Official Website

Platform: Playstation 2

Genre: Racing Simulation

Number of Players: 1 - 2

Gran Turismo is definitely one of the most beloved games in the racing simulator genre. Racing fans worldwide quickly took to the ultra-realistic sim when the first installment hit the original Playstation. They were equally as enthused when Sony released a follow later on. So, was it really any shock then that Sony would opt to bring its racing cash cow to the PS2?

For those unfamiliar with GT3, where the hell have you been? This is the one racing game that everyone has been talking about. GT3 takes your typical racing game to an all-new level. The game is, as previously stated, a racing simulator. However, this isn’t your typical game where you hit the track and start racing. There’s that little aspect of getting a license to be able to compete in races, and they are just as difficult to obtain as before. Gaining the beginner class license is just the start however, and you’ll need to gain them in other areas of competition as well to continue your progression through the game. The races themselves range from those that are as simple as completing a few laps to a full-blown tournament. There are races that are specific to certain types of cars.

Speaking of cars, there are plenty to be found in GT3. There were a few removed from the US release due to problems obtaining rights, but it’s not a big enough thing to complain about. Cars from every major manufacturer are available including Mazda, Volkswagen, Suzuki, TVR, and Ford to name a few. The cars in the game itself are near perfect replicas of the real things, designed with the real specifications in mind.

Cars don’t come cheap however, and in the beginning you’ll find yourself struggling to keep up with the competition. That’s where the upgrades come in handy.  Once you start bringing in some green from placing in the races, you can head on over to the shop and start making some much needed improvements to your transmission, tires, or anything else you can think of. If that’s still not enough, you can do some minor (or major) adjustments to your car right before the race begins in order to make your shifting a bit smoother and thus attempting to gain an upper hand.

GT3 also comes complete with close to 20 different tracks to race on with locations such as Seattle (complete with the new Safeco Field), Rome, and Tokyo. There are even rally tracks, which offer an even greater challenge from your standard race and, in many ways, are even more fun. Once players complete competitions and race series, they are rewarded with something aside from money. It’s a brand new car! As with the previous games, you can store cars in your garage to use later or sell them for cash to improve your other cars.

If you thought the graphics on the previous games were amazing, you haven’t seen anything yet. The programmers for GT3 have included some amazing things. The dust clouds in the rally events look like you could choke on the dust, heavily wooded area feature beams of sunlight beating down on the pavement, and even a few tracks some complete with wet pavement and fog. One of the best features is the iridescent paint jobs that some cars have, featuring a nice color change between two or three colors. Although it’s a bit difficult to see during a race, its full beauty really shows in replay mode where the player can change views, camera, and everything else in between.

While the difficulty of obtaining the licenses may cause casual gamers to steer clear, those that are hardcore enough, previous fans of the series, and players looking for a great challenge will be instantly drawn to the series. This isn’t one of those titles that you just sit down and finish in a night. GT3 also offers so much in the line of various cars as well as mechanics that the possibilities and amount of overall game play are staggering. GT3 will definitely be the pallet that all other racing simulators draw from.

 -mike-