Daytona USA vs. Ridge Racer

[StriderKyo]

Okay, I admit it, I suck. I just discovered Daytona now, in the year 2002. Sure, I'd tossed some quarters in the arcade machine like everyone else in the first world, and I thought Daytona 2 was cool, but I didn't see anything remarkable in the series. Certainly nothing to stack up against what I've always thought was the arcade racing king, Ridge Racer.

I never owned a Saturn, and all the talk of horrible, touchy control on the DC version kept me away until I saw it in an EB for $15. 8 hours of play time later, all I can say is damn! What a fun game! With the steering sensitivity turned all the way down it controls perfectly (okay, I couldn't tell you if it's exactly the same as other versions, but I have no problems getting around the tracks), and this is definitely the best looking version. Toss in the Circuit Edition tracks and some DC exclusives with manly NASCAR names like Rin Rin Rink and Mermaid Lake. Unfortunately, none of the far more impressive Daytona 2 tracks made it in.

But the real attraction here is the racing engine, and this is where I started comparing it to R4, which I feel is the best of that series. R4 has a massive edge in presentation - as in, while the fruit-filled colour scheme is nice, Daytona's doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence. R4 has awesome music, styish front end, and amazingly gorgeous tracks (though hampered by muddy no-rez 30 fps Playstation graphics) that blow Daytona's away, and of course, Reiko.

Daytona's worth doesn't become apparent until you start powersliding - there's so much more to it than in the RR series. Ridge Racer just has you tapping the gas twice and you slide through the toughest turns with the greatest of ease. It's just a matter of memorizing where to start. Daytona's scheme is alot more flexible and therefore deeper. You basically have to feel your way through a slide, and a turn may demand you brake through it 80% of the way, or hit the gas early. Sliding through downshifting gives you a greater speed edge, but is tougher to do.

R4, on the other hand, rests alot of its challenge in the non-sliding turns, requiring better track positioning. Daytona doesn't seem as demanding in that regard.

I have to admit, I still completely suck at Daytona; I can only handle about three of the easier tracks without slamming into walls (Seaside Galaxy looks like murder). But from what I've seen so far...I can't decide which series I like better. What suprised me is that I never thought I'd find an arcade racer that could challenge the mighty R4 in my mind. What do you guys think? Any comments from more accomplished Daytona players than myself?

[NeoZeedeater]

Shouldn't Daytona be compared to Ridge Racer 1, its contemporary?

Anyways, Daytona is great. And the music is so bad, it's good.

[Green]

I'm not very skilled in either, though I do alot better in RR. I like them both, RR is a solid choice, but Daytona has something to keep working for. What I mean by that is its a challenge just to drive correctly, instead of perfecting the same lap the hundreth time to beat the devil car. If I had to pick one over the other, it would be RR, because it is something I have more of a handle over.

[StriderKyo]

Originally posted by NeoZeedeater
Shouldn't Daytona be compared to Ridge Racer 1, its contemporary?

Anyways, Daytona is great. And the music is so bad, it's good.

I make the comparison based on the DC version, which was released a year ago, with new tracks and front end, neither of which are as interesting as R4's. But you can feel free to just compare the two series in general - there, I changed the name of the thread. And the music is so bad it's...bad.

[Low]

I picked Daytona up at Target for $20... and cannot see the horrors many people have laid claim to. The steering is adjustable and powersliding is a bit different....IT'S STILL A FUN GAME! As for the music, none of the Daytonas deserve any aural credit. *bleh*

R4 is a fine game, one of very few racing titles I picked up at retail. It's a shame Bleem went under, R4 was one of several games being considered for a Bleempack. *-neo

[StriderKyo]

R4 is really the game that led me to buy a DC. I sat there thinking "man, this game would be so amazing if it were on a system that could handle it!" And thus, my disenchantment with the Playstation began. When Bleem! was announced, it was like a dream fulfilled...unfortunately, we all know how that ended. Metal Gear was nice, though.

[gamevet]

I'm all for Daytona. I had Ridge Racer on the PSX and thought the game just controlled like crap. The car physics are better in Daytona. The Dreamcast game can still be played online, which is a big plus. If you have dial-up the game is a free online game, and should'nt be missed.

[Regus]

Let's Go Away

Do-da do-da do-do-do-do do-do-do

Daytona!

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Weh, hey, hee, weh, hey hee
Weh, hey, hee, weh

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Weh, hey, hee, weh, hey hee
Weh, hey, hee, weh

Daytona!

Do-do-do-do...

Do-do-do-do...

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Weh, hey, hee, weh, hey hee
Weh, hey, hee, weh

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Weh, hey, hee, weh, hey hee
Weh, hey, hee, weh

Daytona!

Do-do-do-do...

Do-do-do-do...

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Daytona! Let's go away
Daytona!

Weh, hey, hee, weh, hey hee
Weh, hey, hee, weh

Daytona!

Ah!

Yay!

Rolling Start

Rolling start!

Rolling start!

* Do-do
Do-do

Aah-ah, ah-aah
Aah-ah

Aah-ah, ah-aah
Aah-ah

* Repeat

Ah...

Do-do
Do-do

Blue Skies


* I wanna fly sky high
Let's go together

I wanna fly sky high
Let's go together

I wanna...

* Repeat

Yeah, hey, oh
Yeah, flying high
Feeling good

** Blue, blue skies
Blue, blue skies, I see

Blue, blue skies
Blue, blue skies, I see

Blue, blue skies
Blue, blue skies, I see

* Repeat

* Repeat

Yeah, hey, oh
Yeah, flying high
Feeling good

** Repeat

I wanna...

** Repeat

* Repeat

I LOVE these songs.


Oh, and Ridge Racer owns Daytona.

[gamevet]

Originally posted by Regus

Yay!










I LOVE these songs.


Oh, and Ridge Racer owns Daytona.

Yeah right. It only owned Daytona on the consolesm but that's another story. Daytona ran circles around Ridge Racer in the arcades. You'd find RR in 1 arcade for every 10 Daytonas.

[Regus]

Originally posted by gamevet

Yeah right. It only owned Daytona on the consolesm but that's another story. Daytona ran circles around Ridge Racer in the arcades. You'd find RR in 1 arcade for every 10 Daytonas.

Well, daytona was one of the most succesful arcade games of all time, becoming the only deluxe model arcade game to return to production years after stopped making them.