Why Play Each Gran Turismo?

If you never played any Gran Turismo game and want to try some, let me try to sell you on the GTs I have played. This post will be different. Instead of GT in general, it's why you should play each one. So what you will get from me is a look at why you should play (and hopefully enjoy) each of the Gran Turismo games I make mention to. This is all based on GT games I have played. And as a bonus, I'll even include... another Polyphony Digital title towards the end. Consider this my thanks and appreciation to you for taking a look at my blog and even caring to visit. With this said, let's get it!

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Why Play Each Gran Turismo

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The Gran Turismo series has been the basis of "John's Race Space" as well as for my very first blog. Through my time gaming, I have played most of the major Gran Turismo games. What I decided to do for this blog post is share with you why should play each individual GT that I have played before. That is correct- not why play the series in general, but why play the individual ones. I will share each segment discussing each of the Gran Turismo games I have played and why you should too if you haven't already. The posts will follow reasons based on the following:

• General reasons why to buy/play
• Vehicles, tuning, and customization
• Locations, racing, and license tests
• Summary


With all of this said, let's begin with the O.G.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 1.

The biggest reason why you should play Gran Turismo 1 is to simply enjoy what no racing/driving game has ever done before its inception. This game brought a level of challenge to racing while also introducing a great car culture. Even while the lineup of vehicles is very Japanese-biased, there still were some quality American and British vehicles for some diversity. Modifying and tuning cars you own is also a great experience. You may also be able to turn your street cars into full-on race cars with the Racing Modification. If you do not want to take a street car into racing spec, then do window shopping with the six "Special Model" cars readily available at the Japanese manufacturers for 500K Credits. If anything, get Gran Turismo 1 simply to gauge the potential this game would have towards its future. Remember that this game impacted racing/driving games as a whole; not just for Sony or consoles. It helps you appreciate the humble beginnings of this franchise leading up to the status this franchise enjoys today. All of this... beginning with Gran Turismo 1.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 2.

Gran Turismo 2 should be played because this began the maturation of the Gran Turismo franchise and further establish its identity to gaming and car culture. You can collect a variety of cars across different levels of performance and across different decades. The vehicles also come from many more car companies new to Gran Turismo. It further proves itself as an "encyclopedia of cars." The racing is faster and more intense than what you experienced in Gran Turismo 1. Since Gran Turismo 2 would be the swan song to Gran Turismo on the PlayStation 1, play this game to experience the evolution of the Gran Turismo experience before taking its appeal to the upcoming PlayStation 2.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec.

Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec offers one of the most exciting and intense racing experiences ever in a Gran Turismo game. What resulted from the "Gran Turismo 2000" project was a game with impressive visuals at a greater frame rate that would elevate the Gran Turismo experience to new heights. While this game has a lot less cars than GT2, Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec has most of its manufacturers return along with some new companies. Have you the money, you could race Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec with the new (at its time) Logitech Driving Force steering wheel for greater precision and realism. This game also debuted racing on wet tarmac. This provided both a new challenge but also some extra focus on the graphical capabilities of Gran Turismo on the PS2. GT3 is both a visual powerhouse and and a mind-blowing racing experience. While Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec may seem like a letdown in some departments compared to GT2 (and even GT1 to an extent), this game still is worth a play to see the evolution from PlayStation 1 to PlayStation 2. I later looked at Gran Turismo 3 as a prettier Gran Turismo 2. This also happens to be a more capable GT title than the others before it despite its faults.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 4.

Get Gran Turismo 4 because it represented the biggest quantum leap in appeal and performance for the Gran Turismo series. Gran Turismo 4 was even becoming intriguing for having online play... until online play was later scrapped. A greater variety of this game's 600 or so vehicles and races means this game will keep you busy. You even can drive some of the very first motorized cars dating back to 1886! Variety in locations let you take on everything from original Gran Turismo tracks to a handful of real-world tracks and real-world locations. If you love your vehicles so much that you want to show them off to the world, try the new Photo Mode. Take pictures while racing or at a number of real-world locations exclusively for photography. While controversial, try B-Spec in most of the races if you are not a good racer or do not have the ability to complete a race on your own. You still have to send commands to your B-Spec racer to properly race. It essentially makes you play the role of race strategist. Races lasting from one lap on a long track to 24 hours on end await you in your quest towards immortality in GT4. The way future Gran Turismo games would shape up, Gran Turismo 4 represents the Gran Turismo experience at its peak. No Gran Turismo before it has delivered on so much hype and anticipation. You may not have online play. You may not have (certain specific auto makers). You still have no real damage. Even without these things, you still have a Gran Turismo experience in GT4 that is as complete and as in-depth as possible. These reasons alone are enough reason to give Gran Turismo 4 a try.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 5.

For its foray into PlayStation 3 power, Gran Turismo 5 delivers on more impressive visuals, greater automotive detail, time and weather variable events and races, the first proper damage model for vehicles, and online play among reasons to play GT5. Influence from NASCAR, the World Rally Championship, and BBC's "Top Gear" play roles in the Gran Turismo 5 experience. The big news with the vehicles in Gran Turismo 5 is the inclusion of three companies finally making their first appearance in a major Gran Turismo- Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti. Some of the cars come from Gran Turismo PSP, released between the time of GT4 and GT5. For an exclusive experience, this game even features the Red Bull Prototypes offering the most incredible (and sometimes surreal) pure race car experience. You can experience much more docile vehicles like the series debut of go-karts. While your tuning options are deeper, guess what returns (to an extent)? Racing Modifications! Later enhancements to Gran Turismo 5 include collect racing suits and racing helmets to customize your appearance to the Gran Turismo world. Races range from short lengths to 24 hours of racing. A-Spec and B-Spec make a return. The latter now makes you take on the role of a race strategist rather than B-Spec controversially doing races for you. Gran Turismo 5 now let you save during longer races. This is helpful to try to win the long races. I personally think Gran Turismo 5 could have been a much greater game than what we ended up with. However, just to savor the experience of racing and tuning and car collecting, Gran Turismo 5 is definitely worth the purchase and worth wanting to play. The biggest fault is the discrimination of Premium and Standard Cars. It is otherwise still worth your time and money to play.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 6.

