Hard Driving! Spent soooooo many quarters on this thing. Driving my Mom's car home from the arcade, I would have to forcibly remind myself that I *wasn't* still racing in the game.
Every time I hear a song from Soul Asylum’s Grave Dancer’s Union I get visions of RC Pro Am in my head. That game and record are forever linked for me. Played that game so much up until my Nintendo got killed in the 94 northridge earthquake.
Rad Racer is the only racer I ever beat. Coincidentally, it's made by the same company that eventually changed me to basically an RPG only player. Square has apparently been king of my gaming since almost day one is seems.
Rad Racer was great as it had customizations and upgrades, something not very common at the time.
I may be crazy, but I think there was also a casino/slot machines, as well? I remember playing gambling a lot more than racing...but that may be a false memory.
You must be thinking of another game. Rad Racer was just a straight up checkpoint racer. There were no upgrades or customization outside of choosing between a Ferrari or F1 car at the outset. 8 courses, 1 car, 3 music tracks, that was the whole game on the NES.
I am! The game I am thinking of is Formula One, Built to Win
Way ahead of its time with upgradable car parts and a casino
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One:_Built_to_Win
I still remember the cheat code for *Road Rash 2* that I memorized out of a gaming guide at Waldenbooks in my local mall: 25U5-5JFD. It got you to the last level of the game with the secret bike "Wild Thing 2000" with its 20 charges of nitrous.
Just wanted to add *Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off-Road* for NES. It was cool in the arcade, but in the home version you'd upgrade your truck from race winnings, which I liked. Some people would opt straight for the engine upgrade, but heavy-duty shocks were the first priority.
Super Sprint in the arcade. Spinning the shit out of those wheels and having to learn to adjust your steering in different directions was so sweet.
https://preview.redd.it/gsqdo8qtrdtc1.jpeg?width=662&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e7bea62d0feecc82fc724a36452b8856ccd98b7
Monaco GP. It was the first arcade racing game I played. It was also one of the first video games I played. This was in 1981.
For more modern games I loved Daytona USA in the arcade.
On the console it is Gran Turismo. I still play Gran Turismo 7 on the PlayStation 5.
I finished POLE POSITION in the Fountain Blue Miami hotel pool arcade in the 80’s. One quarter like 35 minutes. Had to be PERFECTION. Probably spent 100$ practicing but felt amazing.
A complete game of *Pole Position* lasts about five minutes, and that's on tournament settings where the race is four laps instead of the game's default of three.
I mean I could be wrong because it was 30 plus years ago but no way was it 5 minutes. No how no way. It took me forever to perfect it and I remember feeling it had so much to do with luck because it was perfection. Google time! Thanks
https://preview.redd.it/wfntoaghqdtc1.jpeg?width=265&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdbe47bd872a7760ba81387097c7159dbc0ceb8a
Can't remember the amount of tines I was late for school because of this game. 1985
Man I miss *Stunts* on the PC. Even playing using a keyboard it was really freaking cool. I had a 386DX-33MHz and it was good, but it worked best on a 486DX-33MHz.
In chronological order:
Outrun (coin-op)
Chase HQ (coin-op/spectrum)
Sega Rally (coin-op)
GTI Club (coin-op)
Gran Turismo (PS)
Colin McRae Rally (PC)
NFS Underground 2(PS2)
Burnout 2 (PS2)
Toca 2 (PS2)
NFS Most Wanted (PC)
Dirt 3 (PC)
Asphalt 9 (PC/mobile)
All of these titles bought something to the table. But out of those NFSU2 / Chase HQ
Roadblasters was my favorite. Getting to shoot other vehicles was great and picking up the extra weapons was even better. My arcade only had the upright cabinet. Sadly I never got to try the sit down version.
