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It's here. Few jewels shone as bright in Sega's crown as the Daytona coin-op. It is to Virtua Racing what Virtua Racing was itself to Super Monaco GP. And its arrival on the Saturn was anticipated for many reasons.

First, it's the ultimate benchmark test for the machine: replicating £16,000 worth of custom arcade RAM technology within a flexible, £400 CD-based home machine. The comparison is also with Sony's Playstation, competing in price and spec, the Playstation showed it could handle Namco's Ridge Racer arcade game with credit - indeed, many prefer the Playstation version to the coin-op. Fortunate: as it is the only half-decent game for the machine to date. The Saturn's task is greater - a larger and faster game, and one where the details seem almost as important as the main game itself.

But Daytona has been anticipated for altogether better reasons - it's an excellent game. Everything comes together in a feast of speed, a timely reminder that video games can still occasionally astound, even move, their players.

Programmed by AM2, from their own Model 2 CG board coin-op, Daytona USA; world famous and rather tasty.

The same principle as any other racing game. Complete the course in the fastest time possible (against 39 other racers!).

Races are set underway by a series of lights, grand prix style, apart from Short Oval's notorious 'Rolling Start!'. Prior to the race you see the field zoom into the final straight, with an enthusiastic Sting imitator singing in the rolling start, allowing you to begin the race at top whack.

You never forget you're part of a competition in Daytona, with the sheer number of opposition cars. These lack the fine detail of your own Hornet Gallop, but if you come close enough you can make out the sponsors' labels, even the webbing in the window. On the first course there are no less than forty simultaneous competitors crowding a narrow track. The second offers a more manageable race roster of thirty, and a positively sparse final track has twenty in the line-up.

In common with other Sega polygon games, there are a choice of four 'Virtua' viewing positions. Like Virtua Racing, these range from Driver's eye positions to well behind the car. However, the furthest of these is not quite as high as the spectacular panoramic viewpoint of Virtua Racing. Playing close-up is by far the most pant-wetting.

Swerve into any of the three courses' pit lanes, and you're treated to a marvellous display of precision mechanics. The view pans over the crew as they change your tyres. In the arcade this was all pretty superfluous, but the new Grand Prix and Endurance options in Saturn mode introduce much longer races of up to 80 laps, where pit technique becomes important. Spectacular crashes will also reduce your spanking lovemobile into a jittering wreck.

The game's arcade mode offers you a single choice of manual or automatic for the liveried Hornet Gallop, a top little car capable of 315km/h. Play in the Saturn mode and a further choice of cars, with better handling and acceleration is possible. Win any of the races and further pink, green and multi-coloured editions of your car become available.

The biggest matter of debate surrounding Daytona is its clipping, a phenomenon you won't pick up from the screenshots. Clipping occurs where elements of the background that are not yet meant to be in view are hidden.

The problem is when large objects appear noticeably late, or worse, where large features, e.g. the Sonic Wall, appear in bits.

It's a messy process which detracts from the graphics and the game overall, and will be noticed by even undiscrening games players.

There's been a lot of comment over Daytona since it arrived, both good and bad. For some, it's not as they had hoped, with some poor presentational details, and the major let-down of the background clipping.

However, let's get this into perspective - £16,000 of kit more than successfully shrunk into a single CD. Daytona still looks fabulous, runs faster than anyone can easily handle, and gamely incorporates most of the features of the coin-op.

The sense of movement is amazing, and the sheer number of competitors makes every race a huge battle. The control takes a lot of getting used to, with a definite resistance to steering commands. Another major aggravation is the sound. Only the first track music is any good, and there's no way to turn off the others.

Minor gripes aside, Daytona is a fantastic package, and the second purchase to get with your Saturn after Virtua Fighter.

Right, first of all, no this isn't arcade-perfect. However, the Saturn version of Daytona plays every bit as well as the coin-op, and has all the tracks and features of the original.

However, it is a certain roughness to the graphics which let things down. The backdrop clipping is very hard on the eye, and gives the indication that the game was rushed as all the mountains and bridges appear from nowhere. Even so, arcade fans will be more than chuffed with this, and Daytona is still the cream of the Saturn crop.

Graphics 92%
P. Fully textured, incredibly fast 3D creates the most convincing racing atmosphere ever.
N. Larger elements of complex background are badly handled by the Saturn.

Sound 86%
P. The sound effects are mostly brilliant and the first music is thumpin'.
N. Listening to the other manic warblings is a trial.

Playability 92%
P. Grabs you by the steering wheel and doesn't let do. Amazing speed and response.
N. The harder tracks put you off a bit.

Lastability 91%
P. Dayton's classic status is assured. People will be queuing up to play it for weeks to come.

Value For Money 81%
P. If you gotta have it, you gotta have it.
N. The import price is still scandalous and it's not a flawless conversion.

Overall 92%
Daytona USA is Daytona USA. Don't let the doubters put you off a stunning conversion of the world's greatest racer.