Gran Turismo 6 did not do too much to set itself apart from GT5, but it mostly righted some of the many wrongs of GT5. This game delivers what seems to be a more elegant package than Gran Turismo 5. GT5 seemed like too many ideas without great execution. GT6 is not as detailed. I find Gran Turismo 6 to be more inviting to casual racing gamers as opposed to the more adept sim racing set. Now don't get me wrong- the sim-oriented crowd still will get a kick out of this game. It is just that GT6 provides an easier experience for the casual or inexperienced racing gamer. As an extra perk, you even can enjoy playing Gran Turismo 6 with a proper style of astronomical simulation for night races. Gran Turismo 6 is not as fixated on licenses as any other GT. Yet still, you have a bunch of races to choose from across multiple skill levels. You can even take part in events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The endurances are now way more condensed than in past GT titles. This may disappoint veteran fans of Gran Turismo but help out new and casual racing gamers. As with GT5, a lot of Gran Turismo 6's racing appeal mostly lies in online racing. If you want to try something unique, take part in the Lunar Missions, whereas you compete in different challenges simulating operating a lunar vehicle on the moon. You also could make your own generated courses like in Gran Turismo 5. Only now, you have just a bit more control than in GT5. Gran Turismo 6 basically is worth the play if you were disappointed with Gran Turismo 5 and wanted something better than what GT5 eventually became. Or if you are not as experienced as a simulation racer, this game is much easier in entry into the franchise than past titles. While this description does not sound too exciting from me, this is still a game that warrants a play and has room for your game collection. It just did not do too much to differentiate itself from the other Gran Turismo games before it. Even still, this provides a marginally better experience than Gran Turismo 5.



Okay. So you made it this far. Congratulations! Let me give you a bonus "Why Play?" to close out this post.

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Why Play: Tourist Trophy (BONUS!)

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Let me see if I can convince you to add Tourist Trophy to your gaming collection. Check it...

For all intents and purposes, Tourist Trophy is basically Gran Turismo 4 with motorcycles. Despite this, Tourist Trophy operates a lot differently than any Gran Turismo. This game lets you ride and race a handful of motorcycles ranging from scooters to motards to many different sport bikes. Even with a maximum of four motorcycles to a track (including yours), the experience is still a challenging and engaging one. Learn proper riding technique if you intend to win. Remember that riding a motorcycle entails different techniques than in racing a car. You can even intricately set up your rider with elements like height and lean angle. You can also collect gear to outfit your rider. On street bikes, you can have some casual riding clothes to wear. If you're the racing type, collect the different racing suits and helmets. Each bike is featured in great detail from the in-bike view with working gauges and other intricate details. For the ultimate challenge and sense of accomplishment- try to win all five of the Eight Hours of Suzuka motorcycles featured in this game. While most of the tarmac tracks from Gran Turismo 4 return for Tourist Trophy, not all tracks allow for a full field of motorcycles. For the ones that do offer a full field, you still can ride the wheels off of your motorcycle across most of Gran Turismo 4's tarmac tracks. Some of the courses have been modified to include their motorcycle layout. You also get a course exclusive to Tourist Trophy- Valencia (the Ricardo Tormo Circuit). Even if Tourist Trophy is mostly Gran Turismo 4 with motorcycles, it is still a great game to play. This game will let you enjoy the thrill of motorcycle riding and motorcycle racing even if you are not as big a fan of motorcycles.



I tried to include most of the major titles. The ones I have not played or played enough of I didn't review. Those include:

• Gran Turismo PSP
• Gran Turismo SPORT (I may skip this title)
• Gran Turismo 7


Maybe if I get to play them more in depth in the future, I will provide my own thoughts on why you should play these titles.

This blog post is completed for the most part. You may either take part in the next section or skip it entirely if it does not interest you. Your call.

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Finding These Games Online

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If you enjoyed my post so much as to wanting to find the mentioned games online, use the links to material in this section. Your involvement here is voluntary- meaning it is not required but would be appreciated. Try searching for Gran Turismo games from these services and retailers:

• Amazon and Amazon (video games)
• eBay and eBay (Video Games)
• Walmart (video games)
• Target
• GameStop
• Gamefly


Happy shopping! :)





I hope I have convinced you on why you should play each of the aforementioned games in this blog post. If you liked this post or any of my other work, please Subscribe/Follow my blog(s) in any capacity if you love my work. Share my blog post(s) with others if you enjoy my work. Support me further by connecting with me on social media; and if you are inclined, feel free to donate to me (donations are voluntary but would be appreciated). Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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How I Will Remember Each Gran Turismo

Of the six Gran Turismo games, there are things to remember each one by. I have never played Gran Turismo Sport, so I will only focus on the major six GT titles in this blog post. This will give you an idea of what I think of when I am given each Gran Turismo. Perhaps your visions will be similar or different to mine. Having said that, let's go to work!

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How I Will Remember Each Gran Turismo

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It is time to begin taking a look at how I will remember each Gran Turismo game. It is not about how everyone should view each GT, but more like how I remember each Gran Turismo and how I will remember each Gran Turismo.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 1.

Gran Turismo 1 was the catalyst to blaze a fire that would change racing game history. Though Gran Turismo 1 is a sim, the game has its fun factor in being so loose. Kazunori Yamauchi didn't even think his game would become any kind of great success. So therefore, I will remember Gran Turismo 1 mostly for being a relative unknown capable of almost anything. It is this sort of unknown status that makes GT1 capable of almost anything and mean almost anything in the minds of others.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 2.

Upon the success of Gran Turismo 1, GT2 was to try to expand upon what GT1 started. And did it ever! I personally didn't enjoy GT2 as much as I did GT1, but the fun factor and charm are still there. Many more cars would surface into the roster of automobiles in the GT2 lineup. This even includes cars of differing speeds across different decades of automobile. In addition to more car types, Gran Turismo 2 also debuted rally racing. So this was about Gran Turismo trying new things and offering new experiences. It also meant a lot more endurance races and some more longer races.

Gran Turismo 2, then, is how I will remember for diversity and maturity. With Gran Turismo evolving and maturing from GT1, it was time to take on some new character and personality in slowly becoming an "encyclopedia of cars." It was now the time for Gran Turismo to take itself seriously as it has something special going with its portfolio of automobiles. No more of a mostly Japanese-biased franchise. It is now about trying to see the world and race the world. This game would slowly start the coming of age for Gran Turismo as a franchise. It was Gran Turismo recognizing itself as offering a world of automobiles to individuals who may otherwise never get to drive or use any such cars offered.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 3.

It was time for the Gran Turismo series to get a complete overhaul in going from PlayStation 1 to PlayStation 2. It began with the prototype of Gran Turismo 2000. GT2000 later would slowly evolve into "Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec." Though GT3 had about 1/3 of the available cars in GT2, most of the manufacturers remained intact. GT3 was met with smoother frame rates and faster racing action than what GT2 provided. That said, GT3 still sort of felt like a prettier-looking GT2. Longer races and championships made up the character of racing in Gran Turismo 3. Also among the features was a curious Special Stage Route 5- all soaking wet. It also meant Gran Turismo 3 would need some more advanced physics to provide a new driving experience that will blow the minds of GT1 and GT2 types. This even means trying out a specially-made steering wheel to get the most performance out of Gran Turismo 3.