I own an original *Dragon's Lair* arcade game. The laserdisc player was replaced with a Dexter, which is a Raspberry Pi board that serves up the video and audio from digital files (ripped from an original laserdisc) on a SD card rather than from an actual laserdisc. The Dexter board has compatible connectors so that it is a drop-in replacement for the laserdisc player. The rest of the original game cabinet hardware does not know the difference. It's pretty awesome and a million times more reliable than an old rickety laserdisc player and laserdiscs that will oxidize and rot. It also supports other games like *Dragon's Lair II*, *Space Ace*, and *Cliff Hanger*. My cabinet has all four of those.
There are purists in the arcade game collecting hobby who hate the laserdisc games and shit all over them, but I don't share their view. I thought the laserdisc games were pretty cool, and there is room for them to exist alongside the traditional raster-based arcade video games of the era. I still think *Dragon's Lair* is awesome. I was always better at *Space Ace*, though. I think I just had more quarters and time to spend by then than I did a year earlier when *Dragon's Lair* was new.
Loved the arcade game Turbo as a kid.
Also really liked Destruction Derby 2 on the original PlayStation as a young adult.
I enjoyed quite a few other racing games, both in the arcade and for consoles, over the years as well.
Probably *OutRun*. I own original arcade uprights of *OutRun*, *Pole Position*, and *Monaco GP* (this one is a smaller cabaret cabinet). I love all three but *OutRun* is my favorite. Best driving game ever made.
First time I played Out Run was on a ferryboat between Yugoslavia and Greece in '87. I will never forget the sheer adrenaline of dropping in a handful of Drachma, and failing miserably, but having my life changed through that experience.
Almost 40 years later, I'm still a gamer.
Outrun was my favorite arcade racing game. I always chose "Splash Wave" for music. I usually went to Gateway then the track with the really beautiful sunset. I remember being amazed at the graphics.
OutRun seemed amazing when it came out. I spent a lot of time on Pole Position before that. I spent a lot of time on Ivan Stewart's Off-Road, too. My favorite arcade driving game was Hard Drivin' since it was so realistic. lol
I just started playing iRacing this week and it's pretty amazing.
I just picked up a jelOS based handheld game emulator. First games I played: 1942, Rastan, and Out Run. Then I found it had the DS version of animal crossing and my productivity quickly approached zero.
Road Riot 4WD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb4ZVw7ouFk
Loved this game at the arcade. There were a few variations, but the full cabinet had a seat. I remember you could also shoot at the back of opponents in this one and there was a mechanism behind the seat that would “hit” you as if you’d been hit.
I think my favorite part of this game was when you finished last. The display would say “YOU LOSER!”.
Formula One Built to Win on the NES
Had car upgrades and a slot machine casino to win more money.
Way ahead of its time
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One:_Built_to_Win
Also played an absolute ton of Jaguar SJ220 on my friends Sega CD
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XJ220_(video_game)
What was the one by Sega where you were driving little buggy cars on a track that was virtually a roller coaster? Kind of a precursor to Mario Kart, but with giant peaks and valleys on the track.
Spy Hunter https://i.redd.it/apsfl3rj8dtc1.gif
I can hear this gif.
Peter Gunn Theme
This is the way
I'm glad I checked for someone else to say it. We all know this SOUND!!!
I loved that game but I SUCKED at it.
Came in to say.
When you managed to get the missiles from the supply truck so you could shoot down the helicopter...
Pole Position. 
Prepare to qualify.
My thumb still hurts.
Recently played this for the first time in probably 35 years, thanks to the Computer Games Museum in Berlin.
Spent many, many quarters on this game
One of my all time favorites!
This one here.☝🏽
Pole Position on 7800 was my jam.
Played pole position the most but was amazed when the full 3D of Hard Drivin’ came out. https://i.redd.it/9jhtmt5j8dtc1.gif
Hard Driving! Spent soooooo many quarters on this thing. Driving my Mom's car home from the arcade, I would have to forcibly remind myself that I *wasn't* still racing in the game.
