OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast review

Customization is the hottest thing happening in racing games right now. Buy new parts, slap on some 20s and proceed to tear ass through the city streets as the crowd gawks in awe. You won't find any of that in OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast. This is arcade racing at its finest, with no other emphasis besides roaring through course after branching, hairpin-littered course. In fact, the over-the-top nature of OutRun requires near-constant power-sliding and uncanny evasion skills, rather than grease monkey prowess.

Because there is no need to visit a garage, or tool around forever trying to build up a championship auto, the sense of speed and stomach-flipping turns begin right from the start. You'll be skidding tires through San Francisco, New York City and all the beautiful "flyover country" in between without ever paying attention to what's under the hood - just know that they're all licensed Ferrari models and you'll do fine.

We can't say enough how smooth this ride is. All the postcard-worthy tracks may be blasting by at impossible speeds, but you'll often find yourself trying to sneak your eyes away from the track in an effort to scope out an amazing floral village or misty, low-lying valley.

Most of the time, this is one smooth ride - but the PSP version is easily the choppiest. If you end up playing a console version and then slide over to the handheld, it's even more apparent. When you've got six cars onscreen, hugging a 180-degree turn with wide-open fields stretching out into the distance, it's even more noticeable. Not a deal breaker, but it can affect your racing.