I would like to look at Gran Turismo 3 as being a game that looks back while moving forward. I would equate this to how GT3 has aspects such as oil changes, more Le Mans style prototypes, and more importantly- the fantasy Formula 1 cars. Gran Turismo 3 still felt like Gran Turismo 2, but GT3 is a touch more mature than GT1 and GT2. It also felt like more could have been possible if a good amount more time was put into making more vehicles available for GT3. Still, we enjoyed GT3 and anxiously awaited what Gran Turismo 4 had to offer. Speaking of which...

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 4.

Gran Turismo 4 marked a significant quantum leap to the character and the style of Gran Turismo. Many more cars and locations were added, even including the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife and the also legendary Circuit de la Sarthe. It also meant some deeper varieties of car ranging from different eras of automobile. This even marked much more detail in 3D modeling as well as driving physics. Its own game changer was controversial- B-Spec. There was also the ability for you to take pictures of your automobiles.

Was Gran Turismo 4 destined to become the greatest GT ever? Not everyone thought so. For one, there still wasn't any Ferrari, Porsche, or Lamborghini. People even complained that there was still no damage to cars. Let us not forget the real reason most people were looking forward to Gran Turismo 4- online play. So while GT4 didn't deliver in these respects, there are a few respects I do see Gran Turismo 4 in. Among others, I see GT4 as a see the world through cars and locations kind of game that is even more a jump in maturity and evolution from GTs past. You can compete in a number of different locales as well as race in many different exotic locations. Some real-life locations and countries are raced on for the first time in Gran Turismo history with GT4. Among others- New York City, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas (drag strip and photos), Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Seoul among others. There was a lot to do in a game as massive as Gran Turismo 4. Lots to see as well. Even if you can forgive what Gran Turismo 4 could have delivered but couldn't, there are still those who consider GT4 the greatest GT of all time.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 5.

Now it is time for Gran Turismo to go from PlayStation 2 to PlayStation 3. This meant even more overhauling. It means even more tinkering to evolve the franchise. It began with Vision Gran Turismo and continued with Gran Turismo HD. Really, not many people cared about Gran Turismo 5 until the arrival of one manufacturer appeared in Gran Turismo HD- Ferrari. It was a long time coming for Gran Turismo to finally feature the Prancing Horse of Ferrari. It would later be a part of of the roster of cars with Gran Turismo PSP. GTPSP would feature another long-time coming car company- Lamborghini. Lamborghini WAS in Gran Turismo 3, but never the full brand and never any proper autos. Gran Turismo 5 would feature more game changers- variable time and weather. But most of all, damage! There was also a handful of online action. In a number of respects, some people see Gran Turismo 5 as what Gran Turismo 4 could have been to be the absolute best GT. If any one element of Gran Turismo 5 was supremely controversial, it was how some of the cars were handled. The prejudice involving the combination of Premium and Standard cars is borderline atrocious. Standard cars are basically carry-over cars from Gran Turismo 4 and retouched for Gran Turismo 5. Only certain modifications and characteristics apply to certain cars. Certain cars could receive amounts of damage. And for the first time, you can take paint chips of cars and re-color certain cars to your heart's delight. It is just so much a hodgepodge of different cars and races with no real complete package.

So how will I remember Gran Turismo 5? With all due respect, I see Gran Turismo 5 as a game with many great ideas but no real coherence or execution, and also a game that could have been so much more than the eventual package featured. It was almost as if Gran Turismo 5 doesn't know what it wants to be. It provided many different experiences, but not many of them seemed polished. There seemed to be fewer or more interesting races. Why so? My theory was that online play makes up for what seemed to be a not-very-good single player experience. Almost as if to say others can come up with better races than the Polyphony Digital team. There were just too many faults that Gran Turismo 5 had that led me to believe Gran Turismo 5 could have been so much more despite the total promise and potential it had.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 6.

Gran Turismo 6 seemed more like the game to right the wrongs of Gran Turismo 5. For the most part, it did. There was still a bit to be desired. The game still featured Premium and Standard cars. Thankfully, though, the prejudice among those cars was not as brutal as with the previous title. There was still mostly a lot to be desired. Gran Turismo 6 did have some interesting ideas. The least of which included the likes of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the lunar missions. Though I love stars and space, accurate starry skies was a nice little perk. A bevy of tuning options made tuning interesting in GT6. You even can go with different styles of wings and even various other modifications. Unlike in Gran Turismo 5, any car color you pick up in Gran Turismo 6 can be purchased for any car at any time. So you can paint any car in Reflex Spice or WR Blue Mica without needing to buy copies of one car for having the same color.

I sort of will remember GT6 mostly for the Vision Gran Turismo cars. The game seemed more casual and accessible with some rather short races. It also seemed easier to go All-Gold. Maybe it is to say this is the most accessible Gran Turismo for a racing game franchise that was mostly accessible to begin with. Gran Turismo 6 may be the most unexciting Gran Turismo in history. Nothing seemed to be overly brash or in your face with GT6. That said, it was still a quality Gran Turismo title to play.


At least... this is how I will remember the different Gran Turismo games.





Thanks for visiting "John's Race Space!"

How will YOU remember Gran Turismos 1 through 6?

Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Thoughts on 20 Years of Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo was born December 23, 1997. Its impact 20 years since has been outstanding. Many people (myself included) were educated with cars and racing through Gran Turismo. This post is my look at the Gran Turismo series mostly with commentary.

Say whatever you want about Gran Turismo. Regardless, Gran Turismo has been the standard by which racing games are judged by. I think Gran Turismo has made racing simulation accessible without being overly hardcore. Ever tried so powerslide in the corners only to spin out? Didn't think your car was indestructible when you did longer races? Gran Turismo brought realism to console racing games, though not hardcore style realism.

As with any popular series, there will be the fair share of haters. Some of the biggest gripes many people had with Gran Turismo was a lack or many more great manufacturers and damage. There have been countless types who felt Gran Turismo had severe Japanese bias. It was as if people thought Polyphony Digital cared more about Japanese kei cars and certain Japanese sports cars more than the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. Other felt there was a lack of damage that really prevented the GT games from really being realistic. Others could also complain about sound quality of GT games. There were many who criticized the sound quality, even going to the level of calling GT as "The Real Vacuum Simulator." The AI of GT games has also been an element people loathed about GT.

No matter what you think about Gran Turismo, it has done a lot as a racing game franchise as any other before it. Other racing games have come along and have bettered what GT did. It still doesn't mean GT failed to make a mark in the racing game world. We lived with a lot of things in Gran Turismo most other racing games have had in them. GT still remains an accessible and realistic racing game. While it isn't a hardcore sim, people still play and enjoy this great series of games. Many more games after GT1 tried to cash in on the same formula to different levels of success. Even Top Gear- yes, BBC's Top Gear- called Gran Turismo as "the greatest racing game of all time." And if you haven't taken the time to give Gran Turismo games a try, now wouldn't be a bad time to try.

