Licensing motorsport championships for racing games usually involves strict rules and regulations, from run-off areas to facilities. However, Sega's Scud Race took a different approach, prioritizing creativity over realism.
- The game featured cars from the short-lived BPR Global GT Series, including the McLaren F1 and Ferrari F40.
- Instead of traditional tracks like Silverstone, it offered imaginative courses such as:
- Drifting through an Aztec temple
- Racing across the cobbled courtyards of a German castle
The term "Scud" stands for "Sport Car Ultimate Drive." However, Sega's U.S. division suggested renaming it to Sega Super GT to avoid associations with scud missiles from recent conflicts.
Scud Race remains an elusive title; it was never ported to home consoles, despite an attempted version for Sega's Dreamcast that never released. Due to complicated licensing issues, a revival seems unlikely.
While its gameplay may be forgotten, we can still draw inspiration from Scud Race as we anticipate imaginative tracks, perhaps set in fantastical locations, in future racing games.
Summary: Scud Race (1996) by Sega redefined motorsport gaming by focusing on creativity with its unique tracks and iconic cars, circumventing the typical constraints of real-world racing. Although it never reached home consoles, its imaginative spirit continues to influence the genre today.
