Late last year, Sega announced a killer addition to its classic Ages game line-up for Nintendo Switch–an arcade port of Virtua Racing. And it won’t be long before fans will be able to get behind the wheel with this favorite.
The company has announced that it will release the game on April 25 in Japan, going for 999 yen (around $9). There’s not currently a release date for the U.S. version yet, but it shouldn’t be too far behind. We’ll more than likely see it sometime in May or June.
A lot of work has gone into this version of the game, and the updated release offers a number of features not included in the original. First up, there will be two-player online functionality, so you can go head-to-head with others. But, more interestingly, you’ll be able to compete with up to eight players in offline racing via a unique split-screen method.
There’s more as well. You can choose between Normal and Grand Prix Race modes, and extend your race to as many as 20 laps. That’s literally going the distance. You can also save replays and show them off to your friends, plus set up custom camera angles, even off track.
These features could make Virtua Racing the most elaborate arcade port from the developers at M2 to date. The team has done great in the past, bringing favorites like Out Run and Phantasy Star to the system. If the latest port works as intended, it could really put them at the forefront. It could also lead to bigger and better games for Sega Ages on Nintendo Switch as well. We might see ports of Dreamcast and Saturn games, or a number of returning arcade favorites. Ah, to play After Burner Climax and Daytona USA on the system. We’d be down with that.
We’ll let you know when or if Sega announces a U.S. release date for the upcoming Virtua Racing re-release, but for fans who just can’t wait for a confirmed western release, it wouldn’t hurt to do a little importing. This would be an easy download through the Japan eShop.
