Gran Turismo revolutionized racing games by introducing an unprecedented automotive simulation precision on console. Exceptional driving physics, deep career with driving license tests, impressive car catalog. An absolute masterpiece that defined an entire genre on PS1.
Your verdict
Category
Racing2 players3+
Description
First Gran Turismo, a landmark racing sim with a hundred and fifty licensed cars and eleven tracks that redefined genre standards. Created by Polyphony Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment, released in 1997 in Japan and in 1998 in the United States and Europe. Arcade mode and career GT mode with license tests, parts-based tuning, Dual Shock support and licensed rock soundtrack abroad. Multiple regional releases and revisions.
Gran Turismo review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
The founder of Polyphony Digital's simulation, Gran Turismo sets an automotive aesthetic of unprecedented console realism. Finely modeled licensed cars, believable circuits, careful reflections and a clean garage presentation make a composed art direction, wholly serving the mechanical illusion. The clinically sober menus and faithful models anchor the seriousness of intent. A clean, pioneering rendering, a genre benchmark.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
The driving chases weight, grip and mass transfer with a rigour unheard of on consoles at the time. Feeling a car lighten on corner exit or break loose in the rain delivers a piloting satisfaction that still convinces. The tuning menus are dense and the image has aged, but this simulation foundation remains remarkably accurate.
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Buying a first car, winning a race to afford a better one and earning the licenses that unlock new championships sets off a cycle of upgrading that's hard to step away from. Tuning your machines and shaving every second off your lap time feeds an obsession with the clock. The menus are austere, but this mechanical climb in power stays furiously gripping.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Climbing the licences, winning the championships and collecting hundreds of cars to tune sets up a long, demanding driving career. Upgrading your machines, shaving off tenths and unlocking everything fills dozens of hours of racing. That depth of simulation, revolutionary at launch, founds a longevity car enthusiasts cultivate.
The original Japanese and Asian version of Gran Turismo, the first pressing of the simulator that redefined the genre, rarer than its common Western runs. This native edition appeals to those wanting the exact starting point of a phenomenon, in its original language and packaging. Its provenance and precedence support a value above the non-early PAL and American versions.
Better with friends
A foundational driving simulation that's also savored in split-screen, where every tune and every clean line makes the difference between two drivers. The competition rewards driving finesse and track knowledge over flashy moves, in a demanding, gratifying rivalry. Deep yet readable, it turns each duel into a mechanical tug-of-war where you fight over every tenth.
A cult cover
A gleaming body shell caught under studio light, set against a pared-down ground: the cover forgoes flash to assert the ambition of a serious simulator. The crisp reflection on the metal and the restraint of the framing convey the obsession with automotive realism. Elegant and assured, it announces a title that wants to be taken seriously by enthusiasts.
Is Gran Turismo still worth playing in 2026?
Gran Turismo revolutionised racing games by introducing console car simulation of unprecedented precision. Exceptional driving physics, deep career with licence tests and over a hundred and forty licensed cars, Polyphony Digital's title redefined console racing and established PlayStation as a simulation machine. Memorable soundtrack mixing techno and orchestral arrangements. An absolute classic today.