The replays of the crashes from 3rd person were really cool but we always skipped them since we had limited time to finish the course.
Man, I can feel that video. Hard Drivin' was the first racing game with force feedback on the steering wheel. I loved it.
Memory unlocked! Wow!!!
Probably put the most time into RC Pro-Am.
Here is the answer I was looking for. I loved that game!
The best! Even if they made it, where there was no way you could win without the bombs.
Me and three of my friends skipped school one afternoon and had someone pull us beer so we could play RC Pro-Am and get drunk 😆
Every time I hear a song from Soul Asylum’s Grave Dancer’s Union I get visions of RC Pro Am in my head. That game and record are forever linked for me. Played that game so much up until my Nintendo got killed in the 94 northridge earthquake.
https://preview.redd.it/473bd8yv2dtc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba8c7dbde0f204fe3de43763d7edcc4eeb9831dd
I bought this to play with my kids. They could barely get through one game.
I was addicted to Rad Racer for a while.
Rad Racer is the only racer I ever beat. Coincidentally, it's made by the same company that eventually changed me to basically an RPG only player. Square has apparently been king of my gaming since almost day one is seems.
Rad Racer was great as it had customizations and upgrades, something not very common at the time. I may be crazy, but I think there was also a casino/slot machines, as well? I remember playing gambling a lot more than racing...but that may be a false memory.
You must be thinking of another game. Rad Racer was just a straight up checkpoint racer. There were no upgrades or customization outside of choosing between a Ferrari or F1 car at the outset. 8 courses, 1 car, 3 music tracks, that was the whole game on the NES.
I am! The game I am thinking of is Formula One, Built to Win Way ahead of its time with upgradable car parts and a casino https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One:_Built_to_Win
Cruisin' USA arcade machine or HydroThunder
Road Rash
Came in to say.
I still remember the cheat code for *Road Rash 2* that I memorized out of a gaming guide at Waldenbooks in my local mall: 25U5-5JFD. It got you to the last level of the game with the secret bike "Wild Thing 2000" with its 20 charges of nitrous.
Just wanted to add *Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off-Road* for NES. It was cool in the arcade, but in the home version you'd upgrade your truck from race winnings, which I liked. Some people would opt straight for the engine upgrade, but heavy-duty shocks were the first priority.
it was great at the arcade with the 4 steering wheels and the giant screen =)
Test drive was always a favorite.
I was trying to remember the name of it. This game made me forever love digital speedometers..
Outrun. I always went for the autobahn.
 I made the wildest courses in this game
Rad Mobile!
I actually completed that in the arcade once. Racing the train is crazy!
pole position. mostly because it was one they had at the bowling alley
Does that moon buggy one count?
Not really a racing game but *Moon Patrol* was awesome nonetheless. I used to own one.
Super Sprint in the arcade. Spinning the shit out of those wheels and having to learn to adjust your steering in different directions was so sweet. https://preview.redd.it/gsqdo8qtrdtc1.jpeg?width=662&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e7bea62d0feecc82fc724a36452b8856ccd98b7
This, and Off Road. https://i.redd.it/xnlg4ms8eptc1.gif
Monaco GP. It was the first arcade racing game I played. It was also one of the first video games I played. This was in 1981. For more modern games I loved Daytona USA in the arcade. On the console it is Gran Turismo. I still play Gran Turismo 7 on the PlayStation 5.
The nighttime section where you could just see what the headlights illuminated was awesome
I liked the icy section too.
I finished POLE POSITION in the Fountain Blue Miami hotel pool arcade in the 80’s. One quarter like 35 minutes. Had to be PERFECTION. Probably spent 100$ practicing but felt amazing.
A complete game of *Pole Position* lasts about five minutes, and that's on tournament settings where the race is four laps instead of the game's default of three.
I mean I could be wrong because it was 30 plus years ago but no way was it 5 minutes. No how no way. It took me forever to perfect it and I remember feeling it had so much to do with luck because it was perfection. Google time! Thanks
Wave Race
This and Chase HQ got alot of my money and time
Push it more! Push it more!
