Grid is the Codemasters renaissance of TOCA Race Driver with spectacular and accessible racing gameplay. Realistic damage, variety of disciplines, lively multiplayer. One of the best arcade-simulation racing games on PS3.
Your verdict
Category
Racing1 player7+
Description
Codemasters arcade racing reviving the TOCA heritage in various international disciplines. Published by Codemasters, released in Europe in June 2008. Three racing regions Europe, USA and Japan, Drift mode, Touring and Le Mans endurance races, licensed cars, and online multiplayer. Race Driver Grid title variant. European version.
Race Driver - Grid review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Almost photographic reproduction of the cars, realistic circuits and natural light: Codemasters' racing reaches a cutting-edge realism. The care for mechanical detail and the brilliance of the environments impress at every corner. This visual rigour, elegant and polished, illustrates the studio's exigency in simulation.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
A racer that favours sensation and spectacle: tight races, spectacular damage and a rewind function that forgives mistakes without breaking the rhythm. Skirting perfection through a corner mid-battle delivers an instant thrill. Snappy, immersive and superbly made, a racing game that pairs accessibility and intensity with constant flair.
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Embracing three racing regions and as many disciplines, from drift to Le Mans endurance, means stacking championships to clear before reaching the summit of the career. Building up your stable, chasing every podium and measuring up online sets up a longevity pure arcade never hints at. A revival of the TOCA legacy whose density stays prized.
The European and Japanese edition of the first Grid under its full Race Driver Grid title, a Codemasters racer known for its balance of simulation and arcade. Printed widely in Europe, it stays accessible, the Japanese version being a bit less common. Its interest lies in its status as the first entry of a respected sub-series, more than in scarcity except for the Japanese pressing.
Is Race Driver - Grid still worth playing in 2026?
Race Driver Grid marks the rebirth of the TOCA series under Codemasters, with a racing approach halfway between arcade and simulation that has aged remarkably well. The sense of spectacle, the realistic damage and the variety of disciplines, from circuit to drift to endurance events, make it a brisk and immediately rewarding game. The Flashback system, allowing you to rewind a crash, smooths the learning without watering down the challenge. The competitive tone and the biting AI give the races depth. For anyone after an accessible yet sensation-rich racing game, this PS3 classic remains an excellent choice.
