I Drove My Childhood Favorite Racing Game In Real Life 

Absolutely loved this.

I am REALLY late to this conversation, but wow, just wow. I was like, what game is he talking about? And then I see a front-end interface that I designed 25 years ago!! I was the Art Director on Need for Speed 2 and helped shape all the tracks along with some talented artists. It is CRAZY that I've just started watching some Tom Scott videos and this one popped up today! I think it is AMAZING that this track on a game demo touched someone half way around the world, maybe more than one! It is also fantastic that you got to travel to Vancouver and realize this was your track of dreams! SO F*N COOL! The game looks... bad, but it was fun back in the day!

Crazy to think that a normal commute for me is someone’s ultimate nostalgia trip

As a game developer, this really hits me. I have so often thought during my walks: You know, I should just build this park as a level, and have the player race or run on this trail. I really think I should after watching this...

Just occasionally, I'll do something here that's a little more personal than usual. But as I said near the end of the video: I do have a point to all this nostalgia.

This weeks episode: "I Drove My Childhood Favorite Racing Game In Real Life" Next weeks episode: "Inside the vancouver jail house (and why speeding is a bad thing)"

Whelp, time to cross "Tom Scott does a video about my city." off my list. Wasn't expecting that.

I know it's not from nfs2 but..."in pursuit of a blue Scighera" hits my nostalgia vibe hard

As a game developer, this makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. This video is so adorable.

Some day I'll probably visit places and be like "Oh, I've seen this in one of Tom's videos!". Probably a park bench somewhere XD

That feeling of wanting to explore, to see more in the old games, oh that hit me hard. I remember playing Flat Out and Need for Speed Porsche and desperately trying to get out of the map and fantasizing about the things that would be behind that rock or wall or sometimes just an invisible barrier on a road. I remember even having dreams about the game glitching, sending me over the racing corridor and revealing a whole hidden open world that the developers just didn't want me to see...

I honestly think I never seen him that happy and calm at the same time.

As someone who grew up in Vancouver, this video hit home from, like, the opposite direction for me. It's interesting to think that this demo's created a mythologized version of my city in the heads of people around the world, and fascinating to see your reaction to it. Wonderful video, Tom.

"I can go out and explore" *Starts recklessly driving off-road and unto side-walks*

I know the feeling. A few years ago, I visited Tokyo. On the bus from the airport to the hotel, the street in front of me suddenly seemed strangely familiar, even though I had never been there. After a while, I realized that I was in the middle of the R246 route, well known from "Gran Turismo". Even the hotel was on the track.

This is less a normal Tom Scott video, and far more a love letter. Its really, wonderfully wholesome :)

I like when the videos sound more like you're speaking to a friend, than instructing a class. Feels more engaging

I remember how amazed I was when I knew my way around fragments of San Francisco, only to realise that was thanks to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater..

I know this feeling (a bit). I was obsessed with just walking around GTA V...looking at the sunsets from the beach and trekking the baked mountain hills! . Thinking I'd never get the option to see L.A. Then years later my company sent me out there for a week. I spent all my free time trying to find the places I'd seen in the game... Was a great experience to see how closely they had modelled parts of the city!

"Now I can do what I've always wanted to do" Me, Imagining Tom going Rambo mode driving through the city with 300km/h and crashing into the lighthouse: *chuckles in fear

As someone who runs a catalog of thousands of such magazine CDs, I can tell you that NFS2 demos could be found at least on the following 36 publications: Best of Select Top 50 Volume 1 CD Action (14/15) 07-08/97B Computer Buyer 11/97 #78 Computer Games Strategy Plus #088 Gambler (08) 08/97 Gambler (11) 11/97 GameStar 12/97 Generation 4 CD 104_3 Joystick CD 084 Joystick CD 087 Klan #06 Klan #10 NEXT Generation #32 08/97 PC Action 08/97 PC Action 12/97 PC Collector CD 11_1 PC Collector CD 13_2 PC Collector CD 14_3 PC Gamer #3.11 PC Gamer (Italian) CD #027 PC Games 08/97 PC Games 12/97 PC Joker 09/97 PC Mania #57 CD1 PC Online 01/98 PC Player 01/98 Jubiläum PC Player 09/97 PC Team CD 29 Ludi PCX (14) PCX 07/97 (12) Power Play 09/97 Reset #07 11/97 RIKI CD 6 (29) Secret Service (48) 08/97 B SharePlay 06/97 The Games Machine #030

