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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What If: Gran Turismo Legacy?

"Legacy" is not a good word when something isn't dead. With that said, though, what would a legacy Gran Turismo be like? We think of a legacy collection as a way to remember something as it heads into its sunset. Gran Turismo is far from being "dead." Though, many could argue today's Gran Turismo Sport is not like any classic Gran Turismo title. One has to wonder what would be a proper sendoff or culmination of what all GT has brought to the proverbial table. It should be a collection that brings together elements from all Gran Turismo titles into one incredible package. Question is... how would you compile everything? How would one game compiling all of Gran Turismo be like? I have some ideas that I want to share in this blog post. Anyone who may be reading this and want to comment is (of course) free to do so.

About the Label: "GT Legacy"

This post is a series here on "John's Race Space" which focuses on what a Legacy collection of Gran Turismo would be like. It is based on a number of factors, including vehicles, locations, races, and more. It doesn't mean Gran Turismo is "dead" with no chance of improving upon what it has already improved upon. However, it also is a look at what a proper Legacy collection of Gran Turismo would be like for future generations to remember what all Gran Turismo has done and how far the series has come. This Label may feature a number of different individual posts specifically mapping out how Gran Turismo should be remembered for years to come.

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Gran Turismo Legacy: Making Of

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^ from: - .

Gran Turismo has been around 1997 and 1998. In its time, there have been a handful of items that made the franchise exciting, fun, and entertaining. Some other elements, sadly... not so much. A legacy package that combines elements of all of the past GT titles into one will have to be something that takes at least something from past GTs and brings it all together in a past-meets-present manner.

GT Legacy: Vehicles.

Gran Turismo has always been an "Encyclopedia of Cars." These cars have ranged from real-life automobiles to tuned/fantasy models based on real cars. Everyone who has played through any and every Gran Turismo has had at least one favorite machine to tune and/or race. They are also aware of the various levels of tuning as well as being aware of all sorts of vehicles.

• I still go insane on the notion that I took a Mitsubishi 3000GT (also called the GTO) and tuned it to be a 240 mph demon that just does nothing but win races in Gran Turismo 1.

• I enjoyed racing both the Honda S2000 GT1 and the Toyota GT-One Road Car in GT2. And of course, I have to recall using that Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak to dominate certain races.

• I have enjoyed using the Formula GT cars that I unlocked. I also have enjoyed using the Toyota GT-One and the Mazda 787B in my time in GT3. I was even impressed with machines like the Gillet Vertigo and the Tickford V8 Supercar.

• There were a number of street cars I enjoyed tuning in GT4. On the racing front, the Pescarolo prototypes and the Nissan R92CP are total beasts! I also enjoyed the Honda S800 Race Car, the Suzuki R/4 concept car (when tuned to the max), the Toyota RSC Rally Raid Car, and the Toyota Tacoma X-Runner.

• Seeing the debut of Ferrari was great, as I enjoyed using my Ferrari F430 in GT5. There were some great times using my tuned Lotus Evora also. The Red Bull prototypes were totally unreal and awesome. It was also a joy to try out the different go-karts in GT5, though I would loved a superkart experience as well. As a first for the series, you can use paint colors from your cars to paint over automobiles. So if you want to replace that boring green color on your car to a crimson red color, you can do just that as long as you have the proper paint color in your collection!

• I thought it was amazing in GT6 to take the already fast Pagani Huayra and make it even faster with some power upgrades. 260+ mph never seemed so scary in such an amazing supercar. Also, this is the first Gran Turismo to offer Base Model racing cars for you to race and paint. These Base Model cars can be painted up using various paint colors in your collection. And unlike in GT5, any color you have in your collection could be used for any car that can be re-colored without worrying about buying some car just to have a copy of that same color. This game had all kinds of unique vehicles- even including a Lunar vehicle and the controversial Deltawing race cars.

(REMEMBER: I have NEVER played Gran Turismo SPORT as of the time of this post (March 6, 2019)
• I think Gran Turismo SPORT is a dream game in regards to compiling a series of racing vehicles in its own racing world.


A number of real and fantasy machines in GT games have helped shape each one equally. While it is mind-blowing to imagine all the various vehicles that have graced the Gran Turismo realm, it would be equally interesting to imagine combining as many past and present machines into one package. This even includes wondering modern interpretations of past vehicles. For example, would you ever wonder what the Honda Civic Del Sol LM Race Car be like? What about the Toyota Chaser LM from GT1? Maybe you wonder what the Mazda RX-7 LM Race Car would look like if given a modern makeover? Maybe you'd love nothing more than to race the Renault Espace F1 around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. You also have to take into consideration damage modeling, interior design, and things like that. You could even see modern variations of Racing Modified cars. So instead of seeing certain liveries restricted due to copyright issues, you could see more accurate versions (granted they are not alcohol or tobacco or sports betting companies) of racing liveries.

A Legacy collection would even open the possibility of driving certain cars previously not included in past GT titles that could have been raced for their time. One example could mean you could race a Ferrari convertible or Porsche convertible in the Spider and Roadster races. A more interesting example would be being able to race the old Lamborghini Diablo GT from the Japanese Gran Turismo 3 well before Lamborghini properly entered the Gran Turismo realm starting with Gran Turismo PSP. Perhaps imagine if you were doing Gran Turismo 1's style races, you could race the KTM X-Bow or the Light Car Company Rocket!

GT Legacy: Locations.

No Gran Turismo experience is ever substantiated without quality venues to compete in. Gran Turismo's location appeal became twofold once GT4 introduced Photo Mode. A number of courses evolved in subsequent versions of Gran Turismo. So let's look at Gran Turismo's legacy in regards to locations.

• Since GT1 was a relative unknown, we were first introduced to the world of Gran Turismo through a lot of the different venues. Some of the top-level venues were High Speed Ring, Grand Valley Speedway, Special Stage Route 5, and Special Stage Route 11. Trial Mountain and Deep Forest Raceway shown to be tough tracks as well. Autumn Ring and Autumn Ring Mini also became fan favorites.

• GT2 was the first to feature licensed tracks and actual locations. Rome Circuit and Seattle Circuit offered a nice view of the world. Grindelwald was the first Swiss venue in GT history. Laguna Seca Raceway became the first real-world race track featured in the series. Other favorites of the fictional variety include Red Rock Valley Speedway and Motor Sport Land. Also, GT2 was the debut of rally racing, so that added to the appeal of locations. Great tracks like any of the Tahiti courses and Smokey Mountain North were some of the better off-road venues. Albeit abbreviated, you could also race the iconic Pikes Peak Hill Climb either uphill or downhill.

