Ferrari F355 Challenge is a racing game based on the actual race car and Ferrari event. It was developed by the AM2 division of Sega for arcades under supervision of producer Yu Suzuki, and was later ported to the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2. The only model of car featured in the game is the Ferrari F355 Challenge model.Some versions of the arcade cabinet are noteworthy for having three screens, allowing the player to look through the side windows as they would in a real car. The 3-screen cabinet version also features an H-shaped gear stick and 3 foot pedals, and presents a tough challenge to any player who decides to use them. The cabinet itself actually comprises 4 NAOMI units. One for each of the 3 screens and one to sync them all. The game also allows the player to use an automatic transmission or paddle-shift the gears. The Dreamcast version has link cable play for direct competition, however as of Jan. 2006, the online servers for F355 Challenge are now offline, and the website has gone offline.
The game features an original soundtrack featuring Genki Hitomi that mimics the style of 1980s hard rock/heavy metal which is integrated into a radio station format during gameplay. The radio DJ (and the announcer) goes by the name of Alan J (the Voice).
Yu Suzuki is a keen Ferrari enthusiast who allegedly used data from his own Ferrari 355 at certain tracks to help with the game.
| Ferrari F355 Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Sega-AM2 |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Designer(s) | Yu Suzuki |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2 |
| Release date(s) | Arcade October 11, 1999 Dreamcast
|
| Genre(s) | Racing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Cabinet | Sit-down |
| Arcade system | Sega NAOMI |
| Display | Raster |