This groundbreaking driving game was developed by Polyphony Digital and first published by Sony in 1997. It showcases real, licensed vehicles, from a variety of manufacturers, racing in either first or third-person, and is also famous for its replay system and its soundtrack.

Gran Turismo offers Arcade Mode or Simulation Mode. Arcade Mode is no-nonsense racing, being easy to set up and play. Simulation Mode is a whole career campaign, where you begin by buying a cheap second-hand car and must earn money through races and events to build up your garage of fancy cars.

There’s also a superb two-player split screen versus mode, and special, unlockable race modes, like 4×4 mode; front and back-engine races, and a lightweight category. There’s even a “Memory Card Battle Mode“, where you swap cards with a friend and try to beat each other’s times. Not sure if I’ve ever seen that before… It’s like “Play By Mail” racing, but with memory cards…

Gran Turismo‘s soundrack features music from bands such as Manic Street Preachers, Ash, Feeder and Garbage, and is memorable. Hurtling down a race track at 100mph, with Ash‘s “Lose Control” blaring out of the speakers, is definitely something to behold…

This first Gran Turismo obviously led on to others, as the series grew in stature, but it all started here and it’s a game that transcends its genre and has weathered the tests of time well.

More: Gran Turismo on Wikipedia

Gran Turismo Soundtrack:

“As Heaven is Wide” Garbage
“Autonomy” Cubanate
“Everything Must Go (Chemical Brothers Remix)” Manic Street Preachers
“High” TMF
“Industry” Cubanate
“Lose Control” Ash
“Oxyacetalene” Cubanate
“Skeletal” Cubanate
“Sweet 16” Feeder
“Tangerine” Feeder
“Chicken on a Bone” Feeder