• GT3 was unique in featuring some tracks on wet tarmac. The game featured the first real-world temporary course when Cote d'Azur was featured. Cote d'Azur is basically GT's version of the streets of Monte Carlo, home to the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. Swiss Alps was a great off-road course that debuted in GT3. This game also featured Tokyo Route 246, even including Polyphony Digital's headquarters before moving from Tokyo to Fukuoka. This game also included a challenging fantasy course called Complex String. It was more a test track than a practical race course.

• Gran Turismo 4 is important location-wise in having a combination of racing venues and non-racing venues. To me, GT4 had more of a "see the world" aspect to it. So this game had a combination of real and fictional courses. El Capitan was one of my favorite courses in GT4. The course based around Yosemite National Park was a great course. MotorLand was a great short course. A handful of city courses made up GT4, ranging from urban locales to Old World style cities. New York was the main attraction in GT4's development. At the same time, Citta di Aria and Costa di Amalfi were both intense challenges on their own. You could even race in Hong Kong and Seoul among others. For the first time in series history, venues on snow and ice were featured. You can race around Ice Arena and Chamonix if you fancy snow and ice locales. Most important to a lot of people location-wise, you could race Circuit de la Sarthe as well as the Nürburgring Nordschleife. These are two historic and long racing venues. On the Photo Mode front, you can take pictures of your cars in any of the different race tracks. However, you can also visit a variety of real-world locations to flash pictures of your vehicles. You can visit locales like Las Vegas, New York City, Boston, and Venice among other places.

• Gran Turismo 5 had a combination of real world and fictional courses, but it also offered certain environments used in the creation of custom race tracks. Sadly, none of the classic off-road locations from GT4 returned in GT5 (I am NOT counting the newer Chamonix). The creation of race tracks with certain environments made for a very interesting rally racing experience in GT5. Race courses could even be raced on in different times of day and/or with weather conditions. This added to the appeal of racing certain locations. A lot of the classic Gran Turismo venues either didn't show up or didn't take advantage of the newer time and variable features. You could still photograph your cars in a variety of settings, but there were significantly less Photo Mode venues in GT5 than in GT4.

• Gran Turismo 6 offered the first-ever Australian venue with the inclusion of Mount Panorama Circuit. Environments return for custom tracks in GT6, but away is the rally aspect of GT6. Later in GT6's development was a fictional course called Circuito de la Sierra, a lovely long course utilizing the Spanish countryside. You can even race around a track in a sports arena with GT Arena. An interesting perk of GT6 was how it had proper star locations from star charts at night. As for real locations, you can actually race on the moon with the Lunar Missions.

(REMEMBER: I have NEVER played Gran Turismo SPORT as of the time of this post (March 6, 2019)
• Gran Turismo Sport offers a great variety of different racing facilities. However, it is disappointing a lot of the classic and original racing locations- such as Grand Valley Speedway and Special Stage Route 5- are missing.


Even different versions of certain locations have evolved and have character different from other variations. Take High Speed Ring, for instance. High-Speed Ring was a very nice circuit in GT1 and GT2. When GT4 came out with this course, High Speed Ring had some newer water sections as well as a little bridge. GT5 made things a bit more beautiful for this course.

GT Legacy: Competition.

Let's look at a GT Legecy in regards to different competitions.

• All of the competitions are pretty much basic circuit racing. You can practice, qualify, and race on just about any course. The Test Course was available to test acceleration and top speed. Spot Races allowed for quick races without needing a license. Races last anywhere from two to five laps. A lot of the races allow you to compete in almost any trim. Some races, however, have certain rules. Some series prohibit the use of Racing Modified cars. You can even race three different Endurances. As long as you can make the time to run the Endurance races, these are great to compete in.

• Gran Turismo 2's race structure had a number of races restricted by horsepower. There were far less championship series in GT2 compared to GT1. You could not simply enter any car you want. You have to make sure you had a car that did not exceed the horsepower requirements for races. Tone down the horsepower as much as you can to compete in certain races. Rally racing is simply a one-lap time trial against a ghost driver. Beat the ghost, and you win! This game also debuted One-Make Series. There are races that require you to have a certain car for which to compete in one race on a random track. Some Race Events require your car have a Racing Modification to compete in another race. You can not use a Racing Modified car in a Normal Car Race. Watch the Demo events to get an idea of what cars you can use for these Race Events.

• Gran Turismo 3 is fairly exclusively circuit racing. You can now save in Championship Series. So maybe you can work to try to win all of the races by being able to Save when you like. GT3 rallying is done in one-on-one, wheel-to-wheel racing. You even can run in a race on wet tarmac for the first ever time. Even the first timed endurances in series history is in this game.

• Gran Turismo 4 has a number of great races to choose from across a number of categories. Different individual halls of racing offer different racing experiences. You can even run one-off races as well as certain photo drives. Controversial to GT4 was that of B-Spec races, which many have said is the game playing itself for you.

• While Gran Turismo 4 was to promise online play, it never had proper online play. Gran Turismo 5 had a level system that allowed you to race certain events and own certain cars. You can race a number of events, even being able to do in-race saves for longer racing events. B-Spec returns, but you now can be like your own team owner to raise B-Spec racers as quality racing talent. For what seems scarce for racing events in GT5, you can do many more styles of racing online. There are a lot of special series and events you can take part in to get into many more styles of racing with many more styles of cars. You are racing machines in Special series ranging from go-karts to the unreal Red Bull prototypes. Besides circuit races, you can compete in Time Trials and Drift Trials. Compete in Seasonals offering a variety of races for a good amount of prizes.

• Gran Turismo 6 is a lot more restrictive in letting Performance Points (PP) limit a lot of the races. So you can't use your Le Mans Prototype to defeat Kei cars or sport compacts. This means that at least the official style races are more competitive. A lot of the different race types and such from GT5 have carried over into GT6. However, GT6's races have seemed more dumbed down than GT5's races.

(REMEMBER: I have NEVER played Gran Turismo SPORT as of the time of this post (March 6, 2019)
• The use of classes for Gran Tuurismo SPORT bunches up the different cars into a nice assortment. How the classes are handled are unique in their own right. These designations allow for interesting races of the original and custom race varieties. You can be rewarded or admonished based on maintaining a certain Safety Rating. Racing foolishly and constantly making driving errors can hurt your Safety Rating. Good driving and practicing proper racing skill will help your Safety Rating. So you are best served to drive professionally and properly to get the best results. GT SPORT has mostly been online-exclusive until providing more offline races.

GT Legacy: Sounds and Music.

I am not making any serious concentration towards things like music. However, the music and sounds of Gran Turismo are as much of the character of Gran Turismo as any other game franchise. Some people consider sounds as the weakest link of the Gran Turismo series. Sounds began to improve ever so much as future iterations of Gran Turismo came about.

