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It is the 21st Century, but still the practice of driving automobiles dangerously at high speed (referred to by psychologists as the Rignall Syndrome) has a special meaning amongst the fast car-owning section of population.

In fact, they've bought up a section of the legendary Junker's High in which to race their fine motors. You are one of these drivers. It's your task to power-up your automobile and get racing! Standing between you and the end of Junker's High are give stages of high-speed 3D action.

Can you complete each of the 25 sections within the allotted time limit? Moreover, will your performance beat the other participants in this, the most deadly game of all: OutRun 2019?

Originally a Sega coin-op where you clambered into a red Ferrari and raced around the USA. This is a future version.

Race along the third person 3D perspective roadways, beating the crushing time limits imposed by the OutRun authorities.

Your 21st Century Futuremobile has a surprisingly simple transmission. For building up start, use the Low gear. When your engine starts to red-line, switch to High for a better top speed. Alternatively, if you're completely lazy, you can get the computer to change gear for you. The problem here is that you lose precious seconds in acceleration.

Just like KITT in Knight Rider (remember that?), your car has a fine turbo mode! When you start to red line your motor in top gear, the power meter begins to flash. After a while, this pent-up power is released in a massive burst of plasma energy - propelling your car onwards at incredible speed!

OutRun 2019 has a number of interesting new features, the best being the inclusion of bridges and suspended roadways. Players have the choice to either stay on terra firma, or drive up ramps onto the suspended motorways!

Best of all, once up there, you can look down on the road below. In fact, to aid this, some of the raised motorways are made out of transparent plexiglass. Later levels have booster pads that shoot you up or down onto different roads!

Thankfully, OutRun 2019 manages to keep a track of your record-breaking performances without the slightest hint of an appearance from Roy Castle or Norris McWhirter. Instead, you select the appropriately titled RECORDS option from the title screen and then see if your efforts have been recorded for posterity.

OutRun 2019 preserves your records on battery backed-up memory, enabling you to come back at a later date and try for the title again.

Does this game look familiar? Well, faithful Mean Machines readers should recognise it immediately as the Japanese game, Junker's High. Only superficial differences (like the name) separate it from its Japanese cousin.

OutRun 2019 is a cross between OutRun and the Super NES game, F-Zero. The game has got some very good ideas. I like the idea of the suspended motorways and the transparent roads - both of which are probably going to be copied.

However, the game itself has a number of irritating faults. First of all, there's the fact that the game is so easy. In Easy and Normal modes, it's a doddle to complete. Only Hard has any challenge whatsoever.

What a waste. I grew bored of the game very quickly. The only difference between each stage is the scenery - and even that is re-used God knows how many times during the game.

Also, the gameplay itself is remarkably limited. Apart from overtaking other cars and taking corners, there's very little to keep you occupied. OutRun 2019's saving grace is that it is quite playable and easy to get into.

The problem is, the enjoyment is just too short-lived. Other than besting your previous performances, there's nothing to bring you back.

I was lumbered with the task of having to do the frame grabs for this, presumably because Rich considered it too beneath him! So, recalling the travesty that was the original OutRun, it was with no little trepidation that I sat down to play... And, blow me if I didn't start sort of enjoying it!

OutRun 2019 is by no means an impressive title, it is just middle of the road (groan!). The graphics are moderately detailed and do their jerky best to convey the speeds at which these futuristic cars are presumably supposed to travel. The music too takes the path of least resistance and bounces along happily enough, apart from the effects which are truly sad - the engine sounds like a hamster farting and the skidding effect makes you wonder who is doing the shooting.

The gameplay is responsive, and easy to get the hang of, but is lacking in any real challenge, although things get a little more interesting in the ramp-ridden later levels. All in all, a mediocre affair and, as such, I would recommend that players in search of high-speed thrills check out the excellent Super Monaco's I and II or Lotus Turbo challenge before you consider this.

Presentation 77%
P. An okay-ish intro kicks the game off, and the options sheet is good. The records option is a nice idea.

Graphics 75%
P. Some of the backdrops are excellent, and the roadside obstacles are generally quite good. However, the 3D update is quite jerky and some of the colour schemes are incredibly tasteless.

Sound 57%
N. The engine noises are pathetic! The music is equally bad, boasting instantly forgettable tunes that you'd turn off immediately were it not for the flatulent sound effects you'd be left with.

Playability 72%
P. On the plus side, OutRun 2019 is very fast and quite playable to begin with.
N. But it soon becomes clear that the game hasn't got the depth or variety to cut the mustard.

Lastability 50%
P. The idea of retaining your records is a good one.
N. The problem being that the game's easiness, blandness and lack of variety is more likely to keep you away.

Overall 66%
OutRun 2019 is packed with decent ideas and is quite playable, but the game is sadly let down by being way too easy and lacking severely in the variety department. A disappointment.