Daytona USA

And we'd like to emphasis that the original arcade cabinet that took more of our cash than any other, simply because it was such as well-crafted and first-class piece of entertainment that was unmatched for nearly a decade.

But we know very well what nostalgia does. Memory is the best anti-alias a game can get,
and seeing prior classics handled clumsily, there was going to be skepticism. It only took half a lap clocked in Daytona USA, however, was something special.

Because this arcade game is Sega's finest hour. You've a two car choice, three track setup. Nothing more. So simple anyone can have fun right from the start, yet is so deep that players have competed over nearly two decades to maximise times. Eight-player online makes running the tight curves successfully as rewarding as ever.

The secret lies in how carefully Bluepoint Games has brought the arcade original to the high-resolution, widescreen world. The textures are spruced just enough to make them look as we remember them, added widescreen support, minimised any pop-ups and maintaining a silky-smooth 60 frames per second. Looks like how we remember it: its only when checking the original do you realise the tremendous effort put into this.

The Hornet stock car feels rightly leaden on the track, while the vibrant colours are reminiscent of a retro dream when racing didn't have to equal realism. Three Seven Speedway and its cliffside Sonic carving evokes feelings of nostalgia that borders on the unbearable wonderful.

Add the well thought-out alternative game modes such as Survival and the Outrun-inspired Challenge Mode mode and you've got a real treat, material added that naturally suits the game - again, just enough polish to freshen the experience for today's standards.

Additionally there's bonuses that hardcore fans appreciate (play with the original Japanese menus) and a little dry Sega humour with the bizarre karaoke mode that lets you holler the game's catchy tunes while you drive.The only thing missing is the ability to play split-screen.

Let this be a perfect example of how to do a classic arcade conversion, and Daytona USA is the best history lesson gamers of today can have.