Two very welcome racing game announcements today - Codemasters has provided a February 24 launch date for TOCA Race Driver 3, the latest title in the company's excellent multi-event series. Featuring 80 international racing circuits, 43 locations, 13 countries and over 120 championships it's another more-than-generous motoring buffet.
"From the most prestigious circuits in Europe, including the UK's iconic Silverstone, Germany's demanding Hockenheim with its gladiatorial stadium section, and the dramatic drops and rises of Belgium's historic Spa-Francorchamps as it blasts through the Ardennes forest, TOCA Race Driver 3 will also take you to Australia's V8 championship venues, the raceways of the US and the latest tracks on the global racing map: Shanghai International, Bahrain International and Istanbul Park," says the press release.
It'll arrive on Xbox, PS2 and PC. More details at the official site.
And if that isn't mouth-watering enough, Sega and UK developer Sumo have announced OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast, out in March 2006 on PS2, PSP and PC. In a lovely, lyrical press release, Sega proclaims...
"The enchanting draw of the open road has never been so appealing with the choice of one of 12 fully licensed Ferrari models, featuring the all-new F430 and the dazzling Superamerica. Gamers will feel the throaty whine and that distinctive Ferrari exhaust tone as they power their way across 30 glorious stages from the best of the OutRun2 original, and the new OutRun2 SP arcade experience. Race from coast to glorious coast with a fresh new mission structure, a license mode and online play with up to 6 players for a thrilling head-to-head journey."
Sumo's OutRun 2 title is one of Xbox's unsung heroes - an absolute must for anyone who remembers pumping 30p a time into those hydraulic OutRun cabinets (this was back when 30p a go was a lot of money for an arcade game). The 2006 Coast 2 Coast instalment is made even more enticing by a PS2-to-PSP link-up feature, which will unlock new content in both versions.
