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. Also on the linked cabinet, if the player races or does a time attack, the other cabinet basically shows the race live.

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.

Game Versions
As of April 2020, there are 12 games in the series; 9 for arcades and 3 for home consoles. Initial D Arcade Stage 4 was the final arcade game to be released on Western countries, though its later installments rarely appeared in a few Western arcades, such as Initial D Arcade Stage 8 Infinity appearing in most Round 1 locations.

Initial D Arcade Stage (2001)

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 Kai(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 across several courses. Opponents increase in difficulty as the player progresses throughout the game. In the English versions of the games their names were derived from the original Tokyopop manga, with character who didn't receive a nickname being given one.

Time Attack
Players attempt to set a fastest time on a course of their choosing.

Bunta Challenge
The player races against Bunta Fujiwara. 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. It is first featured in Arcade Stage 3. It wasnt featured in Arcade Stage 4 and didn't return until Arcade Stage 7 AAX.

Bunta's car differs across levels.


 * Levels 1-6: Toyota Sprinter Trueno 3door GT-APEX (AE86)
 * Levels 7-11: Toyota Sprinter Trueno 3door GT-APEX (AE86) with TRD 20-Valve 4AGE Racing Engine
 * Levels 12-18: Subaru Impreza WRX STi Coupe Type R Version V (GC8D)

Online Battle
Introduced in Arcade Stage 4, this mode allowed players to race against other users around the world.

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

Tag Battle
Introduced in Arcade Stage 6 AA, this mode allows two players in the same location to team up and racer other users. One player drives uphill and the other downhill against two other players. 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 Double Aces, courses are random.

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

Courses
As of April 2020, there are 24 mountain pass courses in the series.

Soundtrack
Like the anime, Initial D Arcade Stage features Eurobeat songs that play during the races. They are mostly sung by artists such as Dave Rodgers, Niko, Leslie Parrish, Max Coveri, Mega NRG Man, and Overload. The courses mostly have an assigned Eurobeat song, such as Speedy Speed Boy being assigned to Myogi, though it is optional for the player to change songs or have no songs played at all. However, even if the player changes the song, the replay still has the course's assigned song playing in the background.