With music, there is no denying there is something for everyone. Most people will usually fancy rock music more than any other genre of music for any game, let alone Gran Turismo. A lot of others love some good electronic dance music (myself included). However, Gran Turismo games have offered a lot of classy style music with its jazzy musical offerings. It also excels with wonderful lounge and chill music. While a lot of people may argue racing/driving games shouldn't have jazzy or chill style music, you can at least appreciate their presence in a Gran Turismo game. Most people will immediately hark towards composer Daiki Kasho for a majority of the more memorable Gran Turismo songs. It was Gran Turismo 4 that debuted classical style music. Though mostly, these Classical songs were slightly remixed and modern pieces so they don't seem too much like study music. Gran Turismo 5 was the first Gran Turismo to allow for your own playlist of music to be used in menus and races. So even if you don't like the music provided to you in the game, you can always listen to your own music.

It would be possible to combine some of the most popular songs from Gran Turismo games into a GT Legacy collection. You could even incorporate favorites from "Tourist Trophy." It would be an amazing compilation to have at least some of the most popular songs from Gran Turismo games past into a Legacy collection. So you could be racing the modern Deep Forest Raceway listening to songs from Gran Turismo 1 or Gran Turismo 2. The music could range from get-you-going songs like "Lose Control" by Ash in Gran Turismo 1, all the way to even include the baby-making or night-of-passion song "Farewell" by Satoshi Bandoh.

GT Legacy: Tuning and Features.

Over the course of Gran Turismo's existence, tuning and various features have helped shape the series to what it is today. As the series matured, the level of tuning and the accuracy of featured models became more meticulous. So what tuning options were great for Gran Turismo 1 wasn't going to cut it for realism with Gran Turismo 4. In addition to tuning options, different factors including the environment and certain damage modeling greatly impact how a vehicle performs in a Gran Turismo game. Remember how you could get away with running Super Soft tires in non-endurance races in Gran Turismo 1 and Gran Turismo 2? Well, those tires won't work too well in non-endurance races in GT3 on out. Piling on horsepower will make you go faster, but your vehicle may not be able to perform very well in future GT games. That's why your Mitsubishi GTO/3000GT with a Stage 4 Turbo in GT1 may not be up to snuff against Le Mans Prototypes or even high-end GT racing cars from future GT titles.

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Gran Turismo Legacy... What About the Motorcycles?

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There was a reason I didn't mention "Tourist Trophy" in regards to Gran Turismo's legacy. The simple reason is because Tourist Trophy is its own game outside of the realm of Gran Turismo. I questioned long ago the future of motorcycles in the Gran Turismo realm. If Gran Turismo wanted to encompass their cars as well as their motorcycles into one collection, then this "Legacy" collection will need to include Tourist Trophy, unless Polyphony Digital may somehow want to revive Tourist Trophy and give it new life. That is why I labeled a section as "Vehicles" and not exclusively cars.

If Polyphony Digital wanted to try adding motorcycles, it will need to include various motorcycle-specific courses. For example, including Suzuka Circuit into this GT Legacy collection would mean including the motorcycle course for which the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race takes place on. Cars could even race a motorcycle configuration if one wants to race on a motorcycle course. Tourist Trophy even had Valencia (Ricardo Tormo Circuit). It has never been featured in a Gran Turismo.

What if "Gran Turismo Legacy" Had Motorcycles?

A few things would need to change to update the formula. For one thing, you could buy motorcycles and tuning parts rather than try to win them in Challenges. You could also purchase rider gear rather than unlock them. While the roster of motorcycles in Tourist Trophy is impressive, it SERIOUSLY would need an update to feature a lot of today's motorcycles. There are a lot of fine motorcycles out now compared to Tourist Trophy's 2006 release. For example, we have newer machines such as the updated Honda Goldwing and the Ducati 1299 Panigale R. There could even be vintage Vespa scooters that could be featured. They may even try to incorporate supercross, motocross, and supermoto with various dirt bikes. If PD wanted to, they could even include tricycles and even UTVs. Heck- even Forza Motorsport 7 has the Polaris RZR Spec!

Having these additions would only improve Gran Turismo's impressive lineup of vehicles.

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Gran Turismo Legacy: Final Thoughts

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This blog post was mostly meant to be a post to introduce the concept of a Gran Turismo Legacy. To build a proper post and look at this topic, a number of different topics and talking points have to be mentioned. Anyone who has followed this blog knows I try to follow everything as detailed as possible. So to that end, I did all I could to try to post as many different opinions and talking points as possible. If you would like to contribute to a look at what a Gran Turismo Legacy game would be like, then feel free to offer your thoughts here.





I will be working with this topic as much as I can with topics under the "GT Legacy" label. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this blog post. I am grateful for all of the support I get from the greater public-at-large. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Tsukuba Circuit

Tsukuba Circuit packs so much track in its 1.287-mile space. This track debuted in Gran Turismo 4, and you can race its motorcycle layout in Tourist Trophy. You can find Tsukuba in Shimotsuma, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan; not too far north of Tokyo. This blog post offers a look at Tsukuba from the realm of Gran Turismo.

Can you believe this is my first blog post about any Gran Turismo track in over three years?

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Tsukuba Circuit

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^ from: greasyblocks.com, by way of photobucket.com - Tsukuba Circuit and its almost 1.3-mile layout.

I blogged about this track in my main blog, "John's Blog Space." So the following advice applies to the in-game version as well. Read the old post of mine here: "Tsukuba Circuit" - John's Blog Space.

With all due respect, Tsukuba Circuit proves that you don't have to be some 12+ mile course to be an ultimate proving ground. Tsukuba is an intense proving ground despite its 1.287-mile length.

All of Tsukuba is really tough. The very first corner is absolutely one you must get right because it can set the tone for the rest of the lap. The two hairpins are both intense. The sharp corner leading to the Dunlop Bridge. is pretty sharp as well. Make sure to keep your racing machine stable after passing the Dunlop Bridge leading to the much sharper second hairpin. The outer portions of the track are high speed. That high speed, however, requires some braking on the very long final corner. Very fast cars can clear this course easily in less than a minute.

The motorcycle variation is a chicane that comes up as you cross under the Dunlop Bridge. That configuration extends the 1.271-mile length to 1.287 miles (2.070 km). This chicane is about as sharp as almost as blind as the chicane after the high-speed backstretch at Fuji Speedway (since its 2005 renovation).

Strategy.

You may want to tune for acceleration since this track is so short. Find a good handling balance for this course. Tsukuba has a little of everything turn-wise. You want something capable enough to take on the hairpins, but also something that doesn't snap on you with the sweeping long final corner.

On the motorcycle front, most of the same strategies apply. This track is infamous for its difficult Yamaha TS250 event in Tourist Trophy to try to unlock it. I will leave it up to you to try to clear that challenge in Tourist Trophy on this track.

