Even dedicated gamers won't have heard of this "gloriously playable" arcade

Even the most hardcore gaming nerds and dedicated Formula One sickos are unlikely to have heard of this obscure title. While there were apparently originally plans to bring Capcom’s 1995 arcade game Slipstream to Japan and the US, in the end this F1 racer only saw a limited release of just 150 units, exclusively distributed in Latin America.

It’s possible this was because it was a throwback 2D racer in an era when genre heavyweights like Daytona USA and Ridge Racer were already wowing arcade audiences with textured 3D polygons. That said, it could just as easily be because it was entirely based on flagrantly unlicensed Formula One content and was absolutely riddled with adverts for cigarettes and booze.

In spite of its lack of an official license, Slipstream is gloriously playable and offers up surprisingly accurate recreations of its four real world circuits, especially considering the arcade hardware it’s running on would be easily embarrassed by a modern smartwatch.

Monaco in particular is exceptionally faithful, with its marina full of yachts and recognisable forest of tower blocks skyline. What’s perhaps less faithful is the fact that with a turbo boost you can blast through the famous tunnel at an eye-watering 270mph, nearly 100mph more than the official real world record.

And if you’re wondering about the relevance of the name, it’s actually tied to a proper gameplay mechanic which is crucial to making your way beyond the first circuit in the championship. Tuck in behind an opponent and you’ll hear a man with a thick Japanese accent bellow the title of the game as what looks like a full firework display explodes out of the back of your car.

Granted, we don’t have a masters in vehicular aerodynamics, but we’re pretty confident that’s not how ‘slipstream’ works.