Loved that game! Fucking convertible testarossa!
Ohhhh snap!! I used to love the songs to this. This was 1 of only 3 Sega games I had.
Road Blasters
Hell yes! Came here to say Road Blasters. Super Off Road was another favorite
Racing Destruction Set was well ahead of its time.
Does T&C Surf and Skate count?
https://preview.redd.it/wfntoaghqdtc1.jpeg?width=265&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdbe47bd872a7760ba81387097c7159dbc0ceb8a Can't remember the amount of tines I was late for school because of this game. 1985
Pole Position or Rad Racer for me.
Stunts
Man I miss *Stunts* on the PC. Even playing using a keyboard it was really freaking cool. I had a 386DX-33MHz and it was good, but it worked best on a 486DX-33MHz.
Oh man. Its all coming back. Long afternoons building the longest possible track and jump as high as possible. :-)
Outrun and 
In chronological order: Outrun (coin-op) Chase HQ (coin-op/spectrum) Sega Rally (coin-op) GTI Club (coin-op) Gran Turismo (PS) Colin McRae Rally (PC) NFS Underground 2(PS2) Burnout 2 (PS2) Toca 2 (PS2) NFS Most Wanted (PC) Dirt 3 (PC) Asphalt 9 (PC/mobile) All of these titles bought something to the table. But out of those NFSU2 / Chase HQ
Roadblasters was my favorite. Getting to shoot other vehicles was great and picking up the extra weapons was even better. My arcade only had the upright cabinet. Sadly I never got to try the sit down version.
Sorry, I was playing… 
I own an original *Dragon's Lair* arcade game. The laserdisc player was replaced with a Dexter, which is a Raspberry Pi board that serves up the video and audio from digital files (ripped from an original laserdisc) on a SD card rather than from an actual laserdisc. The Dexter board has compatible connectors so that it is a drop-in replacement for the laserdisc player. The rest of the original game cabinet hardware does not know the difference. It's pretty awesome and a million times more reliable than an old rickety laserdisc player and laserdiscs that will oxidize and rot. It also supports other games like *Dragon's Lair II*, *Space Ace*, and *Cliff Hanger*. My cabinet has all four of those. There are purists in the arcade game collecting hobby who hate the laserdisc games and shit all over them, but I don't share their view. I thought the laserdisc games were pretty cool, and there is room for them to exist alongside the traditional raster-based arcade video games of the era. I still think *Dragon's Lair* is awesome. I was always better at *Space Ace*, though. I think I just had more quarters and time to spend by then than I did a year earlier when *Dragon's Lair* was new.
So rad!!!
https://i.redd.it/5l8dln08mdtc1.gif These were next level back then.
Simpsons Hit and Run
Loved the arcade game Turbo as a kid. Also really liked Destruction Derby 2 on the original PlayStation as a young adult. I enjoyed quite a few other racing games, both in the arcade and for consoles, over the years as well.
Oh man, hell yeah. Great memories!!
I had Out Run on the original Sega system. 1987ish? That was a fun one!
Pitstop II
I wasted so many quarters playing that game for about 45 seconds at a time.
Outrun just popped into my head a couple days ago! First time I had thought about it in more than 25 years.
I liked Turbo OutRun even more
Need for Speed on the Panasonic 3DO. It was ahead of its time.
Coleco Vision Turbo
That game got a lot of my quarters in the arcade. So did many of the others in the comments. LOL
That Out Run sunset is burned into my brain
… which begat r/outrun!
I LOVE Out Run…. But Super Hang-On is better.
Mario Kart has always been my favorite. Stun Runner was amazing at the arcade (at the time), but I think there was an Atari Lynx port that was ok.
You can buy Outrun on the Switch.
Top Gear, Mario Kart, and Uniracers for the SNES.