Video Preview.

Here is a look at the course from Gran Turismo SPORT:


^ "Gran Turismo Sport Onboard: Mercedes AMG GT3 - Tsukuba Circuit


There you go. Enjoy Tsukuba!





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Can Cars and Motorcycles Coexist in GT?

Many of us envision a Tourist Trophy sequel. Despite talk there may be a sequel for Tourist Trophy, it is possible that cars and motorcycles may coexist in the Gran Turismo universe rather than through two separate games. Can cars and motorcycles coexist in GT? If for visibility's sake, motorcycles would probably be great to have alongside the cars in the Gran Turismo realm. Cars and motorcycles in the same game is nothing new among racing/driving games. I can name almost any number of titles with both cars and motorcycles- Grand Theft Auto series, Saints Row series, Midnight Club (especially Midnight Club 2 on up), the Test Drive Unlimited series, Project Gotham Racing 4, and more recently, Driveclub with Driveclub Bikes. So what would make Gran Turismo any different if cars AND motorcycles were featured?

Well for one thing, there aren't many simulation car racing games to feature motorcycles. Featuring both cars and motorcycles in Gran Turismo would mean there would be more options for people to race and use. Take the 1.2K vehicles in Gran Turismo 6 and take the motorcycles from the first Tourist Trophy, and you are looking at a total of about 1.3K total vehicles to race with. You would be able to have some extra replay value by having more machines to race with and compete in more events. Also, imagine the different online types who would want to set up car vs. motorcycle races.

Why would anyone want motorcycles be featured in Gran Turismo and not in Tourist Trophy? A number of fans of Tourist Trophy either want or wouldn't mind a sequel. If Tourist Trophy doesn't get a sequel, you have a number of fans who wouldn't mind doing motorcycle racing AND car racing through Gran Turismo. In fact, there are courses in Gran Turismo 6 that I wouldn't mind race on with a motorcycle as opposed to a car. I would (for example) enjoy racing Circuito de Sierra on a Ducati 999R. I have had no problem with karts in Gran Turismo since they were introduced in Gran Turismo 5. There are no issues of mine with karts, so what would make including motorcycles any different?

With all of this said, let's look at some of the finer details of this deal.

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Can Cars and Motorcycles Coexist? Motorcycle Considerations

---

This section focuses on what has to happen for motorcycles to be great in a future GT should a GT include motorcycles. These are among many different ideas to take note of. Consider the following...


• Update the Ancient Lineup!
For one thing, the lineup of motorcycles need to be completely updated from Tourist Trophy. Tourist Trophy was released back in January 2006- a LOT of motorcycles have been created and sold since then. I can give you a Ducati example. The Ducati 999R was the hottest Ducati back around 2006. These days, it is the Ducati Panigale R. I would even rock a Desmosedici RR around almost any GT6 course. I wonder would it would be like being on a superbike going around Bathurst. I also kind of wonder what it would be like taking a superbike around the loop of the Cape Ring tracks. I'm sure you'd have to do a whole lot of leaning. But then again, it would probably be no different from racing the back end of Suzuka Circuit heading into Spoon Curve.

I would also add a few more motorcycles for diversity. I would even go as far as to have some touring motorcycles and some sport tourer motorcycles (like the Ducati Multistrada). Maybe you want to go full speed in a Honda Goldwing around a city course. The series will have to look into some more brands. This set should include other motorcycle makers as well as maybe a few oddball motorcycles. Think of companies like Bimota, Moto Guzzi, Gilera, Derbi, Vespa, Peraves, Piaggio, Campagna Motorsports (maker of the T-Rex three-wheel motorcycle), and yes- even BRP Can-Am. Yeah- imagine riding the Can-Am Spyder around a course in a Gran Turismo! You could even envision racing in some unconventional motorcycle like the Peraves Monotracer or the Piaggio MP3. Don't forget also the Lotus C-01 concept motorcycle. Only uncertainty would be the insane Dodge Tomahawk concept motorcycle- that four-wheel motorcycle powered by a Dodge/SRT Viper engine.


• Suit Them Well
If motorcycles are featured in a future Gran Turismo, you need to have courses and course layouts to better suit motorcycles. Some courses meant for cars can be quite dangerous for motorcycle riding. That's why some courses in Tourist Trophy can't be raced on with other bikes on the course. Some courses have alternate layouts and certain additions to better suit motorcycles. These usually feature courses with extra chicanes or something. Some courses would be just fine to have bikes race around them. You could put scooters around Kart Space or maybe middleweight/supersport bikes around Gran Turismo Arena.

One negative to motorcycle racing is that some races can be declared as dry races or wet races. So often times, you don't have the luxury of going from dry weather tires to wet weather tires as easily as you could with a car. You basically have to go from one bike to another in the event of a race that goes from dry to wet or wet to dry. That is among many other things to consider in making realistic motorcycle racing within the Gran Turismo realm.

Just as much as there are Licenses to acquire for cars, you have to make the motorcycle experience interesting by going with Licenses like in Tourist Trophy.


• Race 'em Hard
You need to have proper motorcycle racing with standing starts. I don't know of certain motorcycle racing series where races are done from a Rolling Start. Tourist Trophy had four bikes to a track (including yours). It would be an embarrassment if you didn't have at least six motorcycles to a track considering the power of the PlayStation 3 or the PlayStation 4. I say put 16 motorcycles on the track at once. If you can, have 20 or more. The Rolling Starts sort of make you wonder

If Polyphony Digital wanted to try something new with adding more kinds of motorcycle racing, they could look into any number of race types, including (but not limited to): supercross and motocross, supermoto, sidecar racing, endurance racing, and the like. A number of courses in Gran Turismo 6 have time and weather variable conditions. I also wonder how you would apply things like crashes and crash damage. Motorcycles can be absolutely destroyed in the event of crashes. It isn't like a car where you could probably have one of your tires suffer a puncture or you lose the rear wing of a car and still keep on going. Crashes are a big consideration in regards to racing.

What would be fun is if you could have Le Mans starts where you run towards your bike, start it up, and go. I'd save this for any endurance races, though. Some courses may need to be overhauled or modified to take advantage of different races. For example, you can take Suzuka and be able to race at night there if you want to make your own 8 Hours of Suzuka. You may even add the Bugatti Circuit to race on rather than just the Circuit de la Sarthe. It is what the motorcycle racers race on for events ranging from MotoGP to the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto. Bugatti is a tough track, so this would benefit the cars also. You could even bring in tracks meant to be raced by motorcycles like Barber Motorsports Park and Losail International Circuit.


