Sega is very much into revitalising classic franchises, with Headhunter: Redemption hot on the heels of the massive Sonic Heroes. OutRun has a well deserved place in every single gamer's heart (well, those over 25 at least), and OutRun 2 delivers in every way that other retro throwbacks can only wish their primitive little pixelated personas could.

Once your 10p pieces are safely in the slot and the characteristic Sega "ching" reverberates around the room, the mental motoring memories come flooding back. Except now we don't need to wade through a carpet of cigarette butts to grip a sweat-soaked steering wheel to experience these outlandish OutRunning adventures.

Everything is just as arcade aficionados will remember... everything, apart from the spanking new sumptuous visuals. Pop on your shades because you'll be blinded by the light of the wicked sun glare, but when it looks this good, we don't mind one bit. Winding tracks bob and weave their way through the absolutely gorgeous landscapes, seamlessly flicking between beachside paradises and dusty deserts.

Another quality carried over from the arcade version is the immense sense of speed conveyed to players. Often criminally overlooked in racing games, OutRun 2 gets the thrill of tearing along at nearly 200mph, as far as we could imagine, absolutely spot on. You'll need nerves of steel and a stomach to match to safely navigate a congested highway (especially during the nail-biting Convoy game modes).

Car handling is refreshingly simple; with just two controls (accelerate and brake, L and R triggers), the game parks itself squarely in the pure arcade gameplay garage. But this simplicity works in OutRun 2's favour, and paves the way for a truly exhilarating experience. If the breakneck pace doesn’t get you soiling your leather upholstery, then the massive drifting manoeuvres will certainly have you leaving skidmarks all over the place.

But enough of the aesthetics and top-notch handling; we can all see OutRun 2 looks sweeter than a sugar-coated schoolgirl running riot in a candy store. What really matters is what's under the pulsating red bonnet of pretty gameplay. Well, at first glance, there's not a great deal to be honest.

Present and correct is the original Arcade mode, where players simply tear through several different environments attempting to reach the next checkpoint before the ever-diminishing timer expires.

Most women we know are happy with the prospect of a bag of chips after being ragged round a city centre in a souped-up Nova (we're classy like that, see), yet the lovely lasses of OutRun 2 demand a bit more than your average Essex girl. Impressing your lady friend is a big part of the game, and these chicks like nothing more than living life on the edge.

The way to a girl's heart is apparently through more hearts, totals of which are amassed by successfully completing each of the challenges on offer, unlocking further tracks, cars and mission cards.

But hang on a minute... doesn't all that sound a bit similar? Well, actually, yes it does. Although every challenge is different, they can all get rather repetitive. And if the single-player Arcade mode is relatively easy to clock, then what else has OutRun 2 got going for it? Thankfully, the fantastic multiplayer modes. Up to four players can take part in Party mode, taking turns to beat each other at various challenges. All well and good, but what really lights our sparkplugs are the brilliant System Link and Xbox Live modes. Up to eight players can tussle it out online on all the tracks from the single-player game in LiveRun, or players can attempt to beat downloaded Ghost Cars in Trial for Live. And at breathtaking speeds like these, this really is a heart-stopping hilarity.

It's always a risky business trying to breathe new life into classic franchises, but luckily Sega has come up trumps with OutRun 2. Although not as deep as other driving titles out there, the flawless presentation and an overriding immense sense of fun revs this retro racer right up there with the best of them. So forget your technical cornering and braking in a straight line. This is an amazing drive showing how racing games used to be made. You won't go wrong with OutRun 2 - especially in multiplayer and over Xbox Live.

1. Varied environments look stunning (helped by the sweeping camera) but you'll barely notice them thanks to the blisteringly fast pace.
2. Driving is immediately accessible, though long, stylish drifts will take a while to completely master.
3. A huge number of challenges, game modes and mission cards to complete, unlocking some very tasty motors along the way.
4. Xbox Live play propels this from the '80s straight into the noughties, and 8-way multiplayer is an absolute riot!

1. Not a massively long single-player Arcade mode, and after a while a lot of the challenges become very similar.

Top-notch presentation and brilliantly accessible controls. A fast, furious racer that'll please old fans and new ones alike.