SnOrKs' Playsation Thoughts.

OK then the original Playstion Games. The price drop (around Ł50 NEW) means that this system is suitable for caravans, and folks who have small kids and don't trust them with a PSX2
Most shops are also flogging the games at great prices, there be many a good bargin to be had. But what do I make of the wheeled games.. Well They are listed below, in no real order but bunged under the relivent rating ... Best first... Worst last !!! :) There are loads, I'm going to add them as quick as I can. What do you think, mail your thoughts, they might end up on here!

Driver 2
Infogrames 2000
One of the last games I got for the PSone.. and what a game. The best game I played. Loads of missions, and this time you could get out of your car. the pop up problem was hidden by having sweeping corners and the hidden cars were a laugh, best being that tatty little mini. Like GTA you could nick any other car/bus/FIRE ENGINE/ambulances whatever you wanted. Only 1 bad point was the two player game, it sucked. But overall this is a must have. If you have a PSone you must own Driver 2 (I have seen it for about a tenner new)

Gran Turismo
Sony 1998
This was a jaw dropper.. The replays blew us away.. Never seen anything like it. The handling of the cars was awesome too and getting into the 'game proper' was quite easy and rewarding, after you had passed the driving tests that is. A good choice of realistic tracks and a win felt great . To this date there has not been a better GT game and I include the PSX2 version in that!

Rage Racer
Sony 1996
After the crap Ridge Racer 2, this blasted back the good name of NAMCO and racing games. I first played it at Granada Studios at a Spring Roadshow.. and hated it. I hit the curb and the car stopped dead.. I really should have given it more time. It was released sometime later and was a game I played constantly for months. The trick was to get round corners without touching anything.. Fantastic tracks to please the eye and without doubt the best RR game on the PSX

Grand Theft Auto
DMA 1997
Oh what fun.. OK its not a racer, but it was hellish good fun. Nicking cars,buses, lorries, running folks over getting chased by the coppers and oh so much more. Overhead view, made it look cheap and nasty, but as soon as you got your mitts on a pad, you were away.. I needed a regular GTA fix daily, still do, but its GTA3 now :)

Ridge Racer
NAMCO 1994
The reason I bought a Playstation. Almost arcade perfect and damn hard too :) First played it at a mates house after a works christmas doo, I was mullered and avoided throwing up, but still managed to fishtail the car all the way round the crcuit. When I'm sober I play much better and did often and for long periods :)

Driver
GT 1998
I played a crap little demo of OPSM and was hooked. The 70's music and the beast of a car. Great replays .. The game WAS EVEN BETTER!! Missions, cop chases, boxes flying in the air I felt like I was Starsky or Hutch! The cities were awesome too, getting to a new one as the game progressed was very rewarding, as was jumping over bridges :) Only two downers on this game 1: It suffered from bad 'pop up' 2: It tended to crash, if the cops hit you into a building or if you ended up on top of one.. They are minor points though.. Once you passed you test, in a garage, you were away.. The Survival mode was also hammered by myself :)

Wipeout 2097
Psygnosis 1996
From the Prodigy's Firestarter onwards, this game rocks. Blast you opponents as you zoom over bizzare tracks, with massive jumps and bends, in your hover ship. There are up to 15 other ship to race with and a load of weapons and speed ups on each lap. Still as good as it was way back when.. An excellent game

Carmageddon
SCI 1999
I was very unsure about this before I saw it. One of my all time fave. PC games on the tiny PSX?? I need not have worried.. OK the towns were a bit quieter, but it looked rough and ready.. I had to laugh at the zombies antics.. It was a very sick game, but hell thats what its meant to be. Let down by a poor two player option.

Porsche Challenge
Sony 1996
Oh lordy.. I first played this game at a Playstation Roadshow, it was the first time I used a Shock Pad, I din't think it was even a Duel Shock one! I thought it stunk, the game and the pad. Later on the game was released and I was hooked.. There are a few tracks, it very arcadey (if there is such a word) and I loved the fact that every track had a short cut, that randomly appeared. Also when you hit or overtake another car you get yelled at by that cars driver.. pointless but quite funny :) Good in two player mode and the only chance I ever had of driving a Porsche Boxter :(

Colin McRae Rally
Codemasters 1998
Rally games are really hard to get right.Codmasters blew away the image of Egg games with this work. You could flind you car at great speed, round corners, over jumps and feel the difference between the gravel and tarmac. Winning a rally gets the adrenalin going.. On some tracks you will not finish, you may get an heart attack though..