• Trick my Bike
Tourist Trophy didn't have a suite of buying parts to upgrade machines. You could, however, tack on a few parts in Tourist Trophy to enhance its performance... namely a different muffler. My motorcycle knowledge is not very good. You could buy some upgraded sprockets to help in the acceleration. You can buy mufflers and exhausts for better horsepower. Don't forget those suspensions or the brakes. You should be able to make your motorcycle into as much of a performance machine as you would like as you would almost any car.


• Avatar Effect?
You could customize your rider in Tourist Trophy in more ways than just what the rider wears. For instance, you can adjust the height of the rider. I made my rider in Tourist Trophy to meet my height of 6'0". You could even adjust the lean angle and how your rider leans into the corners. These options make for a more realistic experience when customizing your avatar for racing. The thing I wonder, however, is how your customized avatar will be like when going from motorcycle to car. Would my 6'0" frame fit into something like the Mazda AZ-1? It would be something strange to consider in regards to making the avatar realistic.

I mentioned updating the motorcycle lineup. You could also say the same for the different street and racing outfits like in Tourist Trophy. How about a new set of leathers and more gear for motorcycle riders? One may like the motorcycle gear to wear even as regular clothes for the avatar. Only thing I'd stress against is wearing a motorcycle racing suit in a car or a car racing suit on a motorcycle. You'd have to draw the line and prevent from not wearing the proper style outfit for either a car or a motorcycle.


• Online Realm?
As much as there are races set up by us gamers and by Polyphony Digital, the idea of Seasonal events for motorcycles would be just as intriguing for motorcycles as they would be for cars. Events would range from certain PP-restricted races to Time Trials. You could be racing in a Seasonal that may involve entry-level bikes around Mid-Field Raceway or RacingModify superbikes in a Time Trial around Matterhorn Rotenboden. It would be a great way to enhance the feel of doing racing with motorcycles.

You know, I thought of something. On the topic of Seasonals, imagine motorcycle Seasonals where you can have trials where you perform wheelies and stoppies. It was something I thought of when I saw a Driveclub Bikes video online. This would be an even more unique experience to racing motorcycles in Gran Turismo games. The only thing I would bet against is the possibility of stunt riding. I am not sure you could be your own Jason Britton if you wanted to within the Gran Turismo realm. Imagine the possibilities! :)


• You Can Have Whatever You Like?
Gran Turismos 5 and 6 had just about every machine available to be bought rather than having certain hidden or not-for-sale machines available. One of the unique bits of Tourist Trophy is that you could race any of the five 8 Hours of Suzuka motorcycles in Tourist Trophy. You could even try to unlock the Polyphony Digital racing suit.

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Can Cars and Motorcycles Coexist? Final Thoughts

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I would want to see a sequel to Tourist Trophy. However, the best chance people get to enjoy motorcycles within the realm of Polyphony Digital would be to race them through Gran Turismo. It would not be depressing for Tourist Trophy not to get a sequel for motorcycle racing fans. I still think it is not impossible to put together a package featuring a world of motorcycles to go along with the cars in Gran Turismo. Having motorcycles along with the cars would not only enhance the appeal of races in the Gran Turismo realm, but it would also provide many unique experiences only possible through Gran Turismo.

I was under the impression that motorcycles among the Polyphony Digital universe should be with Tourist Trophy since there aren't as many quality motorcycle racing titles. But in recent times, I feel the Gran Turismo series couldn't really be hurt by having motorcycles exist along with the cars. I actually wouldn't mind racing on two wheels (or sometimes three) in the Gran Turismo realm along with my cars.





That is what I think. What say you in regards to the prospect of having both cars AND motorcycles in the Gran Turismo realm? Feel free to comment at will. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Races of Tourist Trophy

Tourist Trophy has 22 Championships for you to compete in. Prepare to embark on an international voyage with a world of motorcycles to use at your pleasure. You'll be doing your handful of wheelies and leaning trying to win all of the championships and Race Events of Tourist Trophy. Nothing you're already used to, right? This blog post takes a look at the different Race Events that comprise the lineup of races in Tourist Trophy.

I may update posts like this to reflect proper changes to everything.

--- Races of Tourist Trophy: General ---

Your Tourist Trophy career will take you around the world while racing many motorcycles and competition in many races. It is an epic championship voyage for you in becoming world champion of Tourist Trophy racing.

You are demonstrated on your ability to properly operate and race a motorcycle in Tourist Trophy. Every bike is different. Every bike has different capabilities. How you are able to make due with what you have is the difference between winning each race or having to re-do races. What are you reading here? Well, you are looking at each of the individual Race Events that make up Tourist Trophy's lineup of races. Each event is featured with a description as well as all the different races.

This is a look at how each Race Event will be featured:

Single Race (S/R)./Championship Race(S/R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• (restriction(s))

"In-Game Text"
Description

RACES:
• (track) - # laps


There is incentive to clear each championship. You can unlock a host of motorcycles and unlock lots of riding gear. You can use some of those prize motorcycles to compete in any number of the races in Tourist Trophy. The most rewarding aspect of your Tourist Trophy career is in unlocking five unique racing motorcycles. Five of these championships let you unlock five motorcycles that raced in the 2005 8 Hours of Suzuka. I'm not telling you which ones, though! I'm leaving that up to you to find out. :P So let's begin!

--- Races of Tourist Trophy ---

Ready to ride? Here is a key to all 22 Race Events of Tourist Trophy. Each Race Event is featured in the order they appear. Any restrictions will be noted so you can properly plan to race each event. The kinds of motorcycles allowed are in parentheses. "S" means Street bikes, and "R" means Racing bikes. Championships have exclamation points rather than periods. Championships allow you to race each stage individually or race them all in one championship. You can also qualify in Championships to try to get an edge by racing higher up front than back in the pack. It is recommended you complete each race as a championship to clear the events efficiently.

Here are the championships for you to take part in. Good luck to you in clearing all of these:

1: Street Machine Cup Stage 1 (S).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Street bikes up to 250cc displacement

"This is a Beginner event comprising of 3 races, using Street bikes below 250cc."
Welcome to the world of Tourist Trophy! Your first order of business is to take on this set of three single races. Learn the nuances of motorcycle racing in this game by competing in these three events. Because the bikes are neither overly powerful or fast, you shouldn't have to worry about going too fast or riding something too powerful. Just learn as you go along.

RACES:
• Grand Valley East - 3 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Super Speedway - 4 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: East Short Course - 3 laps

2: Street Machine Cup Stage 2 (S).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Street bikes up to 750cc displacement

"The ultimate race event featuring bikes below 750cc, in the Normal (road) class of machine. 3 races are available in this event."
Time to step up in weight class. Motorcycles with about 750cc displacement is what we call the Supersport (also known as Middleweight) class. These are faster motorcycles that are a bit more nimble. In this set of races, you will be racing slightly faster motorcycles. Make the most of these middleweight bikes to win these races.

