OutRun, (Super) Hang-On, Space Harrier, After Burner (II): Which of these SEGA classics is your favorite and why?

[Deleted member 419]

I've been with family for the lockdown and it's been hard to find time to play RPGs, so my gaming fix has mostly come from much shorter pick-up-and-play games. Over the last week or so, I've introduced a few people in my family/immediate social circle to some of these 80s SEGA classics through emulation, and it's been fascinating to see which ones they end up liking the best overall. I thought it'd be interesting to poll you all and see which one is the consensus favorite on here as well.

I won't put my ranking in the OP (I'll put it as a separate post later) since I don't want to give it a writeup and potentially bias the results, but I'll still list out the options. I also am sort of combining both Hang-On/Super Hang-On and After Burner/ABII, for simplicity's sake. Remember to try to include at least a short explanation of why you like one the best, and you can rank them all out if you want to.

Space Harrier (1985)

Hang-On (1985) / Super Hang-On (1987)

Out Run (1986)

After Burner / After Burner II (1987)

 

[Deleted member 18021]

It hurts to choose between my two favorite children, Space Harrier and Outrun.

But Outrun ever so slightly edges it out just in terms of which I choose to pick up and play more. Both are games I play often, but something about the chill driving in Outrun makes me come back and pick it up just that little bit more.

 

[NotLiquid]

【Ｗｅｌｃｏｍｅ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ Ｆａｎｔａｓｙ Ｚｏｎｅ！ Ｇｅｔ Ｒｅａｄｙ！】

 

[Temtastic Muns]

Space Harrier. It's the highest up there in terms of fun twitch-based gameplay, it's the most visually interesting, and it's got the best theme music.

 

[Deleted member 419]

God damn hahaha. Same game that my family unanimously liked the best already trending towards a blowout on here too lol.

 

[Sheng Long]

AfterBurner was one of my all time fave arcade games.

They are all Classics though.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

Outrun, by far. The graphics, the branching level design, the gameplay, the music, the control. It's as close to a perfect arcade game as you can possibly get. The two major sequels it got, outrunners and outrun 2, are also outstanding.

Hang On was the very first video game I ever played, period. But Outrun bests it in every possible way.

 

[CloseTalker]

Outrun is the best of these by far

 

[B4mv]

OutRun is the only one I really have nostalgia for so it's that.

 

[McNum]

I still play OutRun from time to time. The missing Ferrari in the newer releases is a bit of a downside, but the increased framerate and more music make up for it. Also Splash Wave is the better song of the original.

 

[jetsetrez]

Outrun easily for me. Hang-On is good too, but Outrun is the perfect mix of gameplay, visuals, style, and music. And Outrun has produced the best modern versions too. Outrun2/Coast 2 Coast/Online Arcade are among the best arcade racing games ever imo, better than the original.

Afterburner is pretty cool, though I think Climax is better than the classic versions too. Never really saw the appeal of Space Harrier outside of the interesting/unique visuals. Just felt clunky to me.

 

[Rotobit]

Space Harrier, almost entirely for the soundtrack but also because I have the most fun playing it. OutRun's a little too brutal from the outset for my taste.

I love all of them though, especially the arcade cabinets.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

Never really saw the appeal of Space Harrier outside of the interesting/unique visuals. Just felt clunky to me.

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Oh no no no no nooooo. Space Harrier is an excellent rail shmup. It laid the foundation for what great rail shmups should be -- an extremely strong emphasis on enemy placement. When you play it a whole bunch, and can recall the enemy patterns off the top of your head, you start to realize the method to the madness. It's not random, Space Harrier has excellent level design. It's just that it's soooo early, that everything it did got copied and iterated upon, even by sega themselves. 1CCing Space Harrier still feels incredible. I especially like how certain stages will alter your velocity, speeding you up to insane moments where the strategy shifts away from shooting everything in front of you to twitch dodging just to survive. Or slowing down when more interesting enemies with more varied patterns arrive, to let you figure out how to approach or defeat their set path.

Make no mistake, Space harrier has a lot to offer besides visuals and music.

 

[mattynunchucks]

Music-wise? Outrun by a mile. Nostalgia? Space Harrier.

 

[Deleted member 419]

This is where I am with the 4 of them:

1. OutRun
2. Space Harrier
3. After Burner II
4. Super Hang-On

For me it is actually pretty close between OutRun and Space Harrier. If OutRun wasn't such a sublime, cogent statement of a game then I probably would put Space Harrier above it instead, but I can't in good conscience do that when OutRun is, well OutRun.