So now that Gran Turismo has been around for over 20 years now, one can only wonder what the future will hold. All I know is that a lot of the excitement for racing games wouldn't have been possible without the Gran Turismo series. That even includes "John's Race Space." So we owe a debt of gratitude for what Gran Turismo has brought as well as making developers step their game up trying to be at or better Gran Turismo.





I am actually sorry I didn't release this on the day of Gran Turismo's birthday (Central Standard Time). However, at least I got it out there and not let this post just sit on my hard drive doing nothing. So you all keep motoring in the Gran Turismo series! Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Races of Gran Turismo 2: Race Events

There was a reason initially why I didn't include Gran Turismo 2's Race Events. The reason why was because none of the races require any real strategy or are distinctive in any such way. This post focuses on those Race Events. It will be updated from time to time to include information on what cars you can and can't enter in each Race Event. I want my loyal readers to help enhance my post for others.

--- Races of Gran Turismo 2: Race Events ---

Manufacturers that have Race Events are opportunities for you to race various cars in One-Make events. No license is required to compete in Race Events, and there are no horsepower restrictions. Certain manufacturers have only one event and can have as many as five events. Race Events are have two varieties: Normal Style events and Racing Style events. Normal Style racing events require a car not receive Racing Modification. Racing Style events require a car to have a Racing Modification to them; or, you may use a proper racing car be used as long as it is a qualifying model. The courses you race will be random. All courses selected will be two laps around a tarmac course in either normal or reverse direction. Every Race Event requires a car in normal configuration. You are free to tune up any car to any level prior to competing in a Race Event. Race Events that have a Racing Style event requires cars to have Racing Modification work complete. You will be spending a good amount of money for performing Weight Reduction to cars. Do NOT perform a Racing Modification to a car that can be Race Modified if you haven't completed a Normal Style event. In other words, you can still reduce a car's weight down to Level 3 Weight Reduction, but don't enter the Racing Style event with that car until you've cleared the Normal Style event. When you're ready for the Racing Style event, perform the Racing Modification to that car if it can be Racing Modified.

Here is a warning. Some Race Events don't require a Racing Modification, but that car can still be outfitted with a Racing Modification if available. Just remember a Racing Modified car will be disqualified from entering a Normal Style race event if outfitted with a Racing Modification. Some race cars can easily be entered into Racing Style events. Races that require Racing Modification may include either cars tuned with Racing Modification or proper race cars that can be used in Race events.

If you see "[R]" attached to the name of a Race Event, it means this event has a race for Race Modified cars in addition to a Normal car race. Each Race Event description features some advice and introductions to each of the different events.

One other piece of advice I can offer is to look for cars you can use to compete in more than one Race Event. Some racing cars can be entered into the Racing Style events. You can save money and time by finding cars that can be used in more than one Race Event.

NOTE: This blog post may be updated to include changes in advice and in what cars can and can not be entered. I invite my loyal readers to help provide information to help make this post more accurate and useful.

Table of Contents.

The Race Events are broken up by City, and are in no particular order of what manufacturers are featured. Here is the basic flow:

• East City Race Events
• West City Race Events
• North City Race Events
• South City Race Events

Are you ready? Let's begin!

--- Races of Gran Turismo 2: East City Race Events ---

East City features all the Japanese makes. Differences in speed are to be expected with the variety of cars to choose from with varying levels of performance. Some of the slowest cars are included in this set of Race Events. But at the same time, some of Japan's finest sports cars are raced in these events. Get your fill of Japanese automobile goodness with these Race Events.

Honda Race Events.

There are some high-quality machines that can be used in this set of Race Events. Machines ranging from the fun Beat to the awesome NSX can be raced in this set of Race Events. This set of Race Events also features one of the most unique of the Race Events with the Type-R Meeting with so many models with the "Type-R" designation. You need to go to the Acura showroom in South City to race the NSX models. To save some money, I recommend you buy an NSX that can also be used in the Type-R Meeting. You may want to get the 1993 Acura NSX to use in both the NSX Trophy and Type-R Meeting.

• NSX Trophy - limited only to the NSX.
• Civic Race [R] - all Honda Civic models compete here, excluding tuner-type Civics.
• Beat the Beat - only the Honda Beat can compete.
• Type-R Meeting - all Type-R Hondas can compete. Some Honda/Acura NSX models, like the 1993 NSX can also be used.
• S2000 Challenge [R] - limited to all the new (at its time) S2000 models, including the S2000 GT1 for the Racing Style event.

Nissan Race Events.

People think of Gran Turismo as Nissan paradise. This set of races features a handful of races to compete in ranging from the March to the almighty Skyline/GT-R races. You may want to buy yourself an R34 Skyline and use it for both the R34 Challenge and the GT-R Meeting Normal Style race. Go for a Race Modified R34 Skyline to compete in the GT-R Meeting or get any of the Super GT/JGTC Skyline/GT-R models for the Racing Style events.

• Silvia and 180SX Club [R] - race any Silvia or 180SX in this event. Excludes machines like the Drag 180SX.
• Pulsar Cup - you are free to race any model Pulsar here.
• Skyline-R34 Challenge - only the R34 model Skyline/GT-R can be raced here.
• March Trophy [R] - try out any model Nissan March to race here.
• GT-R Meeting [R] - this is a race for all Skyline/GT-R models past and present.

Toyota Race Events.

Toyota is one of the world's largest automakers. You will be racing machines ranging from the Vitz to the Celica and the Altezza. There is no shortage of excitement with the cars you race here. So go enjoy some Toyota racing goodness here.

• Celica Meeting [R] - limited to all Celica models both past and present.
• Starlet Meeting - the Toyota Starlet is the star of this race.
• MR-S Trophy - only the MR-S can race this event.
• Altezza Cup [R] - try racing the Toyota Altezza, Lexus IS, and Lexus IS 200.
• Vitz Trophy [R] - all models of the Vitz/Echo/Yaris are welcome to race here.

Mazda Race Events.

You will be racing a lot of Mazda's premier offerings, ranging from the legendary RX-7 to (at their time) more recent offerings. Get your Zoom-Zoom on with these four racing events!

• RX-7 Meeting - only non-racing RX-7 models can compete here.
• Roadster Trophy [R] - limited only to Eunos Roadster/Miata models.
• Demio Race [R] - all models of the Mazda Demio are allowed here.
• AZ-1 Challenge - race the quirky Autozam AZ-1 in this event.

Mitsubishi Race Events.

People bestowed with cars from the Three Diamonds of Mitsubishi ("Mitsubishi" translates to "three diamonds") will be able to compete in two Race Events. Take the sporty Mirage out for a spin, or let loose your inner speed demon with the powerful and capable Lancer. Whatever your desire, Mitsubishi has you covered.

