit. As racers advanced to higher stages the qualifying finish position increased. Your Formula 1 was also susceptible to damage from other vehicles which was a challenge to avoid as the courses became narrower with each stage. If your car had too many collisions you risked blowing up into flames and being penalized several seconds.

6.) Chase HQ – 1988 - Taito

Grab your glock, stunner shades and get into a Porsche 928 in pursuit of fleeing criminals in this high speed police pursuit game. As officer Tony Gibson you are a member of the Chase Special Investigation Department. In this game players are given a limited amount of time to ram a criminal’s vehicle, eventually forcing them to stop. Chase HQ included 5 levels that could be completed in 2 minutes each on a single credit, a quick, cheap thrill for any 80’s game junkie trying to impress their permed out girlfriend.

7.) Hard Drivin’ - Atari - 1988

“Get behind the wheel and feel the thrill!” boasted this face melting high speed 3D stunt driving game. Hard Drivin’ was the first driving arcade game to feature 3D polygon technology. The game was originally intended as a simulator for high speed police chases until the project was abandoned by the government. Atari then decided to add a stunt track to the 3D game and introduced it to the public as a an arcade game. The game featured jumps, stunt loops, manual transmission mode and force feedback steering wheel. If you ever get a chance to play this one again be sure to knock over a few cows to hear them “moo”.

8.) Power Drift – Sega - 1988

This hydraulic powered arcade game featured 12 narley racers and roller coaster courses that sent you flying in your seat. Each race featured 8 different zones from deserts to cities. Each level consisted of 4 laps which players needed to finish in 3rd or better to advance to the next round. Place 1st in all 4 rounds and take a cruise in vehicles from Sega’s After Burner and Hang-On.

The Original Driving Arcade Game: Night Driver – 1976 - Atari

Night driver was a first person driving game where the player navigated a nighttime course. The game consisted of three courses with different degrees of difficulty. The actual car was not computer generated due to limitations in technology in 1976. The vehicle was actually a plastic cutout that was mounted underneath the screen. Controllers consisted of a steering wheel, gas pedal and gear shifter. Horror fans may remember seeing this game in 1978’s Dawn of the Dead.

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Tags: 80's video games, arcade games, best of the 80's, driving video games, out run