1:37 "sensible SUV" - someone has been in North America for quite some time ;)

As a game developer who is actually working in Vancouver, seeing this video feels so surreal. Of course, I never working on the game Tom mentioned. But just imagined that the stuff I have been working, in the future, might leave a trace in the memory of the people who I admire. It makes me feel that all this time and effort may worth it, all the suffering and tears may really worth it. Thank you Tom, this is really wholesome.

I went through the same feelings when I visited Monaco in 2015. I raced around "Côte d'Azur" countless times in Gran Turismo 3 and 4, and when I was finally able to drive around that circuit a bit in real life, it was magical.

I remember having a graphical bug in that game where everything went purple... But only being about 7 years old I had no idea how to fix it... So I just played countless hours of purple racing. Still never got bored of it.

When I was about 8 I visited Notre Damn with my family and got to visit my favourite level from one of my favourite games, TimeSplitters 2. I didn't even realise it was the same place until my mum pointed it out to me. I was overjoyed and throughout the rest of the visit I was following the same paths that I took in the game. God it's such a good memory, and considering the cathedrals recent fire and my mother dying when I was 12 (roughly 8 years ago now), it has made me appreciate the memory even more.

As someone who lives in vancouver, I was watching the video and I was thinking... "this place looks familiar" I had my high school graduation at Stanley Park! And I had no idea vancouver was in need for speed! Granted I've never played any of the games, but it's so cool to know that vancouver meant so much to you. Cheers!

Me, from Vancouver: *A C C E L E R A T E*

"Actually, it wasn't even the full game. It was a demo version that came on a free CD with a monthly computer magazine." Hhhhgck! My childhood! No doubt the November, 1998 PC Gamer demo CD I inherited from my father had a profound impact on my life as a gamer. ...Holy crap, this CD is older than me, and I _still have it!_

As an indie game developer, this hits me hard :(

I find this oddly touching, both as a Vancouver kid and as a game dev.

"Make nice things". You certainly do Tom. Thank you for this!

AKA "a video game gets contextualised the same way other kinds of art normally do" That was actually kind of touching xD

so that's why i thought Stanley park would make a great track every time i went, I've already raced on it countless times in NFS2,

"Try to give people something they'll be nostalgic about" this, as an artist, this is what sucess feels like for me

Thanks for making this video, Tom. NFS II SE is still my favorite game. I was a kid in Bombay 25 years ago, playing the demo version several hours a day, just like you did. I moved to Vancouver recently and this almost made me cry.

Expectations: Mario Kart or Crazy Taxi Reality: Surprisingly wholesome video

That's how I felt visiting Venice after playing Assassins Creed II

"Make nice things". Words to live by. 😁

I seriously got a tear in my eye when you turned to the lighthouse over the ocean! What an amazing experience. Thanks for sharing this special event.

I had a similar thing: I played Jet Set Radio a lot (set in a futuristic Tokyo), then about 15 years later I went to Japan, walking around Shibuya in Tokyo, and I found myself at the bus station with its ramps and walkways, and suddenly I was 14 again.

"I remember playing DOOM as a kid. My grandad being all nostalgic over the original version. I thought one day I'd like to actually visit Mars. Well, here I am." - some kid in the future. Hopefully sans demons.

