The thing about Sega is that they make damn good racing games, but there have a certain panache for independence. Think of games like Outrun, Super Hang-On, - you're not racing the other players; you're racing against the clock. The music has this delicate, nostalgic air to it. The roads are clean and sprawling, as if a natural part of the environment. And the goal is usually a set destination rather than a looping circuit. Even in Sega racers where you these rules don't apply - Daytona, Sega Rally, Rad Mobile, etc, - these associated feelings are still evoked through the rest of the game's presentation.

Power Drift is a Sega racer that actively fights against all of that.

Power Drift is four kart racer laps in these ridiculously artificial courses against 11 other racers in a bout for top 3. The other drivers aren't background obstacles used for world-establishing purposes: They're greedy-ass bastards that'll slam you right off the road. Gone is the serene sky and artisan atmosphere, and in its place is this bullish, roughhousing derby. The scaling effects used to create the 3D space the courses occupy turn the screen into a nightmare of tubes and turns. And y'know? It kicks ass!

In understanding their own strengths, Sega made something really divergent but still in line with their overall arcade design philosophies. It's a total treat, enhanced even further having played prior racers in their catalog, and it holds up shockingly well for having pre-dated the kart racer boom ignited by Mario Kart.