• Mirage Cup [R] - this race is limited to the Mitsubishi Mirage and its models.
• Evolution Meeting - this race is limited to all road-going Lancer Evolution models.

Subaru Race Events.

Two powerful 4WD cars from Subaru are featured in Race Events. Many know Subaru for their rally racing beast, the Impreza/WRX. You get to use one of those in one Race Event. You can also challenge yourself to win with the Alcyone.

• Alcyone Challenge [R] - this race features the Suzuki Alcyone sports car.
• Impreza Challenge - all road-going Impreza models can compete in this race.

Suzuki Race Events.

Many people know Suzuki better for their motorcycles, including their fierce Hayabusa. However, they also make automobiles. Two of their most popular four-wheel offerings are showcased for One-Make competition. The Alto Works is a fine Kei hatchback. The Cappuccino is like a miniature sports car. Get to enjoy racing with both of these fine Kei cars with these Race Events.

• Alto Works Cup [R] - all Alto Works models can compete.
• Cappuccino Cup [R] - only the Suzuki Cappuccino can compete.

Daihatsu Race Events.

Daihatsu specializes in Kei cars. Perhaps one of the slowest machines in the game is featured here- the Daihatsu Midget D-Type. You get to compete with both the Mira and the Storia as part of your Race Event experience with Daihatsu. So make the most of your experience by taking on these races.

• Midget Contest - only available to the Daihatsu Midget D-Type.
• Mira Challenge [R] - all Daihatsu Mira models allowed.
• Storia Challenge [R] - only available to the Storia, including both 2WD and 4WD versions of this car.

Tommykaira Race Events.

You will be using Tommy kaira's original sports car- the ZZ. Once you wake up the ZZ, it is a quality low-horsepower sports car. Give it a try and go win some races with this car.

• ZZ Challenge [R] - only the Tommykaira ZZ-S Coupe can be raced.


That concludes the East City races. The West City events are next.

--- Races of Gran Turismo 2: West City Race Events ---

West City features Gran Turismo 2's French and Italian cars. All of the West City makes have Race Events except Venturi, and the ones that do have Race Events have only one set of races both with Normal Style and Racing Style events.

Alfa Romeo Race Events.

You will be racing in two series of elegant and powerful automobiles. The 155 and 156 are for you to race in a One-Make race. Be sure to pick up one of these lovely machines and get to racing. On the Racing Style event, buying the 155 Touring Car from the Special Model showroom will give you an extremely unfair advantage. It's a DTM race car for goodness sakes!

• 155 and 156 Race [R] - all 155 and 156 models can be raced, including the 155 Touring Car offered in the Special Model menu.

FIAT Race Events.

Whether you are using the vintage 500s or the newer (in its time) 500, this Race Event highlights on the 500 series. Pick one and tune it up as much as you like.

• 500 Meeting [R] - you can race any of the FIAT 500 models here.

Lancia Race Events.

Lancia itself is one of the most legendary marques in rally racing. The Lancia Delta series is one of the all-time greatest rally cars. This is a chance for you to enjoy one of the finest rally cars ever made. Pick out any of the Delta models and compete. If you want an unfair advantage in the Racing Style event, get the Group B rallying beast- the 1985 Lancia Delta S4.

• Delta Cup [R] - you can race the any Delta model. The Delta S4 Rally Car can be used in the Racing Style event.

Citroën Race Events.

Today's Citroën is one of the best in rally racing today. For Gran Turismo 2, however, you get to race the peppy Citroën Saxo in a Race Event. So go pick one up and enjoy racing with Citroën power!

• Saxo Challenge [R] - try the Saxo 1.6i VTS in this One-Make race.

Peugeot Race Events.

The Race Event for Peugeot features the 106 in Normal Style and Racing Style competition. It is the lowest of the Peugeot range, but you can still have some fun racing and tuning this car.

• 106 Challenge [R] - all variations of the Peugeot 106 are allowed here.

Renault Race Events.

Renault features some great vehicles, and the one you will be racing is one of the greatest "hot hatches" ever- the Clio V6. Not the Clio, the Clio V6. It is a mid-engine hatchback with rear-wheel drive and well north of 200 brake horsepower. Normal Style and Racing Style events will give you quite a challenge trying to wrestle this French beast.

• Clio Cup [B] - though called the Clio Cup, it is ONLY reserved for the Clio Sport V6 24V.


That's it for the West City Race Events. North City is next.

--- Races of Gran Turismo 2: North City Race Events ---

Featuring some of the most powerful and most expensive cars, North City will give you quite the ride. North City features the most manufacturers in Gran Turismo 2 with 12 makes. Not all of them have race events, however. A lot of the ones you do get to race feature some powerful and fast cars. Feel free to enjoy this set of races to the max.

Audi Race Events.

At its time, the Audi TT was one of the newest sports cars to arrive on the scene. You get to try out this new machine and sample its performance characteristics with this Race Event. Take advantage of its rather powerful engine and great handling. When ready for the Racing Style event, either Race Modify your current TT or put down the money for the TT LM Edition.

• TT Challenge [R] - limited to the Audi TT. You can use the TT LM Edition for the Racing Style event if you want to.

Aston Martin Race Events.

Aston Martin features some captivating sports cars for you to tune and race. You will have the opportunity to put the Aston Martin DB-7 in its paces with this Race Event. Marvel in its power and performance from either the DB-7 Coupe or the DB-7 Volante. This car is expensive and heavy, but if you can make good with its performance capabilities, you should be able to win these Race Events regardless of what tracks you race in these Race Events.

• DB-7 Trophy [R] - either variation of the Aston Martin DB-7 can be raced here.

BMW Race Events.

The 3-Series of BMWs will be featured in this set of Race Events. There are five models to choose from in the BMW showroom, so be sure to pick one of these stylish machines to be your steed in this Race Event. As a little note... though this does not have a Racing Style event, the 328ci is the only BMW in Gran Turismo 2 that can be Race Modified.

• 3 Series Cup - only the 3 Series (320ci, 323ci, 323ti Compact, 328ci, and 328i) can be raced.

Mercedes-Benz Race Events.

Even though Stuttgart is known as Porsche Country, Stuttgart is also the home of Mercedes-Benz. You will be using the SLK 230 Kompressor in this Race Event. Compete in the Normal Style race followed by the Racing Style event with this car.

• SLK Trophy [R] - limited only to the SLK 230 Kompressor.

Volkswagen Race Events.

Quirky, cute, and fun; you will be racing the New Beetle and the Golf. These fun machines will give you plenty to feel good about as you push these Volkswagens to the limit. Want a little unfair advantage for one race? Simple- go to the New Beetle Racing Style event rocking the New Beetle GT. That ought to show 'em!

