Ads From the Past 493: Auto Bahn Tokyo (3DO)

Blog Post: AutoBahn Tokio – When the 3DO Tried to Burn Rubber in Neo-Tokyo

If there’s one thing that screams '90s video game marketing, it’s sleek cars, burning sunsets, and neon-drenched cities. Enter AutoBahn Tokio — a high-octane 3DO racing game that promised “光速伝説” (a lightspeed legend) and dropped players straight into a futuristic, chrome-and-concrete Tokyo dreamscape.

Released in 1995 and published by Matsushita (Panasonic) and Sanai, this bold Japanese advertisement captures all the style and ambition of an era where polygon graphics were cutting-edge and every game came with a side of techno-futurism.

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🏎️ “BIG CITY ‘TOKIO’” and the Thrill of Speed

The visual flair of this ad is unapologetically 90s: yellow and silver sports cars tear through elevated highways, skyscrapers glow in the golden haze of dusk, and the slogan declares:

“圧倒的なスピード感！ 大興奮のドリフト走行！
BIG CITY ‘TOKIO’を爆走しろ！”
(Overwhelming sense of speed! Massive drifting excitement! Tear through BIG CITY ‘TOKIO’!)

The game sold itself on style — and for good reason. AutoBahn Tokio was built to showcase high-speed polygonal graphics on the 3DO, at a time when console racers were just making the leap into 3D. It didn’t want to just be a simulation; it wanted to be an experience — one that fused real-world racing energy with exaggerated, anime-inspired Tokyo visuals.

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🕹️ Game Modes, Machines & Courses

In true arcade fashion, the ad breaks down the game's core features in three flashy bullet points:

• GAME MODE: Time Attack, 1-on-1 Rival Race, and "Chase Mode" (where you escape or pursue). Simple by today's standards, but these modes gave players just enough variety to keep coming back for another race.

• MACHINE: A wide range of car types, each modeled to evoke high-performance sports vehicles. You couldn’t officially race a Skyline or a Supra — but the designs clearly took “inspiration” from Japanese favorites.

• COURSE: Urban highways that twisted through Tokyo’s cityscape. Expect tunnels, tight curves, and dazzling lights — all built to amplify speed and showcase the 3DO’s polygon-pushing potential.

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🕶️ Style Over Substance?

While AutoBahn Tokio looked cool and promised a neon-soaked racing rush, it wasn’t exactly a critical darling. The 3DO, despite its ambition, never became a mainstream platform, and this game faded into obscurity alongside many other late-life releases.

However, what AutoBahn Tokio lacked in refinement, it made up for with vibes. The music, the visuals, the city-at-dusk aesthetic — it was part Wangan Midnight, part Virtua Racing, and all attitude.

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📅 A 3DO-Only Racer — With an Expiry Date

The game hit Japanese store shelves on December 22, 1995, just as the 3DO was being eclipsed by the PlayStation and Saturn. Priced at 6,800 yen (before tax), it was a hard sell in a market already tilting toward more powerful systems.

Still, for collectors and fans of lost console oddities, AutoBahn Tokio remains a fascinating artifact. It's a snapshot of a time when every new racing game tried to top the last with faster speeds, shinier cars, and wilder cities — and Tokyo was always the ultimate destination.

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🏁 Final Thoughts: Tokyo Drift, the Polygonal Pioneer Edition

AutoBahn Tokio is a perfect example of the early 3D racing boom — bold, brash, and filled with promises of speed and style. While it might not have won any races against Ridge Racer or Daytona USA, it left tire marks on the timeline of 3DO gaming history.

It’s a reminder that even the most obscure consoles had their champions, roaring engines, and sunset chases.

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💽 Do you remember the 3DO's take on racing games? Or have a soft spot for retro Tokyo-styled racers? Let us know your favorite arcade driving memories in the comments!