RACES:
• Suzuka Circuit: East Course - 3 laps
• Suzuka Circuit: West Course - 3 laps
• Tsukuba Circuit - 3 laps

3: Street Machine Cup Stage 3 (S).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Street bikes up to 1000cc displacement

"A race event featuring high-spec Street bikes below 1000cc in engine size. 3 races are included in this championship."
Superbikes are the most capable and fastest sport bikes on the market. With their amazing power and speed, you need to be careful going too fast into corners to where you risk being thrown off of your bike trying to stop. In this set of races, you will be racing with some of the finest superbikes in Tourist Trophy.

RACES:
• Trial Mountain - 3 laps
• Mid-Field Raceway - 3 laps
• Autumn Ring - 3 laps

4: Street Machine Cup Stage 4 (S).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Street bikes only

"This championship is reserved for Street bikes, with no engine size limit. A total of 3 races are included, with a duration of 3 laps each."
There is no limit to engine size, but you must race a street bike. Here is the ultimate street bike challenge. Show your prowess by racing any street bike that tickles your fancy. You may want to use a bike at or above 1000cc displacement to win here. This is the last of the street bike events.

RACES:
• Apricot Hill Raceway - 3 laps
• High Speed Ring - 3 laps
• Tsukuba Circuit - 3 laps

5: Sunday Cup (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Racing bikes under 750cc

"A race event featuring 750cc or below "Racing Modified" machines. A total of 3 races are on offer."
From this point forward, the remaining Race Events all require Racing bikes. So your first challenge with racing bikes takes place with motorcycles 750cc displacement or less. Anything from racing scooters to middleweight bikes are fair game here. The courses are none too difficult for you to race on. You should be able to win all three races without too much effort. If not, you can always practice your riding skills or even tune your bike to your own liking.

RACES:
• Autumn Ring Mini - 3 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Super Speedway - 4 laps
• Suzuka Circuit: East Course - 3 laps

6: Clubman Cup (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Racing bikes only

"Challenge 3 races of 3 laps each, using "Racing Modified" machines with no engine size limit on entry."
Any Racing bike in your collection can be used in this championship as long as you're able to use it. The courses are pretty tough for motorcycles, so you can't afford to make too many mistakes if you figure to win. You should be able to win these races without too much an issue.

RACES:
• Suzuka Circuit West Course - 3 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: East Short Course - 3 laps
• Mid-Field Raceway - 3 laps

7: TMAX Cup (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Yamaha TMAX RM

"This one-make race features the Yamaha TMAX model exclusively. A total of 3 races are included, with a duration of 3 laps each."
Welcome to your first championship in Tourist Trophy. This championship is exclusive to the Yamaha TMAX RM- the motorsports variant of the Yamaha TMAX scooter. Don't let the fact that this is a scooter make you think it is no fun to ride. All three courses are fairly long allowing for you to twist the throttle for extended periods of time. So you can enjoy some speed here. Just make sure to pass those other three bikes en route to the finish line.

RACES:
• New York - 3 laps
• Apricot Hill Raceway - 3 laps
• Tokyo R246 - 3 laps

8: 2-Stroke Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 1984 Honda NSR250R RM
• 1993 Honda NSR250R SE RM
• 1983 Suzuki RG250 RM
• 1980 Yamaha RZ250 RM
• 1985 TZR250 RM
• 1995 TZR250 SPR RM

"A race event featuring famous 250cc class, 2-stroke engines. This race consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
As much as I'm sick of the '80s, this championship consists of some of the '80s finest racing bikes. Get ready to race some two-stroke Grand Prix motor racing bikes in some incredible action. This is the first Race Event where events are run for five laps instead of three. Keep your cool and ride hard to win.

RACES:
• Grand Valley East - 5 laps
• Autumn Ring - 5 laps
• Fuji Speedway '80s - 5 laps

9: 80s Heroes Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 1989 Honda VFR400R RM
• 1986 Yamaha FZR400R RM
• 1984 Suzuki GSX-R 400 RM
• 1985 Kawasaki GPZ400R RM
• 1984 Honda NS250R RM
• 1983 Suzuki RG250 Gamma RM
• 1980 Yamaha RZ250 RM
• 1985 Yamaha TZR250 RM

"An event consisting of famous bikes from the '80s, from the 400cc and 250cc class of machines. This race consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
The '80s loving continues with this set of races. Prepare to ride on three intense courses with nothing but bikes from the '80s filling the air with wicked sounds. Three races with five laps each await you. Become that '80s racing hero to win here.

RACES:
• Grand Valley Speedway - 5 laps
• Mid-Field Raceway - 5 laps
• Trial Mountain - 5 laps

10: 125cc Competition Model Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2003 Yamaha TZ125

"This us a single-make competition using a current model, the Yamaha TZ125. This race series consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
You are only restricted to the Yamaha TZ125. This bike is a very fast bike for its class. Use the power of this 125cc racing motorcycle to complete three five-lap races in this championship.

RACES:
• Tsukuba Circuit - 5 laps
• Suzuka Circuit West Course - 5 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Road Course - 5 laps

11: 250cc Competition Model Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2003 Yamaha TZ250

"This single-make competition features the long-selling model from Yamaha, the TZ250. This race consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
If you're fortunate enough to get the Yamaha TZ250 through the challenges, this is your championship to enjoy. You will be running in a three-race championship with five laps to each event. Don't worry about this championship unless you can clear this difficult challenge. Because I haven't earned the Yamha TZ250 as of the initial date of this blog post, I will not share which tracks you race on until I either get this bike or find out some other way what races you run in this championship.

RACES:
• (to be edited...) - 5 laps
• (to be edited...) - 5 laps
• (to be edited...) - 5 laps

12: Super Sports 600 (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Honda CBR600RR RM
• 2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 RM
• 2005 Suzuki GSX-R 600 RM
• 2005 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R RM
• 2005 Triumph Daytona 650 RM

"This competition recreates the popular "Super Sports" category using 600cc class racing bikes. This series consists of 5 races, each lasting 5 laps."
The Supersports/Middleweight class of racing motorcycles are on parade for this championship. Harness the nimble nature of these capable racing bikes. This is the first five-race championship in Tourist Trophy. Victory won't come easy here. I remember using the Triumph Daytona 650 to win this championship. So I may recommend the Triumph out of all of these bikes.

RACES:
• Tsukuba Circuit - 5 laps
• Autumn Ring - 5 laps
• Deep Forest Raceway - 5 laps
• Midfield Raceway - 5 laps
• Grand Valley Speedway - 5 laps

13: Super Bike 1000 (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Honda CBR1000RR RM
• 2005 Yamaha YZF-R1 RM
• 2005 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 RM
• 2005 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R RM
• 2005 Ducati 999R RM
• 2005 Aprilia RSV1000R Factory RM
• 2005 MV Augusta F4-1000S RM

"This competition recreates the "Superbike" category using machines of 1000cc. This race series consists of 5 races, each lasting 5 laps."
Superbike racing is what this championship is all about. Enjoy the full fury of superbikes as you take on five races, each lasting five laps. Be careful trying to harness these fire-breathing beasts on each of the five tracks. Do your best to try to win the championship!