• Golf Cup [R] - limited to all Volkswagen Golf models.
• Beetle Challenge [R] - only the New Beetle can race. The New Beetle GT can be used in the Racing Style event.

TVR Race Events.

There are some devilish offerings from TVR. Their offerings are lightweight, exotic, and powerful. One of those cars is the TVR Tuscan Speed 6. Unlike the other companies, the car you use in the Race Events for TVR is NOT for sale. Get this car by winning one of the Special Events. Try to keep this car rooted to the ground to stand any chance of winning. Its performance is scary, but extremely docile compared to that other TVR Special Model- the Cerbera Speed 12. Drive this car carefully because it is almost too easy to make mistakes with this car that you can't recover from.

• Tuscan Speed Cup [R] - only the TVR Tuscan Speed 6 can race this event. This car is NOT for sale in the TVR showroom.

Opel Race Events.

The Tigra from Opel is the spotlight car in this Race Event. Pick one up and go racing in this Race Event. Be sure also to try the Racing Style event with the Tigra. Or if you're inclined, get the unfair advantage with the Tigra Ice Race Car from the Special Models showroom.

• Tigra Cup [R] - all Opel Tigra models allowed, including the Tigra Ice Race Car for the Racing Style event.

Lotus Race Events.

You have a chance to do Colin Chapman proud by racing the Elan and the Elise. Lotus is known for their lightweight vehicles, and two of their finest are available for you to race in these Race Events. So go ahead and buy an Elan and/or an Elise to compete in the two respective Race Events. You could even use that powerful and exotic Lotus Elise GT1 from the Special Model showroom if you're too good for a standard Elise!

• Elise Trophy [R] - all Elise models can be raced, including the Motorsports Elise and the Elise GT1.
• Elan Cup [R] - you can race any model Elan in this event.

Mini and MG Challenge.

Mini and MG are featured as one car company here in Gran Turismo 2, but Mini is featured more. Even the game's description of Mini and MG is only focused on Mini! Just know that you're racing with both Mini AND MG. Either Mini will do for the Mini Challenge. The Mini race car from the Special Model showroom might serve you well if you want to dominate the Racing Style event with Mini. Buy and tune the MG MGF 1.8i VVC to compete in that Race Event's two races.

• Mini Challenge [R] - either Mini Cooper can race this event. The Special Model Mini can be used in the Racing Style event.
• MGF Challenge [R] - the MG MGF is the only car that can compete in this event.


To close this post, South City is up next.

--- Races of Gran Turismo 2: South City Race Events ---

South City is the home for all American car companies. Everything from American cars to American arms of other companies (such as Acura and Lexus) are featured here. The Race Events you can participate in are featured in this section.

Even though Acura has no Race Events, you have to buy the vehicles here to compete in two of the Honda race events.

Chevrolet Race Events.

America's sports car since 1954 is the Corvette. With the Corvettes you can choose from in this game, you will be racing with the iconic sports car in this Race Event for Chevrolet. Can you handle these cars at speed? Any Corvette model is fair to use in the Corvette Meeting. Bring a Racing Modified one for the Racing Style event.

• Corvette Meeting [R] - all Corvette models allowed.

Ford Race Events.

Though you can get yourself a Mustang or even some classic Ford muscle, the Race Events are focused on the Ka and the new (at its time) Focus. Race Modify the Ka once you're done with the Normal Style race. Only road-going Focus models are allowed for the Focus Challenge. So in other words, don't even think about brining that Focus Rally Car into this Race Event.

• Ka Challenge [R] - this race features the Ford Ka in road and race trims.
• Focus Challenge - the road-going Ford Focus models are the only allowed models here.

Dodge Race Events.

Dodge offered the most powerful American car in Gran Turismo 1 with their two Viper models. Now, it's back with more Viper goodness but with the Neons thrown in. You'll need a Viper and a Neon to compete in the respective Race Events. All or most racing Viper models can be used in the Racing Style event of the Viper Festival of Speed.

• Viper Festival of Speed [R] - Either Dodge Viper can compete in this event. Racing Vipers (such as the Viper GTS-R) can compete in the Racing Style event.
• Neon Trophy [R] - Either Dodge Neon is the only car that can compete here.


And those are your South City race events.





I hope you found this resource useful. I will edit this as many times as I can to reflect changes as well as offer different advice. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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15 Years of Gran Turismo

Fifteen years of Gran Turismo! Fifteen years of a game franchise that would basically become the gold standard of realistic racing. I have endured a great deal of memories with the Gran Turismo franchise. This blog post is a look at my own experience with GT in this 15th Anniversary. For people who may be visiting "John's Gran Turismo Space" for the first time ever, here is your chance to know my story regarding the GT franchise.

--- 15 Years of Gran Turismo: My Story ---

With Gran Turismo celebrating its 15th Anniversary, I figured it is time for me to share my story with this franchise. A lot of the key points of my GT experience will be separated.

• Back in 1998 or so, I bought a PlayStation at a pawn shop for about $60 US dollars. The first game I ever bought for it was Gran Turismo. GT1 was a game I had play-tested at a Best Buy once. This tour of duty I was about to embark on for GT1 was going to be a lengthy and complicated one. I still remember trying to drive cautiously with rear-wheel drive cars. Certain license tests really drove me crazy (no pun intended). Eventually, I would just buckle down and drive the wheels off of every car I owned in Gran Turismo 1.

• My experience would later shift to Gran Turismo 2. If GT1 was a challenge, I imagined GT2 would be even more so. A lot has changed including the debut of rallying. I kind of didn't enjoy GT2 as much as I did GT1. There was still plenty of fun to be had. I was really loving the enhanced array and appeal of cars in Gran Turismo 2 compared to GT1. I also enjoyed going at speeds faster than what I almost never did in GT1 (except for the Megaspeed Cup). For as much as I liked GT2, I always felt GT2 missed a number of things that would make it better than GT1. I found it the most disappointing GT I've played yet.

• When the PlayStation 2 came out, it was priced at about $300 US dollars. I so wanted to play Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec. I got both the PS2 and GT3 for Christmas in 2001. The beautiful graphics and updated play mechanics of GT3 kept me busy for quite some time. After a while, I mostly felt GT3 was more like a pretty GT2... with much less execution. When I won my first Formula car in GT3, it opened my eyes to a new way of thinking of Gran Turismo. It made me envision if the series could possibly explore some new avenues to enhance the series for years to come. That leads to the next title...

• I wanted to follow news on Gran Turismo 4. What I did was join a message board called GTPlanet. I saw a handful of pictures and magazine scans showcasing the latest news on GT4. I joined GTPlanet on December 5, 2003. It has basically been my online home since (as well as my favorite forum). It was much better than some other message board I was previously a part of, where I was mostly treated like chopped liver by a group of people.

