User Reviews (11 - 21 of 24)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Just some thoughts to add on to other reviews...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 10
Date: May 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

What can I say...I've decided to write a review after playing quite a bit of this game and noticing that there aren't many other reviews out for this game. Interestingly enough, like some other reviewers here I also owned a Yamaha, a FZ6 (the R6, not the FZ6, is in this game). Since on TV ads they pitch this as "created by the makers of Gran Turismo", I'll mostly compare it to that game.

Compared to GT4:
Basically, you just have four licenses Novice-Junior-Expert-Super, and Super of course consists of one lap times. This is much easier to do than GT4, and unlike that game you could make a little mistake in your racing/braking lines and still do pretty well or excellent. Overall, I think the fact that its easier to do makes it more palatable to a general audience interested in motorcycle riding/physics.

Like other reviewers note, this game's challengingness is much more doable than GT4. Therefore, you don't really need to be a super-master at using the analog stick to clear most of the game (whereas you'd kind of really need the Logitech steering wheel+a good table/seat for GT4). It seems the game really just wants you concentrating on good racing lines, braking points, and most importantly, not falling.

There's no more of that annoying "car wash" thing either. You just challenge one-race at a time for bikes, take pictures of your riding, and go on to finish championship races for more special bikes/apparel. Just like GT4, you're really only going to enjoy this game if you enjoy becoming better as you notice it.

While not all of it, I do believe a very good deal of the courses in GT4 are available in this game. There are brief descriptions of the manufacturers and each bike (although they are the same on the Tourist Trophy website), which I really like.

Overall:
I think it's a good game, especially if you're interested in riding a motorcycle for the first time and are already acquainted very well with driving cars (as I was) or are a fan of GT4. The game will at the very least show you the different racing dynamics (with regards to braking and acceleration) compared to cars, so you won't be surprised in real life if the bike does something different (and you get nervous and/or fall because of that). For example, with cars you would pretty much do full braking immediately in a straight line and with FF/MR cars you would sometimes do left foot braking during cornering for better manipulation of the car. With bikes its pretty much gradual trail-braking into the apex with shifting allowed--more understandable if you play the game.

Suggestions/Comments:
While the Japanese manufactureres are obviously well-represented, I do wish they had Harley-Davidson's (although some of the Buell models are there) and more offerings from the Italian/German manufacturers. For these manufacturers, mostly the top-end is represented (900cc+), so it did make me wonder where their 600cc models are (as I wanted to see what they played like in a simulation).

While I personally never played the MotoGP series (I remember faintly playing the very first one, which obviously wasn't that realistic--although no racing games really were at the time, frankly) I do think the other reviewers' comments about having a money system or something more goal-oriented is quite valid. The physics engine is a bit cheezy occasionally, where you'd make a corner when you shouldn't have and the converse. I'd guess its because of the big difference between controller and real life hand/foot inputs. Anyway, the handling characteristics of each bike becomes quite clear, making it a fine substitute for test-driving one. I'm sure that's why people buy GT4, as well.

Finally--I personally got into an accident early on with the FZ6 (despite my very conservative nature--culprits were fatigue and inexperience+the disparity between my long-time car driving techniques/methods), and while I was the only one hurt the police gave me a tough time (I had to hire a top lawyer more expensive than the bike and insurance combined for 20 minutes of court time as the charges were for little reason serious). I had to do this because, as one would expect, the court system's (and hospital, although much less so) disdain for motorcycles was apparent and I figured my introvertedness with stoicism was not going to play well in the court--as I personally know it gives off a negative initial image (at the same time though I guess they do deal with people who are constantly aggressive and base their views on that). It's very hard to say sorry (and I didn't) when the hearing magistrate tells you immediately that you're mentally "slow" or "stupid" when you answer the question "will you get back on a motorcycle?" with a simple "yes", or that he implied not so faintly for me to say that the crash was a message by God to stop riding (which I also did not say) and my biggest apology privately went to the bike and to those I inconvenienced if any near the scene of the accident. Obviously, don't let this happen to you because you fell in a very bad neighborhood and wear some decent gear. Short of saying that this game will prevent that, I am sure it would have prevented the personal fatigue that came with adjusting from ingrained car to bike (but I guess most bike rikers learned the bike first).

While I will hop back on--preferably on a race track, in a different state from where the crash happened, and definitely not to endanger others of course (like some senior citizens in their biggy Buicks or Ford Explorers--j/k)--the financial expense and emotional jarring to me as a college student has been enough to prevent me from riding again until I at least finish my undergraduate degree with passing of some professional accounting and finance examinations. If I didn't crash, I would still have been enjoying the FZ6's company during this period of hard study (which I do want). I'm just saying choose your destination carefully and be wary of fatigue--not your current state but the state that you expect it to be near your destination. Also, don't expect leniency from the court system even if you, like me, use your signals 100% of the time, don't tailgate, don't speed faster than the flow of traffic, and in general is very considerate for the welfare of others. I personally think that I should have hired the lawyer from the start (the hearing) rather than going to it expecting some small talk from a human being concluding with my real apologies (I personally cannot lie, even if it is occasionally a very unfavorable thing to do) and just a large fine (which the police officer who handed me the ticket after my hospital operation said would happen--it did not, and I was very close to having a criminal record left). Not to scare away prospective riders--but I just wanted some, especially those very conservative, to know what is the worst that could happen in a single crash.

Hope this helps, in both the real and virtual world.

Good, but can it dethrone MotoGP3?