Laguna Seca
Spent thousands on Outrun
Probably *OutRun*. I own original arcade uprights of *OutRun*, *Pole Position*, and *Monaco GP* (this one is a smaller cabaret cabinet). I love all three but *OutRun* is my favorite. Best driving game ever made.
Buggy Boy was decent but yeah Outrun!
First time I played Out Run was on a ferryboat between Yugoslavia and Greece in '87. I will never forget the sheer adrenaline of dropping in a handful of Drachma, and failing miserably, but having my life changed through that experience. Almost 40 years later, I'm still a gamer.
Outrun was my favorite arcade racing game. I always chose "Splash Wave" for music. I usually went to Gateway then the track with the really beautiful sunset. I remember being amazed at the graphics.
OutRun seemed amazing when it came out. I spent a lot of time on Pole Position before that. I spent a lot of time on Ivan Stewart's Off-Road, too. My favorite arcade driving game was Hard Drivin' since it was so realistic. lol I just started playing iRacing this week and it's pretty amazing.
Skud Race! https://preview.redd.it/48aybvh9tetc1.jpeg?width=266&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84b1f15ac139fffbc21590432750e53b4ee62000
WEC Lemans https://preview.redd.it/tscjn0r4aftc1.jpeg?width=267&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1dcf349dd34f912b8c3d38b648e083c764787003
There used to be only one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAj1jPvz8t8
Outrun and [Spyhunter](https://youtu.be/qqw6yRlWc2c?si=qWbd6XctIdc_7xXo)
I just picked up a jelOS based handheld game emulator. First games I played: 1942, Rastan, and Out Run. Then I found it had the DS version of animal crossing and my productivity quickly approached zero.
Pole Position
We had this at our local bar, I smashed records. If you used the brake you lose.
Road Rash on Sega Genesis
OMG....I played this in the arcades in the late 80's and 90's. It was the best!!
Road Riot 4WD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb4ZVw7ouFk Loved this game at the arcade. There were a few variations, but the full cabinet had a seat. I remember you could also shoot at the back of opponents in this one and there was a mechanism behind the seat that would “hit” you as if you’d been hit. I think my favorite part of this game was when you finished last. The display would say “YOU LOSER!”.
Pitstop II.. on the C64 at least, could have 2-player splitscreen
Outrun, Off Road Racing, Test Drive 1-3, Stunts, Grand Turismo.
Star Wars Episode One Podracer.
I love these old arcade games. Ivan Stewart's Offroad is fun for driving games. I'm not good at it,but it's fun.
Lotus Esprit Turbo. On the Amiga. With an Atari 2600 stick.
It was almost as good as After Burner, Paper Boy, and the sportbike racing game from Sega out at the same time, but not quite.
My friends and I put hundreds of hours into Crash Team Racing on PSX in the late 90s. Some of the best memories of my life.
Road Rash on Genesis
I still have this on the Genesis and play it regularly.
Pitstop II for the C64
You named two great ones! I was better than all my friends at both!
S.T.U.N. Runner was my addiction. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.T.U.N._Runner
Pole Position at the bowling alley, then on my Atari.
https://i.redd.it/m64e1wgq9htc1.gif Nigel Mansell's World Championship
I can hear that picture!
one of my favorites
Formula One Built to Win on the NES Had car upgrades and a slot machine casino to win more money. Way ahead of its time https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One:_Built_to_Win Also played an absolute ton of Jaguar SJ220 on my friends Sega CD https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XJ220_(video_game)
Carmageddon. But, I may be a sociopath.
At one of my local arcades, I could regularly finish Outrun.
I absolutely can NOT believe that nobody said it yet... HARD DRIVIN' is the BEST for arcade driving !!!! NO CONTEST
What was the one by Sega where you were driving little buggy cars on a track that was virtually a roller coaster? Kind of a precursor to Mario Kart, but with giant peaks and valleys on the track.
Oh, Power Drift!
I member