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Grand Prix

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: February 16, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is a very Good game. It is a great simulation style play. It captures just what one would expect in a Grand Prix game . One i looked for , for along time . Its exciting and it sounds great. The race is just that a race...its competitive and very realistic style. Its a must have for a Grand Prix style racer ethusaist .

Balanced And Fun - Best Bet For Now

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I've been a fan of F1 sims for a long time. I started with Geoff Crammond's World Circuit in 1993 and have played every sim that's come along since for both the PC and the Sony PlayStation. Some have come close to perfection, many have failed miserably. Grand Prix 3 was my most recent sim, and it certainly had its drawbacks. A locked frame rate hampered any sense of speed and a dated graphics engine made the game look poor - despite the great realism and good AI.

Grand Prix 4 was widely hailed as the ultimate successor to the F1 sim crown, but the game is so difficult to come by in the States and the rampant price gouging by used sellers on Amazon will leave you to pony up $90 for a five year old game that retailed for $49.99 back in 2002.

And unless you've got a PS3, there's not really many other options for good F1 gaming. The "Formula One" series of titles for the PS2 have only been released in Europe in recent years and EA's horrible line of F1 games has come to an end. Thankfully we have Grand Prix Challenge. It presents a great balance of fun, realistic game play, good physics, a forgiving damage model, and an amazing sense of speed. You'll see a full grid of 22 cars blast off the line, tire smoke and all, at a ripping 60 frames per second. The feeling of speed is enough to make you tense and your palms sweat as you fling your 800+ hp machine around the track.

Let me be clear though: Grand Prix Challenge is not an ultra realistic hardcore simulation - but it's not too far off from being one either. While it does't have the intricate set up system from the Grand Prix sims - this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Set up is sufficient to change what you need to get the most out of the car and get back out on the track. The physics model is realistic enough to be convincing and give you the feel of driving an F1 machine. It's not overly touchy and the added ability to adjust your level of traction control over the course of a lap is an added bonus. The main point here is that it feels right - and it's getting the feeling of driving an incredibly nimble and powerful car that the game has in spades.

The AI and damage model aren't perfect, but they are more than just the sum of their parts. The AI is challenging, especially on the Hard level - you'll be hard pressed to keep the likes of Schumacher behind you in anything less than the sister F2002. They will charge down the inside if they feel they have an opening, and will certainly push to outbreak you into a corner. They don't mind banging wheels with you either, but it's not the abhorrent bashing fest seen in EA's line of F1 titles. The damage model is more than forgiving and it will take the most brainless of moves to destroy your ride. Bumping on the track will accumulate minimal damage over the course of a stint - all of which is repaired during stops. Neither is completely perfect, but neither really detracts from the game either. They balance each other out and make for an incredibly satisfying and intense racing experience.

The graphics are simply gorgeous, even for a PS2 title. They are easily on par with Gran Turismo 3, which came out around the same time. Tracks are beautifully detailed, realistically modeled, and shine with great extras - from the yachts at Monaco, to the smoke bombs in the middle of the stands at Monza, to waving flags, flashing cameras, and the cheers and air horns from the thousands of fans gathered to watch you race. Bang wheels with an opponent as you blast by a grandstand and you'll hear the crowd roar to life with excitement. The rain graphics are also very well done, and the added lightning flashes and thunder make a wet race a harrowing experience. The graphics and added details like those I've listed really add to the feeling of being there.

Lastly, the pit stops are a nice added feature. There is a quick minigame you can opt for while cruising down the pit entrance. If you select it, you'll have a quick timing game - similar to the swing meter in the Tiger Woods' golf games. Nail the timing and you'll get an extra fast stop by putting extra pressure on your pit crew to perform. Miss, and you'll lose valuable time; especially with Michael pushing that amazing F2002 to its limits to catch you.

What are the drawbacks? Well the damage model is a tad too easy. The AI is a little overaggressive - but as I said they still cancel each other out and never make for a frustrating experience. I wish the wet weather racing was a bit more challenging - I didn't feel too strong of a shift from dry grip to the feeling that I was hydroplaning in the wet. There are flags, but the AI doesn't seem to cause too many accidents on their own. There is also the omission of mechanical failures and the safety car. Also the music is definitely on the arcade side - reminiscent of what you would hear at your local Dave and Busters. It's not bad - but you're probably going to want to mute it while you listen to those engines scream - which is something else they also got nearly dead on. In-car sounds are fantastic, and track side sounds are nearly spot on, the engines just a little off sounding when they drive by. Ultimately the game rises above it's faults - while each of these technical issues would seem bothersome, they never really become noticeable while playing.

So there you go. Is Grand Prix Challenge the end all be all of F1 sims? No. Is it an immensely fun, playable, and extremely well balanced F1 game that replicates the feeling of competing against the worlds best drivers on fantastic circuits, in blazingly fast machines, and all while giving you a sense of speed so strong that it will make your head spin? Yes. If you have even a passing interest in F1, or, like me, you feel the disappointment in the overpriced gouging of Grand Prix 4 and long for something better, buy Grand Prix Challenge. It isn't completely perfect, but since when has a lasting relationship not been about compromise?

The best F1 game.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: February 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is different than the EA sports Version because the handling is quite a challenge. So, good luck when you play.

BAD

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 5
Date: July 07, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game may have very good different abilities of how you can race. But, the graphics are terrible. Atari has made some great games in the past so when I went to Toysrus to get a game I chose this one because it was the newest edition and I thought that it would be the best yet. Unfortunently, I ended up playing it once and never played again. Since I have a F1 game from 2000 made by EA Sports which is excellent, I wanted to update it a little anyway. Now I learned my lesson that if I buy a sports/racing game it would be EA Sports for me. Grand Prix Challenge is TERRIBLE.