RACES:
• Laguna Seca - 5 laps
• Infineon Raceway - 5 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Road Course - 5 laps
• Suzuka Circuit - 5 laps
• The Ricardo Tormo Circuit of Valencia - 5 laps

14: Master of Eagles (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Buell Firebolt XB12R RM

"This competition features the unique V-Twin sports bikes from the U.S. manufacturer Buell. The race series consists of 3 races, each lasting 3 laps."
No longer in production today, you will be racing with the Buell Firebolt XB12R RM. The bike is powered by Harley-Davidson engines. Yep- engines from the same Harley-Davidson cruiser bikes you may see on the road. It is a shame Buell is defunct as far as a proper American motorcycle company. However, you'll be racing their fierce-looking racing bike in America and in Spain. Three three lap races await you here. Can you win these three races harnessing the power of these Buell motorcycles?

RACES:
• Infineon Raceway - 3 laps
• Laguna Seca - 3 laps
• The Ricardo Tormo Circuit of Valencia - 3 laps

15: K1200R Cup (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 BMW Motorrad K1200R RM

"This is a single-make competition featuring BMW's new K1200R, "Racing Modified." This series consists of 3 races, each lasting 3 laps."
Many people know of BMW for their cars. Not as many know them for their motorcycles. You will be racing one of their latest (as of this game) motorcycles- the K1200R. This racing-spec motorcycle packs 184hp. You'll need to make good use of its power and performance to clear this set of three Single Race events. Use and utilize this motorbike's capabilities to win each of these races.

RACES:
• Suzuka Circuit - 3 laps
• Deep Forest Raceway - 3 laps
• High-Speed Ring - 3 laps

16: Monster Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Honda CB1300 Super Bol D'or RM
• 2005 Honda CB1300 Super Four RM
• 1981 Honda CB750F RM
• 2005 Yamaha MT-01 RM
• 2005 Yamaha XJR1300 RM
• 2000 Suzuki GSX1100S Katana F.E. RM
• 2005 Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa RM
• 2004 Suzuki GSX 1400 RM
• 1984 Kawasaki GPZ900R RM
• 2005 Kawasaki Z1000 RM
• 2005 Kawasaki Zephyr1 100 RM
• 2005 Kawasaki ZRX1200R RM
• 2005 BMW Motorrad K1200R RM
• 2005 Buell Firebolt XB12R RM
• 2005 MV Augusta Brutale
• 2005 Triumph Speed Triple RM 2005

"A competition featuring 1300 Class "Racing Modified" machines for the ultimate in performance. This race series consists of 5 races, each lasting 5 laps."
Big kids only. Big bikes only. Five races at five laps each will push your riding skills to the limit. Enter beast mode riding these monster bikes to victory. Can you do it?

RACES:
• Tokyo Route 246 - 5 laps
• Seoul Central - 5 laps
• Suzuka Circuit - 5 laps
• Apricot Hill Raceway - 5 laps
• Trial Mountain - 5 laps

17: Heavyweight Series (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Racing bikes 900cc or greater

"This is a heavyweight class event with any racing bike above 900cc allowed. This comprises a total of 3 races."
You can use any eligible racing bike to compete in this three-race series as long as it has 900cc or more displacement. The three races are all on some pretty fast courses. Make the most of your big displacement racing motorbike to win here.

RACES:
• Twin Ring Motegi: Super Speedway - 6 laps
• High Speed Ring - 5 laps
• Grand Valley Speedway - 5 laps

18: Euro Star Series.

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 BMW Motorrad K1200S RM
• 2005 BMW Motorrad K1200R RM
• 2005 Aprilia RSV1000R Factory RM
• 2005 Ducati 999R RM
• 2005 MV Augusta Brutale 910 RM
• 2005 MV August F4 - 1000S RM
• 2005 Triumph Daytona 650 RM
• 2005 Triumph Speed Triple RM

"This competition is designed for bikes from European manufacturers only, the series is comprised of a total of 3 races, each lasting for 3 laps."
If you love European motorcycles, you will love these races. A series of three races with three laps each make up this Single Race series. All three courses are guaranteed to challenge you and test your skill.

RACES:
• Apricot Hill Raceway - 3 laps
• Mid-Field Raceway - 3 laps
• Trial Mountain - 3 laps

19: 2-Stroke Legend Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 1985 Honda NS400R RM
• 1984 Yamha RZV500R RM
• 1985 Suzuki RG500 Gamma RM

"This competition features groundbreaking 2-stroke bikes from the 80's, "Racing Modifed." This race consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
Two-stroke engine goodness with three different '80s racing bikes. Rock it '80s style with these motorcycles as you race on three tracks with races all lasting five laps. All three of these courses aren't going to do you many favors, so make sure you do your damage proper if you expect to win.

RACES:
• Laguna Seca - 5 laps
• Trial Mountain - 5 laps
• Special Stage Route 5 - 5 laps

20: Nostalgic Festival (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• 1981 Honda CB750F RM
• 2000 Suzuki GSX1100S Katana F.E. RM
• 1985 Honda NS400R RM
• 1984 Yamaha RZV500R RM
• 1985 Suzuki RG500 Gamma RM

"This race is dedicated to the CB750 and Katana models. This nostalgic race features two of the most famous big machines in history. The series is comprised of a series of 3 races, each lasting for 5 laps."
Enjoy some high speed with some potent and capable racing motorbikes. You'll be racing on some rather fast tracks with these classic bikes. Ride smart and don't lose your cool.

RACES:
• New York - 5 laps
• Grand Valley East - 5 laps
• Fuji Speedway '80s - 5 laps

21: TT Classic Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Honda CB400SS RM
• 2005 Yamaha SR400 RM

"A classic event featuring the "Single Sports" class of bikes. This series consists of 3 races, of 3 laps each."
Even though this championship features two different classic bikes, both are modern classics. These two cafe racers you can choose from are raced in a three-race championship. You will be racing on three intense courses. Do whatever it takes to harness the capabilities of each of these machines on each of these courses.

