OutRun 2019, a fairly unknown neon-lit futuristic sequel. More arcade and faster than the original, lovely for old-school racing fans.
Your verdict
Category
Racing1 player3+
Description
The player pilots a futuristic OutRun car through 2019 environments in this Sega Mega Drive racing game. Published by Sega, released in the United States in August 1993. Futuristic racing game with 2019 settings, electronic music and OutRun-derived racing gameplay.
OutRun 2019 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
The futuristic sequel swaps the convertible for a streamlined machine and the countryside for suspended motorways, neon tunnels and vertical cities. The sense of speed comes through extremely fast scrolling and marked vanishing lines, with saturated palettes turning to violet and cyan.
The soundtrack drops the original's sunlit swing for a harder electronic sound: fast sequences, synthetic bass, metallic percussion hammering the tempo. The tracks are still chosen before the start, but their shared colour this time sets a nocturnal, urban mood.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Set course for a future where the needle never drops back down: here it's all about boost and speed pushed to the extreme. Sci-fi-flavoured tracks streak past in a flash, demanding razor-sharp reflexes. The sense of glide hypnotises and dares you to go ever faster. A turbocharged racer that turns raw velocity into pure pleasure, even now.
The NTSC edition of OutRun 2019 is the American version of the Sims/Sega game, released in a modest print run on Genesis. Its collector value comes from the fact that the US cartridge remains one of the most singular OutRun releases in the West and that the franchise saw no more major console appearances in this aesthetic.
Is OutRun 2019 still worth playing in 2026?
A futuristic spin off of the famous Sega series, OutRun 2019 offers a retrofuturistic race with jet propelled vehicles and dystopian circuits. The colourful cyberpunk art direction, exceptional speed sensation and energetic soundtrack make this title a particularly successful variant of the OutRun formula. For anyone fond of original arcade races or wishing to discover a bold futuristic variation, a warm recommendation still valid today on Mega Drive without any hesitation for Sega fans truly here indeed for any newcomer now.
