Wangan Midnight

Wangan Midnight is a 80's manga that depict highway race. However, it was much more famous as an arcade racing game, when it first come out as Wangan Midnight: Maximum Tune, in 2004. A sequel of the game was made in 2005.

The story, from a little excerpt, stated that In 20XX, Japan moved to a new Tokyo, which feature a vast extensive paid highway that criss-crossed the metropolis. At night, however, it became a race track for those who dared.

Characters

• Akio Asakura is the main character of the manga. When he travel normally he will drive a Nissan 300ZX(Z31). However, when he actually racing, he drives a heavily tuned Nissan 240Z that is known as "Devil Z", one of the fastest car in the game/manga

• Tatsuya Shima is the main rival of Akio. Drive a heavily tuned Nissan 350Z that is known as "Black Bird", one of the fastest car in the game/manga

• Reina Akikawa is a pop idol at day, and a street racer at night. Her car, a heavily tuned Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 model, is the third fastest in the game/manga. (though it was more due to her driving skill, as during "Legendary Car Time Attack" this is the fastest car)

• Kitami Also known as the "Devil's Tuner", he is the one that tuned both the Devil Z and the Black Bird. In the game, he also tuned the last five tuning points (as well as adding 1 or 2 tuning page after 80 stage) for players.

• Gen Sasaki (Gatchan) His behavior are similar to a sterotypical homosexual, and is actually a much-maligned character in the manga. Drive a Toyota Celsior, one of the worst car in the game/manga (though people may drive it just for fun)

Gameplay

Like Initial D Arcade Stage, this game employ the magnetic card system, which store the data of the player (car type, tuning, story mode progress, time attack, outrun status). And just liek Initial D, it is not backwards compatible (i.e. a WMMT2 card cannot be used on WMMT1); the user must upgrade his or her card, which is permanent, if he wish to transfer his/her data from WMMT1 onto WMMT2, and after 50 plays (60 in WMMT2), player must renew their card. However, unlike initial D, once they completed 20 story stages in WMMT2, instead of a completely useless old card being ejected, the old card still have some data as a back up. Many players use this exploit to clone their cars.

While Initial D focused on curving mountain roads, Wangan Midnight: Maximum Tune (denoted WMMT) focus on highway battle. As such, while the roads in most case a straighter then mountain passes (even though there are plenty of sharp turns and S-curves), there are also numerous street vehicles that act as moving roadblocks, ranging from bumpable Corollas, slight block (only decrease a small part of the speed) from HiAce, and major block from ToyoAce - considering that the speed are actually much higher in Wangan, this create a need to be able to have equally good driving skill as Initial D.

Compared to Initial D, drifting is more visually evidental: Initial D, even though from an external view cars do drift (especially through "observer camera", in internal view player can barely view the drift, and if one can view the drift, they actually oversteered and will slow you down. In WMMT, however, internal view of the dirfitng is "acurrate", making drifting easier.

As such, when choosing a car in WMMT, one have to account for not only power (determines speed), cornering and handling capability, but also its weight and stability, for a lower weight, while in crease speed and handling, make it easy to bump and harder to bump back. Also, in WMMT (after 1st play through), the tuning attributes can be changed before the actual gameplay, switching between power and handling.

Finally, compared to Initial D, it gives a more "relaxed" feeling, as story characters will keep on talking to you while showing their expressions, and may react you any actions you commit. Also, occasionally it features Pac Man characters as your rival, driving "street cars" (corolla and HiAce respectively) that are even faster than both Devil Z and Black Bird.

WMMT2 also have extra tuning pages available once stage 80 is completed. If one was to complete it with no losses at all (not completely impossible to Initial D veterans, with a right car and good basic tuning), they gain two additional tuning page, allowing player to have an extremely drifty 815hp car. Otherwise, they will only have one additional tuning page for 810hp.

Game modes

• Story Mode Player plays against different opponents, which is usually 1 per stage, but may sometimes have upto 3 opponents on later stages. Also, some are split stage; one must complete the first half before continuing the second half of the stage. 20 stage makes up 1 story, and 4 story completes one cycle (80 stage). This is the only way to earn tuning points, as oppose to Initial D that give tuning points on all game type.
• Outrun mode Player will have to pass the opponents that chellenge them. 10 each in each level, with 10 levels in each of the 5 stage. This is the quickest way to earn rankings.
• Time attack Player races against time to rank against other players, both in internet and in the arcade. However, this is also the game mode where the player can earn interesting titles by force retirement on certain section of the stage. (e.g. "Dirt Fetishism")
• Battle mode While it is similar in concept to Initial D's battle mode, it can accept upto four players, as oppose to ID's 2. Also, unlike Initial D, where bumping is frowned on(even though it basically does nothing), In WMMT, not only bumping does actually slow down opponent's car and change their movement, bumping is an expected staple in battle race, and will create significant effects on the outcome of the race.

In both time trial and battle mode, time zone (day and night) can be chosen. Night decrease visibility, while daytime have a lot more traffics.

While there are numerous stage available in story mode, in reality they are actually numerous sections of the 6 stages available: C1 Outbound, C1 In bound, New Belt line clockwise, New Belt line Counterclockwise, and in WMMT2, Hakone, a winding mountain road (downhill and uphill). C1 and New Belt line together makes up the Metropolian Highway, which usually is setted so that additional credit is required to play.

Secret cars

In WMMT, there are two secret cars:
1) Highlight Toyota Chaser and use the shifter, enter N-6-4-3, to get Gatchan's Celsior
2) Highlight Nissan Fairlady Z S30 and use the shifter, enter N-6-4-3, to get Z31

In WMMT2, there are two more additional secret cars:
1) Highlight Toyota Supra (5-speed model) and enter N-4-1-2-6- 4-1-2-6- 4-1-2-6 to get the Corolla, one of the street car. It is a bit drifty.
2) Highlight Toyota MR2 and enter N-3-2-2- 3-2-2- 3-2-2- 3-2-2 to get the HiAce (Wagon). For one of the four secret car this is the best, for while untuned it is very slow, it has a very good handling and cornering ability, and once tuned it can match up with most of the cars; best of all, it is one of the best car to use to bump people.