The best F1 for Playstation2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: March 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is quite simply the best F1 game for the PS2 that is sold in America. It's not perfect, but it is as close to perfect as any I've played on ps2 (I've played them all). In fact, Gran Tourismo 3 is perhaps the only racing game made for the PS2 that is better than Grand Prix Challenge. And it's a surprising close call between the two. If you love F1, it deserves your attention!

After 6 months playing...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Addicting!! I play every day, I need it.

And I have heard that if you have a logitech wheel the handling of the car is superb.

From time to time I have heavy rain during the race, and the effect of the rain in your view and the water splashed from the other cars is so cool! Sometimes you have lightnings and thunders.

The handling of the car, the feeling of the speed, the pessure of the race, now it?s the best racing game I have (I have GT3, Formula one 2001, F1 2002, and other ones).

And, amazing, but real, I have seen up to 50 laps of my race in replay mode!!!!!! How is it posible?? I don?t know, but they did.

But nothing is perfect. You don?t have working rear mirrors, but it?s ok. What I don?t like is that the when you are behind a car at high speeds, your car increase speed so much, that is no real. I wish that effect could be not so big, because then it?s very easy for another car to pass you or you to pass other cars.

For now, that?s the only bad side I have found.

The tracks are wonderful, the sounds, the cars.

Wonderful job Atari.

Awesome game for true F1 fans

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: November 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This is a great game, and you can get it brand new for only $29.99! And to correct one of the other reviewers, you CAN use the Logitech steering wheel. I use it all the time, in fact I've never not used it playing this game. If you couldn't, I wouldn't own it. Great graphics, realistic driving simulation, really cool cockpit view while driving (it feels like you're really in an F1 car), and the best replays I've seen in any game.

The driving experience is challenging, and a lot of fun. At the Ace level (which you have to unlock), you definitley will not be winning right away, but it can be done. Great game, and I'm glad to hear that Atari supposedly is getting exclusive rights to F1 games; maybe even more good stuff is on the way.

Overall the best F1 racer on a console

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 22, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is a nice surprise... but it's still not a simulation. Which is okay, since nothing can be a simulation using a game controller.

The graphics and sound are wonderful. Not as good as GT3 but very close. There is no slowdown whatsoever with 21 cars ahead of you. The control is great. It is not nearly as touchy as the EA F1 series. Maybe this isn't realistic, but a little leeway is nice since the majority of gamers are using a handheld controller.

The reason this doesn't get a five star rating is because of three primary reasons. No rearview mirror. I can understand this to a large degree because the framerate is fantastic. But the game also lacks in car audio. This is big because without a rearview mirror you simply don't know who is around you. You have a look back button, but you really can use it only on straightaways. This may be the reason the damaging model is so forgiving. You can bump with your competitors which would put you immediately out of a real race. Since you don't know who's around you this allows you to continue to compete after the first turn. I'm okay with this... but it's a strike against the "pure sim experience."

Also the car set-up is miniscule. An option for more detailed set-ups (with the corresponding result) would be nice.

As with an cosole racer, if you want a pure racing sim you need to own a good PC. That's not a knock on this game, but console racers have to appeal to a younger crowd that won't get as frustrated as with a PC sim.

That's really it. And the fact that it's a 30 dollar game probably is justification for overlooking the flaws I see and give it a 5 star rating. But since you can buy many used games for cheap prices I didn't factor this into the rating. Overall, great job Atari. Sony has a lot of work to do to improve on this game since they now have the exclusive F1 license.

Excellent and addicting

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 07, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I was about to throw my PS2 out the window (thanks to AE Sports Grand Prix Challenge, which won't let you pass the qualification tests and "forgets" the ones you did pass) when my copy of Grand Prix Challenge arrived. Yeehhaaaa! Realistic imagery, addicting competition, etc. Granted, I like the little arrows that AE Sports puts in the upper window to warn you of upcoming turns, but I've found that like real racing (I raced motorcycles), you learn the turns pretty quickly by looking for visual cues (there's very few brake markers) and by the 10th lap pretty well have it learned. Then you qualify and have to beat a pre-established pole position time, which takes some doing. The best part is, if a car does bump you (or vice versa) your car doesn't come apart or spin you off the track (necessarily). Unfortunately, the "quick race" is only good for six tracks (not including Indy). You have to go the full GP route to get to all 17. Still, there's lot of choices, like time trials (with a ghost car), beginner, intermediate and advanced competition, etc. For true IF1 fans, this one is the best I've found (and I have a dozen or so). Too bad you can't use the Logitech wheel with it, just the controller. Oh well ...

Best F1 Sim To Date

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: June 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

No, the graphics aren't near as good as GT3, but they're more than adequate; especially when you factor in the realistic driving models. I have no idea what it's like to actually drive a state-of-the-art Formula One Race Car, but from watching them on television this game seems to have made it possible for me to get as close as I ever will.

It's great for beginners and experts alike. There's three different levels of difficulty; Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert. Word of advice, don't choose the expert level unless you are one, or you'll be nothing more than a backmarker.

If you're looking for a casual arcade type racing game, don't buy it. If you're looking for realistic F1 racing, buy it. You get to race at all the great tracks; Monza, Interlagos, Monaco, etc... By the way, Monaco doesn't look all that different in this game than it does in GT3.

Bottom line, there's no better F1 sim available, period.

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