RACES:
• Twin Ring Motegi: East Short Course - 3 laps
• Tsukuba Circuit - 3 laps
• Autumn Ring - 3 laps

22: TT World Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• Racing bikes only

"This championship is dedicated to "Monster Machines," spread across 7 race events."
The Tourist Trophy World Series to motorcycles is like the Gran Turismo World Championship for cars. You are racing seven of the toughest tracks in Tourist Trophy with seven very long races. Any eligible Racing bike is allowed to compete. You may even use some of those bikes that raced in the 2005 edition of the 8 Hours of Suzuka that you earned for these races. This championship challenge is extreme. However, if you can deliver a solid and consistent performance, you will become the World Champion of Tourist Trophy. Victory is not impossible with this final challenge. Just remember to ride hard and ride smart. Don't make too many mistakes. Good luck to you taking on Tourist Trophy's greatest challenge!

RACES:
• Laguna Seca - 7 laps
• Suzuka Circuit - 7 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Road Course - 7 laps
• Fuji Speedway 2005 - 7 laps
• Infineon Raceway - 7 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Super Speedway - 10 laps
• The Ricardo Tormo Circuit of Valencia - 7 laps


To my knowledge, when you clear all 22 Race Events, there is one extra championship for you to clear to become champion of Tourist Trophy racing. I'll leave that up to you to unlock and race. But for now... that concludes this blog post!





Thank you for reading! Good luck to you in your Tourist Trophy career.

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Tourist Trophy: Endurance Speculation

While Tourist Trophy doesn't have pit stops (since pit stops are uncommon in most forms of motorcycle circuit racing), it leaves to speculation that a Tourist Trophy sequel would have to have endurance racing as part of the deal. Whether we get a TT sequel or not, I am using this time to speculate on what it would be like if a Tourist Trophy sequel offered up endurance races. Endurance racing, while not as common in motorcycle racing, is still every bit as challenging as with endurance racing in cars. The bike and its riding team all have to endure and survive to win in these races. Two of the most popular endurance motorcycle races are the 8 Hours of Suzuka and the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto. It takes a lot to win these races, but it's all worth it in the end. This blog post was taken from "John's Blog Space" and edited substantially for "John's Gran Turismo Space."

Originally posted May 6, 2010 on John's Blog Space; added and updated here on John's Gran Turismo Space on the date of this post on JGTS.

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--- Tourist Trophy: Endurance Speculation ---

Tourist Trophy gave you the chance to unlock five motorcycles that raced in the 2005 8 Hours of Suzuka. These motorcycles are the only racing bikes that have lights on them. They also have their own racing gear exclusive to these bikes. So by the time you select those bikes, you can ONLY race with the certain riding gear specific to that motorcycle. When you select any motorcycle that isn't one of the five Suzuka bikes, you go back to your regular riding gear. The bikes in question are the following (order set in descending order by where they placed in the 2005 8 Hours of Suzuka):

• #5 Kawasaki ZX-10R (TrickStar Suzuka 8H) '05 (finished 42nd in the 2005 Eight Hours of Suzuka)
• #19 Moriwaki CBR1000RR (Motul Tiger Suzuka 8H) '05 (finished 15th in the 2005 Eight Hours of Suzuka)
• #21 Yamaha YZF-R1 (YSP and Presto Suzuka 8H) '05 (finished 15th in the 2005 Eight Hours of Suzuka)
• #12 Yoshimura GSX-R 1000 (Jomo Suzuka 8H) '05 (finished 15th in the 2005 Eight Hours of Suzuka)
• #7 Honda CBR1000RRW (7 Honda Suzuka 8H) '05 (won the 2005 Eight Hours of Suzuka)

A big part of long races are pit stops. Pit stops are usually rare in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, but there are times where you have to make pit stops. You obviously need to make pit stops in endurance races. Assuming there will be a second Tourist Trophy in the future, one thing to speculate on is pit stops. So here is a look at endurance racing for if Tourist Trophy gets a sequel.

--- Tourist Trophy Speculation: Endurance Racing ---

The endurance racing being discussed pertains to sport bikes tuned for endurance racing. While the Le Mans running starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans may have been away for a long time, they are really alive and well in endurance racing (at least in the FIM Endurance World Championship). Riders stand in these circles marked on the far outside of the front stretch. Then, when it's time to start your bike, the riders run as fast as they can to their motorcycles and get them started. The riders all leave the front straight and begin the race. Most endurance races last in length between either six or eight hours to a full 24 hours. You have rider changes and pit stops throughout the race. This is basically the motorcycle equivalent of sportscar racing.


Here are some pictures and videos to set the mood (some of these pictures were the best ones I could find. These or nothing. Contact me if I am unable to use these because of copyright issues, and I will try to find replacement images):


^ from: flickr.com - An example of an endurance racing superbike. Note the lights at the front of this Honda.


^ from: oppracing.com - Yamaha Austria Racing Team, perhaps one of the best teams in the FIM Endurance World Championship


And since I've been talking about Suzuka so much, why not I show you a video on the 8 Hours of Suzuka? Here is a YouTube video with highlights of the 2009 Coca-Cola Zero 8 Hours of Suzuka. Watch this video and get yourself some inspiration on Tourist Trophy having some endurance racing like what you see below:


^ highlights of the 2009 8 Hours of Suzuka

Look at things like the running start and the pit stops. Also note the lights on the bikes to see better through rainy and/or dark conditions. The Suzuka bikes were really meant for endurance racing, so why not feature some of these endurance races? Here is another YouTube video featuring the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto:


^ 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto, raced around the Bugatti Circuit.


Now that you have the inspiration, let's look for some things to help fuel speculation on if (hypothetical title) "Tourist Trophy 2" features endurance racing.

--- How Would You Execute Endurance Racing? ---

Here are ways I think this can be implemented. A big key to implementing this is to have pit stops as well as driver changes. Rather than staying on your bike for a very long time (like staying in your car for a very long time in the Gran Turismo games, you'll need to change riders. Let me try to set up what endurance racing should be like in the Tourist Trophy sequel:

1.) First off, there should be qualifying. There are a lot of races (especially the Single Race events) where it is near impossible to win.

2.) The Le Mans-style start is next. This can be its own mini-game. I think it would be more fun to have this as a mini-game rather than have the game automatically run to the bike and start it. I think when you get to the bike, the next thing to do is to try to press a button (perhaps the Accelerate button) to start the bike up and start riding.

3.) Pit stops are the key part. When you come in to pit, you should be able to choose different tire compounds, how much fuel to put into the bike, and do a rider change. I would love for Gran Turismo and Tourist Trophy games to be more about teamwork rather than one person doing all the work.

4.) Another important aspect lies in how many bikes do you put on the track at once. A number between 16 to 24 would be perfect for all modes of Tourist Trophy.

5.) You'll need to turn on the lights for darkness and even for potentially rainy weather.


In addition, there needs to be either more endurance racing motorcycles or be able to tune road bikes to have lights and be used for endurance racing.





If there is a sequel for Tourist Trophy, what would YOU look for in endurance racing? Comment away! Thank you for reading!

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