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: April 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Yes, the graphics are great. Yes, it has the same tracks as Gran Turismo--is that a good thing? Not sure if it completely supports this, but it seems as though it might also support 1080i, which would make it look even more fantastic.

But the main things it's missing is feel, physics, and great 2 player.
I never feel like there is any connection between the throttle and the rear tire. MotoGP3 has spot-on feel and telegraphs extremely well through the dual shock controller. On throttle and brake you can feel the limit of grip shockingly well. On this? The controller is dead in my hands.
For physics, it seems like there are certain areas on the track the bike doesn't even come close to doing what you want it to---I don't know the track name off hand but there is a downhill straight followed by a left kink and a left turn that goes under a bridge (Apricot?) and if you come down pretty fast the computer tosses you to the left side of the road without explanation when you hit the kink. The physics are generally quite good, but there are some inexplicable things that go on in bizarre areas. I realize it's supposed to be mimicing elevation changes in some areas, but it's just not all that realistic.

Also, it doesn't seem to suck me in. It's really quite easy, as are all the tests. Does that mean it's bad? Heck no, but it takes a BIG back seat to MotoGP3. A friend and I play head-to-head all the time (almost weekly) and TT doesn't have as much entertainment, nor will you run with other bikes when you're playing 2 player.

Gee, you can change the color of you bike and your gear. That makes for a great game!!!!!! Who needs good AI of other riders when you can have a shiny bike that's color coordinated with your leathers? There is a very detailed riding editor which is fun to get the rider in a better position, but I don't know how much it affects the physics.

All the games have the problem of not letting you choose horizontal split screen on a 16:9 screen--you typically have to change to 4:3 on the PS2, then 16:9 on your screen to get horizontal split, but the bikes look pudgy. If you select 16:9 it defaults to vertically split, meaning you can see 3 feet to the side of each motorcycle--not helpful at all.

Not the best race game.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: January 20, 2007
Author: Amazon User

A pretty good game except it's really difficult to make the motorcycles corner! Great graphic's,good track slection's,but poor physic's while attempting high speed turn's.

My husband drives me crazy with this game.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: January 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I bought this as a gift for my hubby. He plays it so much that I am tired of watching it already!!! I may just have to hide it. He tells me you race with a bike and if you win you get to keep it, but it is definitely harder than Gran Turismo. I see him trying races several times before he wins. It keeps him busy... too busy to help around the house!!! lol

Great Riding Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 19, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I have not ridden many motorcycles, but with my limited experience, I can say that this game will get you a great feel for how street and sports bikes perform. This is a great game, with a simple, well designed interface. The only thing I want to see in it yet is Road America, but that's minor.

A great game with one drawback.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 21, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Being right-handed, I wish the option to steer with the right analog stick and throttle/brake with the left analog stick was available. Alas, it's not. Yes, I'm well aware the throttle is on the right in the real world. Even so, I'd gladly trade a more realistic controller layout for greater steering precision.

Practice safe motorcycling

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

You may not like this game unless you're a motorcycling enthusiast, especially on the more realistic handling settings. That said, the game still plays a bit arcade-like, but that's probably a good thing in this case.

Tourist Trophy is good start to a mostly un-touched racing genre. It would have been nice for a lot more depth (more race modes, more bikes, more of everything) like it's automotive-cousin (the Gran Turismo series), but I'm willing to bet the next one will be a bit of an upgrade now that they have the engine tweaked for motorcycles.

It's great for me, a fan of the GT series, that most of the tracks are still the same, it makes it easy to jump in and start playing. 2 player battles are a lot of fun, especially if you have motorcycle friends.

The "real riding simiulator" is anything but accurate, but it certainly doesn't mean it's a bad game. Those looking for a pure arcade motorcycle experience will be disapointed.

Could have been better...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 03, 2006
Author: Amazon User

There are a couple things I didn't like about this game. One, there is no money system. You can't buy bikes or parts or anything. You aquire bikes by doing challenges which I think is pretty cool, but they should have included a money system so you could buy and sell bikes as well. The menu and and interface is pretty much just ripped from gran turismo 4, which isnt a bad thing (If it isn't Broken, don't fix it). The other thing I didn't like is that you only race one other bike. I am only a few races into the game so maybe you race more bikes later. I like everything else in the game just fine. The physics are realistic. Not perfect but pretty good. I think it would be nearly impossible to create the same realism with a motorcycle racing game as you can with a car racing game. The graphics are up to par as expected. Overall This is a good game, but if you dont like simulation racing games, then this isn't for you. If you are looking for a realistic motorcycle racing game then this if for you.

Joystick realist riding-Tourist Trophy

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: November 15, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I love this game. It had me sceptical at first as it was quite chalanging in the beginning, however, as with riding, your skills improve as you go... The bikes are pretty realistic in relative accelration, braking, and handling.The only downfall/complaint I have about it is that durning races you can't touch grass, sand, walls, etc. without a 10 second penelty as where the computer is able to get away with taking short cuts through the land with any penelty.

Tilt A Whirl In a Can

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I have at least four different motorcycle games, dirt bike and road race. This has to be the worst physics of any of them bar none. If you slow down and lean too much, its as if the world keeps moving and you can somehow slide sideways even when you should be traveling forward. Very disconcering. I played this game for about an hour and just couldn't believe my eyes. VERY touchy controls with the standard PS2 controller. The bikes were cool, and there seemed to be alot of choices, even some old vintage bikes. If I had it to do over again after seeing this game in action, I would have gotten something else.

Review Page: 1 2 3 Next 

Actions