Other than the strong core gameplay and the majestic main theme, what really draws me to Space Harrier is the sense of adventure. It is a visual extravaganza full of bold, psychedelic landscapes, strange and memorable creatures, and a sense of scale (for instance when you see the floating city/castle in the distance as you run towards it). I think it is very rare for an arcade game, especially at the time, to really feel like a full-blown adventure and convey that sense of setting out into the unknown and seeing what fantastical sights await you. Space Harrier definitely nails that aspect and it has a special place in my gaming heart for that reason.

I prefer both the aesthetic and gameplay of Space Harrier to After Burner, even if I might say that on paper After Burner has the more compelling gameplay systems and in comparison Space Harrier is a bit more simplistic. It's also no slouch in the music department. But I get more of that wanderlust zen vibe from Space Harrier and that edges it out for me.

Hang-On is kind of a write-off, it's a fun, classic SEGA arcade game but I think it's the only one of the four that loses a lot of its identity when its played in an emulation setting and divorced from its original arcade cabinet. Still a fun time but I can't say I'd ever particularly choose to boot it up if any of the other four were also an option.

As for my overall favorite - OutRun - I don't think I even need to really explain why it's my preference. It is probably the best and most fully-realized arcade game ever released.

 

[jetsetrez]

Oh no no no no nooooo. Space Harrier is an excellent rail shmup. It laid the foundation for what great rail shmups should be -- an extremely strong emphasis on enemy placement. When you play it a whole bunch, and can recall the enemy patterns off the top of your head, you start to realize the method to the madness. It's not random, Space Harrier has excellent level design. It's just that it's soooo early, that everything it did got copied and iterated upon, even by sega themselves.

But make no mistake, Space harrier has a lot to offer besides visuals and music.

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It just doesn't feel as fun as Panzer Dragoon/Afterburner to me.

 

[Deleted member 419]

Afterburner is pretty cool, though I think Climax is better than the classic versions too.

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I agree with this, Climax is my favorite AB game, I'd even say by some distance.

 

[Opa-Opa]

All true classics, but outrun outdoes them all.

 

[Arulan]

Out of those listed I'd probably say Space Harrier. It plays great, and you just have to love the music and visual design.

Other than the strong core gameplay and the majestic main theme, what really draws me to Space Harrier is the sense of adventure. It is a visual extravaganza full of bold, psychedelic landscapes, strange and memorable creatures, and a sense of scale (for instance when you see the floating city/castle in the distance as you run towards it). I think it is very rare for an arcade game, especially at the time, to really feel like a full-blown adventure and convey that sense of setting out into the unknown and seeing what fantastical sights await you. Space Harrier definitely nails that aspect and it has a special place in my gaming heart for that reason.

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Well said.

I never got into Out Run. I should give it another shot sometime.

I did spend a ridiculous amount of time playing Super Hang-On a few months ago. There is something very soothing and captivating about it.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

It just doesn't feel as fun as Panzer Dragoon/Afterburner to me.

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That's because both of those games explicitly iterated upon space harrier. It's the same way, say, Super mario Bros feels less mechanically satisfying than Super mario world.

The lock on concept from panzer dragoon, for example, originated in space harrier.

 

[Deleted member 17210]

Hang-On is kind of a write-off, it's a fun, classic SEGA arcade game but I think it's the only one of the four that loses a lot of its identity when its played in an emulation setting and divorced from its original arcade cabinet. Still a fun time but I can't say I'd ever particularly choose to boot it up if any of the other four were also an option.

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I don't think Super Hang On loses any more than Out Run does by not having the arcade set up. I ended up playing Super Hang On on 3DS more than the other games which surprised me. They're all fantastic. Galaxy Force had the best arcade cabinet of all of them and that's still awesome on 3DS, too.

 

[jetsetrez]

That's because both of those games explicitly iterated upon space harrier. It's the same way, say, Super mario Bros feels less mechanically satisfying than Super mario world.

The lock on concept from panzer dragoon, for example, originated in space harrier.

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I'm aware. That's why I don't think it holds up as well. :) If you asked if I liked SMB or World more, I would say World as well. Doesn't make SMB or Space Harrier any less important, it's just two different questions.

