Gran Turismo

What is it?

Gran Turismo stands as the definitive racing simulation for the original PlayStation. Through licensing agreements with Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru, plus American and European manufacturers, the game features an extraordinary variety of real vehicles. Rather than the arcade approach favored by competitors, Gran Turismo prioritized realism through its custom-built physics engine, making vehicle behavior feel genuinely authentic. Arcade Mode allows players to freely choose tracks and cars, while Simulation Mode demands progression through licensing exams and championship competitions, rewarding winners with new vehicles and cash for upgrades.

How it plays

Arcade Mode delivers immediate gratification, letting players pick any combination of car and course. Simulation Mode creates a career progression system: earn driver licenses through increasingly difficult tests, accumulate credits by winning races, then invest those earnings in new cars or performance parts. The tuning options extend remarkably deep, offering everything from engine modifications to suspension tweaks. Each upgrade noticeably changes how a car handles, rewarding experimentation. Three-dimensional courses and true-to-life vehicle behavior created gameplay that felt genuinely innovative in 1997.

Understanding real-world driving principles through gameplay gave Gran Turismo educational value beyond entertainment. It became the system-seller for PlayStation, matching Ridge Racer as a benchmark title that demonstrated what 32-bit hardware could achieve.

Why it sold

Gran Turismo's breakthrough was pursuing 'realism' with obsessive dedication when the technology barely permitted it. Director Kazunori Yamauchi spent five years in development, reportedly working so intensely he only went home four days per year. This commitment resulted in a custom physics engine that set the series apart. Worldwide distribution exceeded 10 million units, with the domestic market delivering 2 million sales. It became PlayStation's biggest hit, defining racing simulation for the decade.

Director Yamauchi later reflected that 'for five years we couldn't see the end' of development. The studio's determination to implement sophisticated vehicle physics, offer expansive car customization, and include diverse tracks established Gran Turismo as the racing game against which all others were measured.