OutRun

OutRun never received an official Apple II port. The arcade racing game, created by Sega in 1986, became famous on other platforms but skipped Apple II computers entirely. This absence disappointed many Apple II owners who wanted to experience the popular driving game at home.

The original OutRun arcade cabinet featured a Ferrari Testarossa racing through branching paths across different landscapes. Players controlled their speed, steering, and gear shifts while avoiding traffic and racing against time. The game's soundtrack let players choose between three radio stations, adding a unique musical element to racing games. These features made OutRun stand out in arcades worldwide.

Apple II computers faced technical limitations that made ports of advanced arcade games difficult. The system's graphics capabilities couldn't match the colorful, fast-moving visuals that OutRun required. While the Apple II excelled at text adventures, strategy games, and simpler action titles, it struggled with games needing smooth scrolling and detailed animation. The computer's 1 MHz processor and limited color palette prevented developers from creating faithful versions of newer arcade hits.

During the late 1980s, Apple II owners watched as OutRun appeared on competing systems. The Commodore 64, Amiga, and IBM PC all received ports, though none matched the arcade original. Sega's own Master System and Genesis consoles got the best home versions. Meanwhile, Apple II gamers settled for racing games like Pitstop II or Test Drive, which worked within the system's constraints but lacked OutRun's style and speed.

The missing OutRun port represents a turning point in Apple II gaming history. By 1986, newer computers offered better graphics and sound, attracting arcade conversions away from Apple's aging platform. Publishers focused their efforts on machines that could handle modern games, leaving Apple II users with an increasingly outdated library. This shift marked the beginning of the end for Apple II as a gaming platform, though educational and productivity software kept the computer relevant in schools and offices for several more years.