The greatest driving game ever is???

[Minardi fan]

What driving game is, in your opinion, the greatest ever made?

[Sparky]

On the platform I have, it has to be Gran Turismo 2.

I know you don't like it Minardifan, but in terms of the game I just 'couldn't put down', it wins hands down.

The sheer number of uniquely-handling cars, tuning options, the number of (reversable) tracks, the rally mode, it just goes on...

As you know from previous posts, I've bought just about every PS driving game (apart from Muppet Racer), so I believe I speak with objectivity.

What's yours?

[TimD]

REVS, on the BBC Micro platform, depicting the Silverstone circuit about 1986. Driving F3 cars.

Er, I don't think I've played a driving sim since. Have they improved any?

[Marshal]

I'm with Sparky here, GT2 is excellent, though it didn't have the impact of GT, as it is relative simular to its predecessor. Geoff Cramond's original Grand Prix gets an honourable mention too.

And Tim, yes they have a bit.

[Sparky]

The thing is Marshall, GT2 was never going to have the impact that the original had. When 'Gran Turismo - The Real Driving Simulator' arrived on the scene, it was a revelation, at a time when NAMCO were still running Ridge Racer clones....

It will be much the same for PlayStation 2. The effect that the original Sony platform had on the games market is still being felt now, some five years later. It raised expectations. It was a quantum leap. The bar was raised so high, that people expect a similar improvement with all platform releases. Unfortunately, todays 'seasoned' gamers won't expect anything less than a fully functional Holodeck peripheral to be included in the November PS2 launch.

It's a real shame, 'cos they don't appreciate the now; they're expecting tomorrow, yesterday.

[Racer X]

Any of the Gran Turismo series. Preferbly GT2 because of some improvments in physics and graphics.

[Gerard]

Tim, I remember REVS also. Boy, that's a long time ago.
Can't remember everything about the game but I do know I found it nearly impossible to drive around Silverstone.

I think Geoff Crammond's original Grand Prix game is one of the best.
I also like Nascar Racing 3 and Toca 2.
But the best game ever? That has to be Gran Turismo 2 for the reasons Sparky mentioned.

[Jay]

I admit that I have never played GP1, but for PC Grand Prix 3 and Nascar 3 are IMO, the best racing games ever made. However, Nascar 4 and GP4 are both on the horizon.

For PS, GT2 all the way!

[Danielsun]

I have to say that I really don't think that ToCA World Touring Cars looks that spectacular. Reviewers say it doesn't quite match up to GT2 and it apparently plays quite differently from the first two games in the series.

While I don't have a PlayStation, I have to say that - having played it anyway (product testing at work, naturally) - GT2 is the best racing game available. One can only wait to see what the final release of GT2000 for the PS2 will be like.

As for the PC, well, I haven't had one for four months now and so haven't seen anything more than videos and reviews of Grand Prix 3, but once I do get one, it'll be the first purchase. The original blew everything else away when it came out and the two follow-ups have done the same.

Honourable mention goes to ToCA2 on PC. The console versions were pretty ordinary, but with the right setup, it's unbeatable (pre-GP3) on the home PC...

[Minardi fan]

For me F1 '97 remains the finest racing game ever made. It is STILL so unbelievably playable 3 years after it's release.

GT2 was appalling in my opinion, which is why I traded it in. The racing was not as good as the original GT, the graphics below the standard set by the first, and being faced with doing everything again after completing the first game was just too much!

The other best driving game ever?

Mario Kart.

[Mackmot]

you people are freaks all the games mentioned above are unbeleavably easy the only challenging game available is Grand Prix Legends, Grand Prix 3 is good but it could be far better if it had simple information such as tyre temperatures and allowed you to change pressures.

[AndrettiRULES]

Grand Prix Legends---no competitors

Although I've heard good things about F355, but people who have played it and GPL say that GT (really quite unrealistic...but much better than everyother racing game for the PlayStation) to F355 is like F355 to GPL. No comparison.

AR

[crash]

grand prix 2!

[Jay]

A friend of mine leant me a copy of Grand Prix Legends, and I could not get it to work with my GeForce. Any ideas?

There is more to a racing sim than it just being hard. I could make a very hard racing sim without it being the least bit realistic. I haven't played GP legends, but one thing I do know is that a modern F1 car is much easier to drive than their 1960s counterparts.

So far, from what F1 drivers have said, GP3 is quite realistic, but gives a bit more grip than a real F1 car.

[Devlin]

I only play on PlayStation, and Colin McRae Rally (both the original and the sequel) rules the console! TOCA 2 comes next. WTC is pretty good (brilliant handling, you can actually feel the difference in set-up, brilliant tracks...) but its graphics are a little bit too...rough. At least on PS, I don't know about the PC version. But when you blast around Monza in that 310 BHP Alfa 156, you tend to forgive them that "minor" detail. Well, I do...

[DAVID PATERSON]

GP2 is the bench mark, or was 'til Gp3 came out. GPL is very, very good, but I haven't the time to learn it. I have TOCA 1, it's shyte, I've played TOCA 2, I love it. NFS and GT and their clones have never impressed me, I'm very big on realism, not fantasy.

[robk1982]

GT1&2 may look good but really are quite lousy once you get over the good replays. I'd have to say the original TOCA game is still the most challenging and hence fun game, I'm not a fan of rallying but I can see why people would love colin McRae, i mean is was made off the same engine as the best racing game ever.

<--- Damn thats cool.

[angst]

GPL is the ultimate, from my all too brief encounters with it - so far. Very difficult to learn and seemingly very realistic. Look forward to the rumoured GPL2, especially when I've got to grips with the original.