• As news on GT4 was coming through the pipeline, a new racing game was coming along when some people seemed disappointed with GT4. This game- Forza Motorsport- looked to woo over GT fans to the XBOX. Part of peoples' frustration with GT4 was in the fact that the much-promised online play was dropped for GT4. Also, people thought GT4's lineup of cars was severely lacking compared to the cars offered in Forza Motorsport. At times, I even had to keep people interested in GT4. I wanted to play GT4 as much as everybody else. I just hated for people to worry about certain things inconsequential to whether or not GT4 really becomes a classic.

• Gran Turismo 4 was well worth the wait. While it may have not seriously blown me away, the amount of action and enjoyment were well received by me. The one thing I hated was how so many people hated that GT4 didn't have supercars. I had to keep telling people- the supercars are there. As if people thought GT4's lineup of cars were Japan-heavy and lacking supercars. So... Pagani doesn't make supercars? The Ford GT isn't a supercar? The Saleen S7 is not a fake sports car? The Mercedes-McLaren SLR is just another luxury car? I was mostly upset that people think Ferrari and Lamborghini and such is REQUIRED for a racing game to be great. Complain about the lack of true online play for GT4, but it was still a great game. People had too many complaints and not enough convincing that this game is really better than what most people made it out to be. I eventually just got tired of GT4, but I still thought it was better than a lot of people thought of it.

• The PlayStation 3 was in kiosks at stores starting around 2006 or so. This (then) nearly $700 USD console was too much for a lot of people to afford. You had a reason to care about this console when a game called Gran Turismo HD was created for the PS3. GTHD stemmed from the Vision Gran Turismo video unveiled at E3 once. The kicker for GTHD was the fact one manufacturer made its debut to the Gran Turismo franchise- Ferrari. How many years have most GT fans wanted to see Ferrari in the game? That opportunity came, and the deal was sweetened when "Gran Turismo 5: Prologue" became the first Prologue us Americans would get. As of this blog post's initial posting, I have NEVER played GT5P.

• I have also never played Gran Turismo PSP- which was meant to be a compliment to GT5. You could unlock cars in GTPSP, then take your earned cars to use in GT5. I played this game one time at a kiosk at a Fry's Electronics store, and I felt this could have been a more complete title. My PSP experience is very limited and poor.

• In the time leading up to GT5's grand debut, there was a time when I played a kiosk demo to GT5. I posted first impressions of my kiosk experience on "John's Blog Space." Little did I know that my blog post would generate extreme amounts of traffic from various sites- including my friends on GTPlanet. I could only hope that GT5 would surpass my modest expectations based on the kiosk demo I played. That post remains one of the most-viewed posts on JBS as well as moments where I've gotten the most traffic to JBS.

• It was November 2010 when Gran Turismo 5 was released. I was still on my PS2 playing GT4 around this time. Any impressions I got on GT5 were from online reviews and online videos. At times, I had my doubts about GT5 before actually playing the game. I didn't get my PlayStation 3 and GT5 until June 2011. After playing through most of the game, most of my fears were confirmed. The more I thought about GT5 over some period of time, the more I began to feel that GT5 disappoints harder than GT2 did for me. Even with online play and a very stacked lineup of cars, something inside of me still thinks this game could have been infinitely better.

• GT Academy [USA] on Spike TV was something I experienced in November 2012. GT Academy is the reality TV show challenge that takes Gran Turismo gamers from gaming to pro racing. I didn't catch every single episode of the 2012 competition, but I got a general idea after I was eventually drawn to seeing this show. It made me ponder a bit more about if elements from GT Academy could possibly make Gran Turismo a bit more fun to play and enjoy.


Regardless, I have been more than proud to be part of this 15-year thrill ride by Polyphony Digital. I enjoyed every car, every mile/kilometer, every Credit spent, every car wash, every wheel change, every tuning part... everything. I wouldn't trade these experiences with anything else in racing games.

--- 15 Years of Gran Turismo: What's Next? ---

I really think Polyphony Digital should think about what GT5 offered and try to make great improvements to make the next GT much better than GT5. GT5 was good, but I hope GT6 can be better. I even explore ways GT can be better here on JGTS. I really think Gran Turismo needs to take a much harder approach on racing and driving. I am not saying "let's make GT into a proper racing sim," but "let's make Gran Turismo just that extra bit better to be a classic." How GT eventually gets to that level depends on PD and some other sources.

My own thoughts are on how to improve the flaws GT5 had so that the next GT will be infinitely better than GT5. Improve on the flaws while also making the next GT as solid as possible. Introduce more racing series. Bring on many more cars. I don't work for Polyphony Digital- all I am hoping for (as a fan) is for the next GT to be several steps ahead... rather than running backwards.





Nonetheless, congratulations to Gran Turismo on 15 years of existence. I only want the series to continually expand and improve. Not sure how long Gran Turismo will last as a Triple-A franchise, but I want this series to last for a long time. How do you feel about 15 years of Gran Turismo? Let me know with some comments. Thank you for reading!

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GT2: Music at the Speed of Sound

With Gran Turismo 2, "Music at the Speed of Sound" let you listen to some hot songs on the go when not playing GT2. It had not only a 12-song music CD, but also a second disc that allowed you to play the GT2 demo along with a collection of cars and tracks to upload to GT2. It has been a while since posting on John's Gran Turismo Space (and I am sorry for this); however, don't get the idea that I'm running out of ideas for JGTS! Remember- this blog is about all things of, about, related to... Gran Turismo. So here is another post for you GT fans to get excited about!

--- Gran Turismo 2: Music at the Speed of Sound ---

^ from: www.amazon.com - "Music at the Speed of Sound" features songs from Gran Turismo 2 along with an added game disc with some extra goodies.


Here is the song listing for "Music at the Speed of Sound":

01. Apollo 440 - Cold Rock the Mic
02. The Cardigans - My Favorite Game
03. The Crystal Method - Now is the Time (New Millennium Mix)
04. Hole - Use Once and Destroy
05. Creed - Unforgiven
06. Moby - Bodyrock (B&H's Bodyrob Mix)
07. Rob Zombie - Dragula (Hot Rod Herman Mix)
08. Fear Factory and Gary Numan - Cars
09. Garbage - I Think I'm Paranoid
10. Boom Boom Satellites - Push Eject
11. Filter - Hey Man Nice Shot
12. Soul Coughing - Super Bon Bon

Really, what saddens me with the album is that one of my favorite songs from GT2 is not included in this collection- "Sex Type Thing" by the Stone Temple Pilots. The game data included on the other CD is good to use if you have another Memory Card. Make sure your PS1/PSX Memory Card has enough space to load up GT2 data on. After that, just use that Memory Card to trade some of the data to your main GT2 data on the other Memory Card. That's what I would recommend when using the other disc for GT2 data.


