Sega's iconic arcade racer Daytona USA turns 30 this month.
It launched in Japanese arcades in March 1994, coming to the rest of the world the following month. Developed by Sega's internal AM2 team, it was directed by Toshihiro Nagoshi, who also co-produced it alongside the legendary Yu Suzuki.
Based on the NASCAR racing series in North America and featuring a licencing deal with the titular Daytona International Speedway in Florida, Daytona USA was the first game to leverage Sega's cutting-edge Model 2 board, which was created in collaboration with GE Aerospace.
The game has become one of the highest-grossing coin-op titles of all time, and units are still seen in amusement centres all over the world, even today.
Daytona USA was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and would see an enhanced home version in the form of 1996's Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition. In 2001, Sega published Daytona USA 2001 on the Dreamcast.
A true arcade sequel – Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge – arrived in 1998 on Sega's Model 3 arcade hardware. This was sadly never granted a home port, but it was recently included in Like A Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name.
Sega released a remake of the original 1994 game in arcades in 2010 as Sega Racing Classic, with the Daytona name dropped as the license had expired. However, in 2016, Sega and the Daytona International Speedway renewed their relationship for the coin-op Daytona Championship USA (AKA Daytona USA 3).
Daytona USA was released digitally on PS3 and Xbox 360 in October 2011.
Comments 6
Can't believe its 30 years old, still incredible. The Sega model tech is the stuff of legend.
Couple of nitpicks: Daytona USA 2001 hit Japan in 2000, ironically enough!
Also, the original Daytona USA saw a limited release in 1993, making it even older than most people think. I know test/beta releases don't usually "count" (unless it's the NES for some reason), but it's worth mentioning, as a lucky few gamers got to witness this when it was even more futuristic!
But anyway, about the game itself: I'd heard of this legendary Sega racer for a while, but never actually saw it in action until maybe 8 years ago. It was thoroughly "old" compared to 2010s tech, but I was still blown away! It's no secret that arcade machines were better than anything you could get at home back in the '80s and '90s, but I didn't know that Sega had stuff quite so advanced, that long ago. (And of course, the Model 3 took it to the next level, introducing PS2-like graphics in 1996, the same year as the N64's launch!)
I always went straight into the wall. And it was always fun.
@Damo It better have been one of the highest grossing titles, I heard someone an original cab would've cost an arcade owner 15 grand when it was new! Was that more expensive than an actual racecar? (definitely more than a standard car would've been in 1993)
Daytoooonaaaa Let’s go away!
Aaaand I haven't stopped playing it in all those 30 years.
From the Arcade, to the Saturn ports/versions, the Dreamcast game, the Xbox 360 port and also via Model 2 Emulator, I've never not had Daytona on tap.
Classic gameplay, timeless visuals and tech and amazing music; I'd say Daytona is in a class of its own, but SEGA Rally Championship also exists
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