 

[ChestRockwell]

 

[Deleted member 419]

I don't think Super Hang On loses any more than Out Run does by not having the arcade set up. I ended up playing Super Hang On on 3DS more than the other games which surprised me. They're all fantastic. Galaxy Force had the best arcade cabinet of all of them and that's still awesome on 3DS, too.

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I feel like the act of riding a motorcycle is more...I don't know how to put it, distinct? Than the act of driving a car, which for the most part is just sitting and using a wheel, pedals and shift. And to me losing the ergonomics of the cycle cabinet takes more away from Hang-On:

Whereas with OutRun you have this, which while awesome I don't find it particularly as integral to the OutRun experience:

They're still both excellent games and Super Hang-On is great on 3DS especially with the 3D cranked, I just feel like between the two it loses more when it loses the cabinet. You could probably say the same about After Burner though which originally had the cockpit that moved in sync with the plane. EDIT: The one posted directly above lol.

 

[Mg.]

Which one has Magical Sound Shower? That's my answer to which and why.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

I grew up outside of Houston, Texas. Where I grew up, it was farm land, we had cows and such, our road to the freeway was a dirt road literally called a "farm road." There was a tiny, private airport just outside where our house was. On christmas eve, we'd drive to the city in the evening to see my grandma, open some presents, and then come home usually as the sun was coming up. Driving from our house to grandma's would take us from the farm land, across the air port, past the dark city, and then back at a pink sunrise.

Without a shread of irony, as a kid, I thought a loop in Hang On was explicitly about my rides to grandma's house on christmas eve.

There's the airport in the distance

There is the road to the city

Houston at night.

Coming home in the morning.

Hang-On is my dad's favorite game. He'd loop it over and over again, while I'd sit next to him on the floor and watch. Hang On reminds me of christmas with my dad.

 

[Taco_Human]

Been playing these more and more lately. Outrun for sure. Space Harrier is second right now.

 

[Deleted member 419]

Krejlooc That's a great story, really shows how even "non-narrative" games like Hang-On can produce emotions in unexpected ways.

Which one has Magical Sound Shower? That's my answer to which and why.

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That's OutRun and it has like 3 other bangers to boot lol. Probably pound-for-pound one of the best game OSTs ever even if it only has a handful of songs.

 

[Deleted member 401]

 

[Deleted member 17210]

I grew up outside of Houston, Texas. Where I grew up, it was farm land, we had cows and such, our road to the freeway was a dirt road literally called a "farm road." There was a tiny, private airport just outside where our house was. On christmas eve, we'd drive to the city in the evening to see my grandma, open some presents, and then come home usually as the sun was coming up. Driving from our house to grandma's would take us from the farm land, across the air port, past the dark city, and then back at a pink sunrise.

Without a shread of irony, as a kid, I thought a loop in Hang On was explicitly about my rides to grandma's house on christmas eve.

There's the airport in the distance

There is the road to the city

Houston at night.

Coming home in the morning.

Hang-On is my dad's favorite game. He'd loop it over and over again, while I'd sit next to him on the floor and watch. Hang On reminds me of christmas with my dad.

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Great story. Also, SMS Hang On holds up better than it has any right to for a console racer. It's smooth and vibrant.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

Great story. Also, SMS Hang On holds up better than it has any right to for a console racer. It's smooth and vibrant.

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what's funny is that, for like 2 decades, I had no idea Hang-On had music. The title screen, I never knew it was part of a fuller song, until shenmue. Hearing the full theme in shenmue blew my mind.



IRL, when I accomplish things, I hear the victory music in my head.

EDIT: WTF? This video has a full composition of the SMS hang on theme. I've NEVER heard that before.

 

[JustinH]

It hurts to choose between my two favorite children, Space Harrier and Outrun.

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This was similar to my feeling when seeing thread title, lol.

I think I'd have to go with Space Harrier simply because I find Outrun much more difficult. I still love both though.

I'm happy I have copies of both on Saturn, but it appears they're becoming afflicted with disc-rot though :(

 

[Damn Silly]

Gotta be Hang-On, entirely based on the fact I remember playing it as a young 'un while on holiday with my family.

 

[bytesized]

I can't choose :(

 

[Deleted member 419]

I can't choose :(

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Understandable since this is probably one of the most consistent sets of 4 games you'd ever come across in a poll. I think the OutRun dominance demonstrates more that a lot of people think it edges out the others by a little, rather than that it's a substantially better game than the others, which might be what you'd infer just by looking at the results.