Rally Cross
Sony 1997
OK so this is a personal choice.. But I love this game, the graphics are dodgy, to say the least, but its good fun to race, Many modes to choose from. You can race against three other cars, inc. the WRONG WAY ROUND! When you car rolls.. and it will.. you have to roll it back over using the sholder buttons. A good laff and many tracks inc an indoor arena.. This game lacked the pannash of Colin McRae, but had its charms and was underated

TOCA Touring Car Championship 2
Codemasters 1998
Better than the first by a long way, by about as far back as I always ended up after the first corner. A bugger to stay on the track, but far from being a bad thing, it adds to the fun. Driving the wrong way round and having awesome head ons is fun too. Great replays and more polished than the original.. If it was a tad easier it would be AWESOME!

Le Mans 24 Hours
Infogrames 1999
Graphically this game was lacking, but game play wise it was very good. Quite fast, but the big plus was the overtaking, blasting into corners and pumping the gas to get on the inside of that other car.. It was not a difficult game to get into, and that what its all about!

Ridge Racer Type 4
NAMCO 1998
Not as good as Rage Racer, this 4th Ridge Game featured better graphics and slightly faster, but the bits between races dragged on and held back the gameplay, the 'Team manager' aspect seemed a little pointless. If you like Ridge Racer & Rage Racer then get this.. If not then look elsewhere :)

TOCA Touring Car Championship
Codemasters 1997
Better than average, but you can't have two TOCA games in the same bit! I was/am crap at this, but love it anyway.. Racing in the wet, with brake lights, is fantastic and I'm happy if I do a lap without going off!! Or finish a race without getting lapped!!! Great fun and maybe I'm being harsh putting it here!

MAX Power
Infogrames 1998
Now this game was a bit odd, not a racer and not an arcade game. The graphics were really nice and the cars refected light well, until they got dirty, but you washed them as you went through rivers and the like. It was a nice touch, but did not make it a better game. Still worth a look if you find it for about a fiver somewhere

V-Rally 2
Infogrames 1998
Much improved on the first attempt. Though Still ropey with the handling. The rolls were better, as in you were only last from first, though better, it was not a game that grabbed you..

Destruction Derby
Psygnosis 1995
OK so its not fair its here, but it has ages, the fun is hort lived, the graphics are dodgy and the tracks are too short and too few.. A novel idea though and was bettered by their next try, but you read that already :)

Formula 1 97
Psynosis 1997
All previous attempts at a decent F1 game were pants.. this one was slightly better, but only slightly. Murry Walker and Martin Brundle made you want to hit the screen, or them! The cars had a mind of their own and pop up was incredable.. One to avoid.. unless its about Ł3

Total Driving
Ocean 1997
This was trying to be every racing game in one. Jack of all trades, master of none... NUFF SAID!

Rollcage
Psygnosis 1999
Fast as ... erm a fast thing.. But too dark.. You could not see the track, it was trying to be a Wipeout clone with wheels.. It had a Shremeck, well it ran both sides up.. but was really hard to control. You could collect weapons and go over go faster stripes.. But I got bored after about two nights..

V-Rally 97 Championship Edition
Infogrames 1997
You shocked this is here ?? I felt that this game was well overated. The graphics were nice the music was OK, the tracks were very pretty.. But the gameplay was a bag of poo! If, by chance, you were leading a race by a lap, then hit a tiny tree or rock, your car would roll, for about a week and when it reset you were a lap DOWN.. How it ever got released is beyond me

Rapid Racer
Sony 1996
Rapid racer had state of the art graphics and looked great.. Truth was though, it was utter shite! No contro, AT all, the boat bounced around like it was on a bungie rope.. I feel sick thinking about it!