I suck at Sega racing games. Why?

[MegaDriver]

Well, not exactly. It wasn't always like that.

I still have a great time playing Hang-on (DC), Super Hang-On (MD), Power Drift (DC) and Sega Rally Championship (saturn).

The games are nicely balanced and honing one's skills to progress further feels rewarding.


But when it comes to Sega Touring Car (Saturn) or Sega Rally 2006 (PS2) I get stuck.

What's wrong? Are these games too difficult or demanding for the "average" player?

Not even in manual transmission I can get an edge over the cpu cars.

It feels so unfair after spending time and effort, trying over and over again to beat the opponents just to be left angry with frustration is not fun.

Am I the only one having this problem...?

[Mega Drive Bowlsey]

No you're not lol. I find all Sega racing games great fun to play, but I'm not much good at them. Sega Rally and Daytona USA immediately spring to mind. Been the same since childhood too. In fact the only Sega racing game I ever came close to mastering, back when I was a boy, was Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II on the Mega Drive. I ploughed hours and hours into it. Excellent game, one of the best F1 games.

[Leynos]

I enjoy it but Rally Revo on 360 I really struggle with.I can never get the handling down.

[redsox2013]

Sega Touring Car on Saturn is ridiculously difficult to play. It's hard to believe that Sega screwed it up the controls so badly. It's too bad because it could have been a great game - it's just nearly impossible to avoid constantly slamming into the walls.

[Blades]

I've never been able to even finish the hard track of Daytona USA and I've been playing it for almost 15 years.

[Dirt Ball Gamer]

I enjoy it but Rally Revo on 360 I really struggle with.I can never get the handling down.

That's a great game imo, but yeah it's definitely a challenge.

[Mega Drive Bowlsey]

Sega Touring Car on Saturn is ridiculously difficult to play. It's hard to believe that Sega screwed it up the controls so badly. It's too bad because it could have been a great game - it's just nearly impossible to avoid constantly slamming into the walls.

lol not just me then. Good to know!

[Joe Redifer]

It's definitely not just you. How many of us have got the good ending in Virtua Racing?

[ComradeOj]

It's definitely not just you. How many of us have got the good ending in Virtua Racing?

Wait, Virtua Racing has an ending? I guess I always just played it a track at a time.

[Leynos]

It's definitely not just you. How many of us have got the good ending in Virtua Racing?

Let it be known in the year 2020 I just learned it has a good ending/ Welp...

[MegaDriver]

Sega Touring Car on Saturn is ridiculously difficult to play. It's hard to believe that Sega screwed it up the controls so badly. It's too bad because it could have been a great game - it's just nearly impossible to avoid constantly slamming into the walls.

lol not just me then. Good to know!

It's definitely not just you. How many of us have got the good ending in Virtua Racing?

I'm not alone!

Phew! it's good to know.

Now, there has to be a way to deal with STTC, something we're missing.

[MegaDriver]

After going through the guides at gamefaqs it seems the way to go is a) analogue controls, b) auto transmission, c) the choice of the "better" car (alfa romeo or opel calibra)

I will have to dig my 3d pad (hope it still works) and see if it makes a difference.

[profholt82]

Practice makes perfect. Many Sega racers require you to master the drift maneuver on turns. Now, this idea is magnified to the Nth degree on a game like Outrun 2/Coast to Coast, but it is also necessary to excel at Daytona. Once you perfect the art of the drift, you can maintain a much higher speed through the turns.

The drift is a cornerstone of the Rally games as well, but those are a different animal all together from the Dayton style, as your car actually handles and feels as though it is on the dirt terrain. That's one of the best things about those games actually, that your car feels and handles completely different when you're on pavement, dirt, mud puddles, etc. Sega racing games are effing incredible and this is one of the main reasons they have proven so massively influential in the genre.

The best tips I can give you on drifting properly is to anticipate the upcoming turn by getting into position, meaning that if a right turn is approaching, to get low on the right side of the track, all while maintaining a high speed. Then, just before the turn begins, hold down the brake button and swing your car to the outside before hitting the accelerator and turning hard with the turn. This will cause the rear of your car to fishtail and the tires to squeal. Controlling the position through the turn is a learning process, but once you get it, your car will maintain the high speed going sideways, and the tires will squeal through the entire turn. Once the turn is complete, getting it straight again can be tricky, but again, it's all about touch and feel and practice makes perfect. I find that neither breaking nor accelerating (just briefly lifting your thumb off the buttons) makes it easier to adjust the d-pad to get the car back into straightaway position.

It's very easy to over or under compensate during the drifts and wipe out, so proceed with caution. But once you master the drift, your lap times will plummet as you'll be cornering at much higher speeds than before.

[redsox2013]

I am a huge fan of Sega racing games and I've been able to master nearly every Sega racing game for home consoles. Virtua Racing is TOUGH, but not too frustrating so it's fun to practice. I've been able to master the Genesis, 32X & Switch ports. For some reason I've really never played the Saturn port much.

As far as Daytona goes, I've never been able to master drifting. I just can't control the car enough to get out of the drift. Still, I've mastered each track without drifting at all by using proper track position in the turns and braking while not letting off the gas (to slow down just enough while avoiding going into a drift). I'm the same with the Ridge Racer games for PS1. I've beaten all of them without ever drifting.

[robotnikthelax]

Well, not exactly. It wasn't always like that.

I still have a great time playing Hang-on (DC), Super Hang-On (MD), Power Drift (DC) and Sega Rally Championship (saturn).

The games are nicely balanced and honing one's skills to progress further feels rewarding.


But when it comes to Sega Touring Car (Saturn) or Sega Rally 2006 (PS2) I get stuck.

What's wrong? Are these games too difficult or demanding for the "average" player?

Not even in manual transmission I can get an edge over the cpu cars.

It feels so unfair after spending time and effort, trying over and over again to beat the opponents just to be left angry with frustration is not fun.

Am I the only one having this problem...?

Anything 16-bit and below, I have never, for the life of me, been able to play properly. 32 and 64 bits? I can barely place on Beetle Adventure, Chocobo's Racng or Sonic R, despite playing all three sinc childhood- I'm just rubbish at racing! Now, PS2 Era on up I can somewhat muster, depending on the franchise in question... speaking of Sega Rally Championship, I'll always fondly remember that demo disc that came with our Sega Saturn which included it- but couldn't play it then, and couldn't play it now. It really does take AGES to get good at such titles, you know...