 

[Jimnymebob]

It's certainly not Space Harrier lol, but I can't choose between Outrun, Super Hang On, and After Burner II.
I'd maybe say that's my order from best to not as best, but then I get the After Burner iI music in my head and want to put it first.
That being said, I think After Burner II was the only one I thought was significantly outclassed by a sequel, with Climax.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

I have the Sega Lindbergh version of After Burner Climax. It's fun, but it's completely outclassed by the XBox 360/PS3 port because you can select the Afterburner II soundtrack in those games. The Afterburner II soundtrack demolishes the climax soundtrack.

 

[OmegaDL50]

Outrun easily.

I never quite got my steering wheel to work right until Cannonball came out which almost feels like the Arcade experience, since the force feedback of the wheel adds tremendously to the experience. I liked the sit down arcade game though with the drive motor that shakes when driving over the sandy terrain in one of the stages, also the rumble in the steering wheel when you flipped your car off the road by accident.

I'd love for Sega to revisit the series and make an Outrun 3. Well if Streets of Rage 4 can come back after a long hiatus then maybe a new Outrun game can happen.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

I'd love for Sega to revisit the series and make an Outrun 3. Well if Streets of Rage 4 can come back after a long hiatus then maybe a new Outrun game can happen.

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Only if AM2 is at the helm, or, if not them, Sumo Digital. Sumo Digital's DNA goes all the way back to the Lotus Turbo Challenge games, the very best outrun "clones" ever made. If AM2 can't make outrun 3, only Sumo Digital can do it justice.

McBradders, make it happen!

 

[Deleted member 1627]

Only if AM2 is at the helm, or, if not them, Sumo Digital. Sumo Digital's DNA goes all the way back to the Lotus Turbo Challenge games, the very best outrun "clones" ever made. If AM2 can't make outrun 3, only Sumo Digital can do it justice.

McBradders, make it happen!

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That would be pretty amazing, no doubt.

I'd be really interested in seeing someone tackle Space Harrier and Hang On, though. Would love to go back to the fantasy zone. I'm ready!

 

[TheYanger]

Outrun and Space Harrier are the only ones I have any fondness for, and Outrun is my favorite by far.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

That would be pretty amazing, no doubt.

I'd be really interested in seeing someone tackle Space Harrier and Hang On, though. Would love to go back to the fantasy zone. I'm ready!

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Tell whoever needs to hear it, I said this:



(and I'm ready for a Fantasy Zone III so much)

 

[score01]

Outrun by a landslide. It's as close to a perfect game you could get. From the iconic visuals to the music. Is there anything in video games that has more recognisable soundtrack? I don't think so.

 

[StrangeRoboMemory]

Outrun easy, and it still plays and sounds great to this day. I like Space Harrier too but it's a bit janky in this day and age.

 

[andymcc]

【Ｗｅｌｃｏｍｅ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ Ｆａｎｔａｓｙ Ｚｏｎｅ！ Ｇｅｔ Ｒｅａｄｙ！】

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It's my favorite as well. Probably my favorite arcade game of the era too.

 

[OneBadMutha]

Outrun. It's the GOAT arcade racer of all time.

I really wanted to vote for Shinobi though.

 

[djplaeskool]

After Burner II is one of my favorite games of all time.

 

[TimeFire]

I had never played any of these games until Yakuza 0's arcade. And wow... Outrun and Hang-On are still amazing. I wasted HOURS on both games. Sadly couldn't really get into Space Harrier

 

[Deleted member 12790]

I had never played any of these games until Yakuza 0's arcade. And wow... Outrun and Hang-On are still amazing. I wasted HOURS on both games. Sadly couldn't really get into Space Harrier

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Afterburner really shines if you have a flight stick and throttle. With a gamepad, it's ok, but with a flight stick, and especially the throttle, it is *incredible*. That throttle is an absolute must, though -- it's called afterburner after all.

Those moments when someone's on your tail and you hit the boosters and barrel roll out of their way, holy crap.

...shiiiiit, I think I'm gonna go hook up my lingbergh now haha.

 

[Celine]

Voted for Outrun.
Shinobi came out in the same period (1987) and is without a shadow of doubt among the best arcade games Sega developed in the '80s.
Fantasy Zone too should be cited.

From what I played I'd rank the top Sega games in the '80s as follow:
1) Outrun
2) Shinobi
3) Fantasy Zone