Came straight back here after the goodbye video, I think this is your best one. Thank you for the years you’ve put in here Scott. Glad to see you took your own advice

Driving on Pacific Spirit and listening to Siwash Rock was the definition of my youth. This video had me welling up and I’m so pleasantly satisfied and thankful that you’ve made this. RIP Saki Kaskas and Godspeed this incredible track, it’s music and the game as a whole.

_"So, make nice things. Try to give people something they'll be nostalgic about, not something they'll flash back to. You never know what impressions you might be making for the future."_ *Thank you so much, Tom Scott, for letting me hear this. It's life changing and means a whole lot to me, as an artist and someone who is still developing social skills from years of withdrawal. Truly a good day to you! (✿◠‿◠)*

Vancouvers Tourism ads were ahead of their time!

I had this same feeling when I was driving around on a motorbike in Flores, Indonesia exploring the lush green jungle landscapes. I remember thinking to myself: wow, this is like the good old Far Cry game which I played as a kid, but in real life! Later I google and it turns out that Rook Islands are indeed inspired by the very same islands I was on (East Nusa Tenggara)!

This is probably one of my favourite videos of yours', Tom. You just have this... genuine happy look on your face. I'm glad you got to experience this.

The same thing happened to me 16 years ago when I moved to Vancouver. I when to Staley park and when I saw the lion gates bridge I got that flash back moment.

One day, I’d like to go to a location from my favorite childhood game. Does anyone know if Elon Musk is sending a mission to Good Egg Galaxy?

Well for me, there is a weird feeling when after many years you do a thing you dreamed as a child. It is like if you want to time travel and bring yourself from the past to the moment you are finally now experiencing , so you experience that moment with your younger version and can let it know that you did it.

I loved this. I’ve actually had similar experiences over the years with other places that I “virtually visited” in video games and later had the opportunity to experience IRL. Incidentally, I grew up in Vancouver, probably right around the time you were experiencing it virtually in this game and I recall whenever I played a game that included a scenery of my hometown, that I would play it with a strange feeling of pride and wondered if others who played the games from abroad imagined that this was what it was like to be here... great feelings of nostalgia!

Tom I'd like you to know that your content, specifically Amazing Places, will definitely have that effect on people for years to come.

3:33 “turn left onto Stanley park drive” *drifts to initial d music*

Wholesome, nostalgic Tom is best Tom.

Why are your videos so good Tom, I cant get over it. Your videos are just flawless and so warming to watch. Thank you.

But the question remains. Can you still drive the whole track without taking your foot out of gas pedal irl?

As a game Design student, this kind of message really means a lot^^ I'll try my best, Let's see if someone will get nostalgic for the things I work on some day.

Tom, know that you've helped do this for me, and many others besides I've no doubt. This is such a wonderful message.

When I saw the title I knew. We drove this every summer to see my grandparents.

Hearing Tom talk about a bunch of Vancouver stuff like Stanley Park and the SkyTrain... It's always nice to have your home showcased!

I love how Tom Scott can go from Tech Diff, Game On, Lateral, and Game Garage to The Park Bench, and finally to more sentimental ones like this.

Tom, this is possibly one of my favourite videos of yours to date. Could not agree more 👍👍👍

I loved that game. Just the menu screen made me well up with nostalgia. Then the sound effects! Tom- You should have had the full version. It was great! I feel like I could get myself around London and San Francisco thanks to Midtown Madness. Games like these were amazing.

I had the same with assassins creed 2. Back in school we traveled to italy and i recognized so much stuff.. it was awesome!

It's funny how old video games always look better in my memories than they really were.

I'm delighted every time you are recommended in my feed.

I also had that CD and I had no idea it was based on Vancouver until this video. Thank YOU so much for making this video, I've added a few more things on my bucketlist ♥

"make nice things" is an awesome moto.

I have the same thing but with the city of Los Angeles, which I've never been to, but I've spent so much time playing both GTA San Andreas and GTA 5/ Online that I practically know the map better than my own city and sometimes I'd use google street view and compare the real los angeles with the los santos I knew so well

ive watched alot of your videos but never saw this one till today. Id say its by far one of my favorites because of that game and the message thanks for making it!

