Initial D Arcade Stage (series)

Initial D Arcade Stage is an arcade racing series based on the Initial D anime series published by SEGA. In the United States, the games series is simply known as Initial D.

Premise
Based on the popular anime and manga series, the main objective is to race against different characters through various mountain passes featured in the series. The game has 5 licensed Japanese manufacturers to choose from such as Mitsubishi, Toyota, and Subaru. Using the optional magnetic card system, players can save a customized car as well as their progress for future sessions; otherwise, their game progress is deleted. Players can continue growth with their cards on another Initial D cabinet on the same version. However, the card must be renewed every 50 plays. After each race or time attack, a replay is added to show the player's progress on the mode they did. On a linked cabinet, players can get the opportunity to race each other as it would have a feel to the anime series.

Resuming from another version is subject to the following conditions:
 * There is no backward compatibility for (i.e., a version 2 card cannot be used on a version 1 machine)
 * Upgrading the card to a more recent machine is permanent.
 * When upgrading from one version to another, remaining plays will be carried over, and 50 plays will be credited to the card.

List
As of April 2020, there are 12 games in the series; 9 for arcades and 3 for home consoles.

Initial D Arcade Stage (2002)

Initial D Arcade Stage Ver.2 (2002) & Initial D Special Stage (2003) (PS2)

Initial D Arcade Stage Ver.3 (2004) & Initial D Street Stage (2006) (PSP)

Initial D Arcade Stage 4 (2007)/Initial D Arcade Stage 4 Revised (2008) & Initial D Extreme Stage (2008) (PS3)

Initial D Arcade Stage 5 (2009)

Initial D Arcade Stage 6 AA (2011)

Initial D Arcade Stage 7 AAX (2012)

Initial D Arcade Stage 8 Infinity (2014)

Initial D Arcade Stage Zero (2017) & Initial D Arcade Stage Zero Ver.2 (2019)

Legend of the Streets
In the main story mode, players race against different opponents from the series such as Itsuki Takeuchi, Ryosuke Takahashi, Shingo Shoji, as well as Keisuke Takahashi and Takumi Fujiwara. Opponents increase in difficulty as the player progresses throughout the game, as it is recommended to use the manual transmission in the series. In the English versions of the game, until the release of Arcade Stage 4, their names are derived from the original Tokyopop manga.

Time Attack
In Time Attack, players race in a timed game to rank the highest against other players at their current machine or online. At the end of the mode, Ryosuke Takahashi appears as the "critic" to the players' performance, knowing how well you did on the track. Players doing the mode over, again and again, achieve a new record for the fastest time they achieved on the track.

Bunta Challenge
First started in Arcade Stage Ver. 2 to Arcade Stage Ver. 3/Street Stage, the player races against Bunta Fujiwara, the legendary street racer of Akina. Each time Bunta is defeated through each course gives the player a level and difficulty increases. Starting with Arcade Stage Ver. 3, the player loses 1000 points upon defeat. Regardless of the result, the ending will still roll if you win or lose to Bunta. The mode was discontinued and removed in Arcade Stage 4/Extreme Stage, but Bunta appears as a final boss in Akina. However, it later returned to Arcade Stage 7 AAX but only in Legend mode after clearing Rebirth mode. Bunta's car differs across levels.

Levels 1-6: Toyota AE86

Levels 7-11: Toyota AE86 with TRD 20-Valve 4AGE Racing Engine

Levels 12-18: GC8 Subaru Impreza WRX STi Version V

Online Battle
Introduced in Arcade Stage 4/Extreme Stage, this mode allowed players to race against others located in Japan and some areas in Asia.

Racer's Event
Introduced in Arcade Stage 5 to ''Arcade Stage 8: Infinity. ''Only two modes are included in the game, such as online battle and time attack.

Tag Battle
Introduced in Arcade Stage 6 AA to Arcade Stage 8 Infinity, this mode allows players in the same location to team up. One player is required to drive uphill and the other is required to race downhill to race with rivals. Matches are made based on past racing results, pitting drivers with similar levels against each other. When there is a difference in the level with your tag partner, the stronger driver will match with another stronger driver and a weaker driver with a weaker driver. The team with the highest score wins the battle.

Project Kanto's Fastest/Operation Kanto
First introduced in Arcade Stage 7 AAX, this mode is similar to tag battle mode, where players race against the rival characters based in the manga from Gunma to the Kanagawa area. In races against Project D's Ace, courses are random. In Arcade Stage 8 Infinity, new rivals include Toru and Atsuro in Momiji Line, Sakamoto and Wataru in Sadamine, and the Tsuchisaka Lan Evo Team in Tsuchisaka.

Car List
As of April 2020, there are 59 cars in the series.

Initial D Arcade Stage
Opening Select Myogi Usui Akina Happogahara Akina (Fight Bunta) Other Ending
 * Take Me Baby - Mickey B.
 * Live in Tokyo - Kelly Wright
 * Space Boy - Dave Rodgers
 * Love Is In Danger - Priscilla
 * Grand Prix - Mega NRG Man
 * Heartbeat - Nathalie
 * Beat of the Rising Sun - Dave Rodgers
 * Don't Stop the Music - Lou Grant
 * The Race is Over - Dave Rodgers

Initial D Arcade Stage Ver. 2
Opening Select Myogi
 * Gamble Rumble - m.o.v.e
 * Live in Tokyo - Kelly Wright
 * Space Boy - Dave Rodgers

Usui Akagi Akina Happogahara Irohazaka Ending
 * Night of Fire - Niko (night only)
 * Don't Stop the Music - Lou Grant
 * Love is in Danger- Priscilla
 * Killing My Love- Leslie Parrish (Day only)
 * Running In The 90's - Max Coveri (Night only)
 * Grand Prix- Mega NRG Man
 * Beat of the Rising Sun- Dave Rodgers
 * Heartbeat- Nathalie
 * Rock Me To The Top- Dusty
 * Station to Station- Derrick Simons (Project D only)
 * The Race Is Over - Dave Rodgers

Initial D Arcade Stage 3
The game features songs from the anime. However, it features 5 new songs that weren't featured in the anime. One of them is sung by Marko Polo, the other is sung by Ace Warrior. 3 of them were sung by Powerful T. and Matt Land, in which the artists' songs didn't appear in the anime.

Opening Myogi Usui Akagi Akina Irohazaka Happogahara Shomaru Tsuchisaka Ending
 * Gamble Rumble- m.o.v.e
 * Speedy Speed Boy - Marko Polo
 * Remember Me - Leslie Parrish
 * Save Me- Leslie Parrish
 * Over the Rainbow - Powerful T. (Day only)
 * Stop Your Self Control - Marko Polo (Night only & Snow only)
 * Crazy For Love - Dusty
 * Express Love - Mega NRG Man
 * Black Out- Overload
 * Fall in the Web Of Desire - Powerful T. (Day only)
 * Pamela - Matt Land (Night only)
 * Fight for Love Tonight - Ace Warrior (Project D only)
 * Dancin' In My Dreams - J. Storm