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[VGEsoterica]

If you have seen any of my threads you'll know I love giving some attention to rare and obscure games that more people should play! Like a gaming sommelier recommending a nice vintage experience to have!

Today on the menu; Thrill Drive! A game so rare and obscure that I can't even find ANY INSTANCE of it still being in arcades in Japan. It's basically become an "extinct game" as PCBs rarely if ever come up for sale...I should know...I've been actively looking for one for over a year!

But it just so happens to work well on ONE VERY SPECIFIC AND OLD version of MAME...so anyone can check it out today.

If you like San Francisco Rush, the arcade Cruis'n games, etc etc...this may very well become your new favorite arcade racing game. It sure as hell has become mine. Sure it's a bit dark...you can 100% crash and fly out the windshield and die in game...but as far as arcade racing games are concerned this has absolutely EVERYTHING you want. Amazing handling, super fun arcade style gameplay, threading the needle traffic avoidance...it's got it all.

I am curious who here even knows that Thrill Drive exists? I feel like its seriously a game 99/100 people would just say "huh"? if you mentioned it to them.

But for real. If you enjoy arcade racing games....play it today and come back and thank me later! (kidding...well not about the go play it part...the thank me part)

But what OTHER games are amazing games nobody ever played? Because I know Gaf has more fun suggestions!

 

[kurisu_1974]

Isn't that a Volvo tho

Thanks for the video!

 

[VGEsoterica]

Isn't that a Volvo tho

Thanks for the video!

I f’d up. I own a VW. So I said VW. I know it’s a Volvo. I want that car in real life

 

[Rayderism]

If they would release this on console, I'd buy it immediately. Wish I had the time required to set up a newer version of MAME. The version I have is pretty old and was gathered when I was out of work years ago. I just don't have that sort of time these days.

 

[fart town usa]

That looks frigging amazing. Would love to play it.

I came in expecting something like that EA PS2 racer where you can do spins and flips in the air.

 

[fart town usa]

I f’d up. I own a VW. So I said VW. I know it’s a Volvo. I want that car in real life

My brother has that car, it's dope. It's wine red and baller as shit considering how old it is.

 

[VGEsoterica]

That looks frigging amazing. Would love to play it.

I came in expecting something like that EA PS2 racer where you can do spins and flips in the air.

No I am not into those types of games. Thrill Drive is just a flat out, high intensity arcade sprint to the finish line

 

[fart town usa]

No I am not into those types of games. Thrill Drive is just a flat out, high intensity arcade sprint to the finish line

Very cool, also just realized that you actually make these videos, lol. I thought you just found them and posted. Subscribed, you have great content.

 

[Guilty_AI]

I remember GOG gave this out for free some time ago:




Had never heard of it before but damn does it tickes lots of boxes for me.

Another one i played recently is The Citadel, retro shooter meets tactical shooter meets platformer meets anime.




One i'm keeping my eye on is this one, essentially a game about maintaining a restaurant with open world/rpg/exploration elements.

 

[Dorago]

Never heard of this, looks cool. The graphics look like PS1 with 10x more polygons. The physics and camera angles during the replays look surprisingly good too.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Never heard of this, looks cool. The graphics look like PS1 with 10x more polygons. The physics and camera angles during the replays look surprisingly good too.

It’s a PowerPC with 4X 3DFX chips. So way closer to PS2 IMO. In appearance not just geometry

 

[VGEsoterica]

If they would release this on console, I'd buy it immediately. Wish I had the time required to set up a newer version of MAME. The version I have is pretty old and was gathered when I was out of work years ago. I just don't have that sort of time these days.

this only works on one specific MAME build from 2012

 

[sol_bad]

this only works on one specific MAME build from 2012

Any idea why it stopped working on newer versions of MAME?

 

[VGEsoterica]

Any idea why it stopped working on newer versions of MAME?

Compatibility between versions of MAME can break things

 

[sol_bad]

Compatibility between versions of MAME can break things

Ya.
But it's been 10 years. You'd think they would have worked out what the issue is by now.

 

[Corrik]

Best game no one has played is either Project Sylpheed or Freedom Fighters. Probably the former.

 

[UnNamed]

I know this game and I played it long time ago. It was a fun game but nothing more.

 

[Isa]

Thanks for this, looks cool. I also just saw that channel's video on Guardians, about a cool looking beat 'em up, among my favorite genres ever. Never heard of it until now sadly but I'm going to try it out for sure.

 

[kunonabi]

Obscure title champion for me is eyeshield 21 Amefuto no yarouze for the PS2. It's card game/football hybrid made by Konami for an anime series.

The actual gameplay mechanics and team constructions are surprisingly deep and well thought out for a simple licensed game. It does suffer from card games not being well suited to local multiplayer on a tv though. I literally played the game almost exclusively for like 2 years.

 

[Keihart]

Two kinda obscure games now that i rarely see anyone mention now are the Vampire Hunter D one for PS1 and the Record of Lodoss War game for Dreamcast, kinda feel the itch to play those again, i feel like they were forgotten by time.

 

[Chickenwing10]

Legend of Legaia. One of my favorite RPG's ever, and one of the funnest combat systems I've played. But i don't think it ever got any publicity/popularity in the states.

 

[assurdum]

Wrong thread.

 

[SpongebobSquaredance]

looks oddly similar to Burnout 1.

 

[newtypepilot]

I remember playing this in the arcades. Pretty fun

 

[MonkeyClaw36]

looks oddly similar to Burnout 1.

Looks like GTI Club meets Burnout.