I used to play Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed at a friend's house when I was a kid. Nearly every day I'd go to his house and I still remember being mesmerized by the graphics. Good times.

You get the same feeling when you have played GTA: SA for years and then you do a roadtrip to the area. Its impressive how much you can identify from the game.

Born here in Vancouver. I love hearing you Tom Scott speak so fondly about this track from ur childhood

Nfs 2 SE was my favorite game as a kid at one point too. You just legitimately created a dream video for me.

Incredible video really. I like how it's personal but still also about a concept you may not think about to often. Nice to show a little bit of your personal nostalgia :)

0:56 Hey! That looks like the one in Stanley Park! 0:58 Oh! It is the one in Stanley Park! Hope you had a great time in Vancouver :)

Easily the happiest any of your videos have made me. Love it.

You just gravled up childhood memories right here and grabbed it painfully by the balls. Thank you for this :) I've played that full version in the 00's with the exact same questions in mind.

This is one of the most deeply affecting videos you've ever made, and it's brilliant. Seeing part of your childhood brought to life like that must have been such a moving experience. It may sound trite, but thank you for given us the opportunity to see that with you.

I can *FEEEEEEEEEL* the amount of joy Tom was feeling while looking at the ocean from the lighthouse...

The whole of this video warms my heart. Thank you.

I watch a lot of your stuff but out of all of it, this is the most honest, like no effort in your words, just true feelings about something that took hold of your imagination. Every one of us can connect to that. Great vid.

“Make nice things” could be a business version of the golden rule

I thought this would be about a futurist simulation machine or something like that ... But this is better !

this is one of the sweetest videos ever! I love the message! I loved Need For Speed 2!! :D

I absolutely love this video. I can relate to this so sooo much! Also, your very calm demeanour and chilled out tone was so different. It made it feel wholesome.

"Make nice things... you never know what impressions you might be making for the future" Looking a you Newgrounds...

I can relate so much to this Tom. I used to always play a game called Midtown Madness 2 in which you could drive around San Francisco... but you could never get out the car. I always wanted to explore the city in detail. And last year, almost 15 years later, I did. I had the same feelings as you’ve felt in Vancouver as I looked over seemingly familiar views and buildings feeling like I’d been there before. And I never thought a simple low graphic PC game would have such a lasting effect.

This is fantastic! Watching this just makes me feel so happy.

Wow, you just brought back so many memories I forget about until now. Thank you so much!

Omg!! Proud Vancouverite here! I know you've been to Canada several times but seeing my own city affect you like this... so cool to know you were here!! Didn't realize Vancouver was the basis for the game's demo track until now. Glad to see Vancity's beauty still struck you via a game.

The feels are real on this on Tom. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.

Your sentiment about creating things and how it effects people is something I really needed to hear. Thank you.

Tom what a pleasure to watch this video. I’m from Vancouver, cool to see you enjoy the beauty here, and cool to see you taking a different style in this video

This is awesome, I had the same feeling from playing Midtown madness when I moved to Chicago. Whatever game I play these days, nothing bring the joy of NFS2 and Roadrash.

I recognise this feeling all to well. But for me it was a bit later and not a racing game, but rather Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, the Paris multiplayer map. I've spend days playing that game. Needless to say when I went to Paris and suddenly saw a bit that was very familiar and identical to the map, it was rather surreal.

What a throwback 😍 Played that same demo over and over, too. Thanks a lot for this video! ❤️

Tom, I know I'm watching this in the future (2022) to when you made this but this video really put a smile on my face. Thank you to 2019 you for making it.

This was a great video. I know exactly what you felt like, because visiting Rome after spending a few hundred hours running around in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood was just the same, surreal experience of knowing a completely unknown space. Thank you for doing stuff like this as well!