Super Drift Out (prototype)

Super Drift Out is a rally racing game with an overhead view. Accolade may have attained rights to the game, and began a localization. Thanks to KingMike for some information here. By: Evan G Last updated: January 1, 2011

This logo is removed from the prototype.

Super Drift Out is an overhead, Mode-7 rally racing game. The game came out in Japan, and was largely in English, so a localization would be a quick and simple process. I purchased this prototype, along with Fireteam Rogue back in May 2010. According to the seller, who worked at a company called IMN Control, Accolade was attempting to sell the publishing rights to some of their games to alleviate their financial problems.

There isn't much to this prototype. KingMike noted that one of the splash scenes (seen on the right) was not in the prototype. It apparently is the logo for Garage Italya, a Japanese car dealership. They also changed the default speedometer to miles/hour from km/hour. Some of the car information is also changed, possibly to more generic titles to avoid licensing fees? Looking at the ROM images with a tile viewer, the second half of the prototype has sections with a checker-board pattern that are blank in the Japanese version. I can only assume the pattern was burned on the chips prior to burning the game.

I imagine this prototype is just evidence of a common process, where companies investigate a Japanese game that might be cheap to localize and license, and release it for some easy money. The lack of interest in rally racing in North America probably made this an undesirable release, even if it was cheap. Plus, the fact that Accolade was in financial problems in 1995 probably led this game to stay unreleased outside of Japan.

Japanese version	Accolade version - note the fake brand name

Japanese version	Accolade version - same deal as before

Japanese version, default speedometer is km/hr	Accolade version, default speedometer is miles/hr

Prototype pcb, date on chips - May 18, 1995

Download ROM Image here