If you want to buy this CD collection, here is an item you can use below to buy online:







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Rome-Night

Rome-Night in Gran Turismo 2 is the ultimate example of a perfectly fine track not being utilized. In no way is this track sacred. Its problem lies in just not being utilized in GT2. You know you have to use this course in a Gran Turismo 2 Super License test. Other than that, there are very little ways this track is utilized in-game. So get ready to read this post about this under-utilized course.

--- Rome-Night ---

^ Rome-Night is one of the most seldom-used race tracks in Gran Turismo history. Because you don't use this track consistently, it is perfectly fine not to know the first thing about tackling this track.

For reasons I am unsure of, this course is seldom utilized in Gran Turismo 2. I thought the point of including certain tracks was for them to be utilized and raced on competitively. You could argue about Motor Sport Land not being used much for anything. However, nothing about Rome-Night suggests this course is sacred or special.

One-Lap Description.

Your tour of Rome-Night begins on the front straight with a river to your left. Two smooth right corners await you as you enter the city after going below a bridge. Keep to the inside through this section. After going under another bridge, a sharp left kink awaits you. That's followed by another left kink and then a right-hand kink. A brief straight follows into a somewhat sharp right-hand kink. After this final kink, a long and smooth right-hand corner leads to the backstretch. As you go down the backstretch, there is an uphill progression. Be ready to start braking hard as the cross under the Texaco sign at the top of the hill. This is because the road goes downhill into a sharp right-left complex. Brake somewhat hard at the sharp right-hand kink to set yourself up for the sharp left-hand kink that follows. Go too far inside the left-hand kink, and your car will tag the inside barrier hard. So be careful here! A series of three right-hand corners await you next. The first of these three rights is the sharpest. The other two just require minimal braking while establishing a solid racing line. You're going uphill again as you head into a blind, yet smooth left-hand corner. A trip downhill leads to an uphill right-hand corner. You start to go uphill as the road smoothly shifts to the right. Then as you head beyond the crest of the hill, a left-hand hairpin awaits. Heavy braking is required here. Try to go far inside while staying in-bounds. Graze some curbing on the inside if you can. The road after the hairpin shifts to the right and is followed by a left-hand corner that requires some moderate braking. Be careful trying not to tag the outside wall as you try to clear this corner. A fairly long straight leads to the entrance to Pit Road and the final two corners- both right-hand corners. The first one could be taken without lifting off the throttle. You may enter the pits after this smooth right, or you could take on the final corner. You'd better brake hard in the final corner because it comes up incredibly sharp. Floor the gas as you exit the final corner to complete one lap of Rome-Night.

Video Lap.

Here is one video lap of this course I just described:


^ "Thurzo_FTO LM Race Car @Rome Night"

--- Commentary on Rome-Night ---

(taken from a "John's Blog Space" entry)

This is one of the most underutilized tracks in Gran Turismo history simply because a perfectly-fine track simply isn't being used much. When you put a track in a racing game, you expect to be able to utilize that course fully (or at least to a great degree). Gran Turismo 2 did very little with the exception of using this in a license test. And it isn't like this course is Circuit de la Sarthe or Indianapolis. It's a city street course that looks perfectly fine as a racing venue. Trouble is, it was never used or utilized in a favorable manner. It's actually quite depressing considering this is a perfectly fine and pretty challenging race course. It was just never utilized to where it can be respected. Hell, even Rome's SHORT course got more attention than Rome-Night. It makes you wonder, why would Polyphony Digital include a perfectly-fine racing course, but not put a series of races together to race this course? It's a shortcoming that I'm sure PD has learned in putting tracks in games.

If you're going to have a track in the game, make sure to utilize it fully. Gran Turismo 2 has too many shortcomings that really make it my least favorite of the GT games. People are likely going to disagree with me all because I didn't praise GT2 well enough. Fact is- too much failed execution to really make me love this game more than Gran Turismo 1. I even went back and enjoyed GT1 even while GT2 could have been MUCH better. I'm saying all of this as a Gran Turismo fan. I'm not some Microsoft "fanboy" who works for Microsoft hating on Gran Turismo any chance I get.

If you're going to market a game with a series of tracks, make sure to utilze all of them and give them the loving attention they deserve. Not utilizing Rome-Night is like not giving a plant abundant sunshine or water. You know what happens when plants lack sunshine or water? They die, and Rome-Night is just that dead plant in the pot. And it isn't likely any water or sunshine will revive this dead plant of a track for the upcoming Gran Turismo 5. So enjoy this track while it remotely lasts in Gran Turismo history...





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Motor Sports Land

Motor Sports Land in Gran Turismo 2 is a small course that is like an Easter Egg. It is a great track for low-horsepower cars as well as a nice drift track for more powerful cars. Use it for drifting or for pushing low-powered cars to the limit. As much fun as this track can be, it would have been a great track for Gran Turismo 5, especially with kart racing. This blog post looks back on the Easter egg of a race track- Motor Sports Land.

--- Motor Sports Land ---

^ Motor Sports Land is like a go-kart track for big cars. (ORIGINAL PICTURE CREDIT: Gran Turismo 2)

While its name may sound like some family fun center or a theme park, Motor Sports Land is a proper permanent race track. It isn't a practical track, however; because there is no pit lane to this course. Its primary purpose would be to test your car's handling capabilities. You could use it to test your car's ability to take on switchbacks as well as powersliding into corners. More aggressive drivers could use this track to drift around. No matter what, this is a non-practical track that can be great fun to drive around. This track is mostly flat all the way around. Hardly any elevation changes come between you and your enjoyment of this track (not to say that elevation changes are bad).

One-Lap Description.

The lap begins with a smooth left-hand corner. The next section is a moderately long left-hand corner. You'll need to brake fairly hard as you approach this long left corner. You'll need to quickly tackle the right-hand corner that follows immediately after clearing the long left. After the right-hand corner, a quick left kink follows. A brief straight leads up to a hard left-hand corner. After an even shorter straight upon exit, a sharp right-hand corner followed by a sharp left follow in succession. Up next is a sharp right-handed hairpin. As you exit that hairpin, get ready for a somewhat long right-left chicane followed up by two sharp left-handed corners. What lies after that final corner is the Start/Finish straight. One lap of Motor Sports Land is complete after that final left-hand corner.

Video Lap.

I tried to find a video lap, but the best I could find is a drift lap. So let one GT drifter show you the way around Motor Sports Land:

^ "[GT2] Hachiroku drifting at Motorsports Land"

If you ask me, this track would be perfect for Gran Turismo 5 for both karting and drifting. I'm not sure if this track was somehow succeeded by MotorLand or not. Still, Motor Sports Land can be quite fun. Give it a try when you play Gran Turismo 2's Arcade disc!





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