Gran Turismo 2000

I would wager that even a few hardcore fans are wondering just what in the heck Gran Turismo 2000 is! Well, I thought that we could have some fun today looking back at the history of this franchise and one of the more uncommon and forgotten releases that I would bet is something of a grail item for many fans of the series to add to their collection. Put on your seatbelt, rev that engine, and get ready to hit it into high gear.

Playing With Power

To talk about what exactly Gran Turismo 2000 is we have to take a trip back to 1999 when it was first shown. The place was the Tokyo Game Show, the time was September 1999 and Sony were showing off their brand new and powerful PlayStation 2 game console. Many games were shown that day, but one in particular that got the crowd hyped was a new Gran Turismo game which was at the time called, Gran Turismo 2000.

Getting Our Hands On The Wheel

We need to fast forward a few months to February of 2000 when Sony would actually allow people to get their hands on Gran Turismo 2000. This event was called the PlayStation Festival and Sony was actually handing out copies of the demo of this game and if you search online, you can actually buy them. They are a bit pricey, but it would be a very cool piece to have if you are a collector of games of this franchise. The game would also be shown at other events such as that year's E3 and the European Computer Trade Show that took place in the UK.

Getting Your Basic License

As you would expect with a demo, Gran Turismo 2000 is not exactly stacked with content. You have to remember that while this was given to people to play at home. This demo was ultimately designed in order for people to play the game at the various trade shows where it was showcased at. As a result, Sony did not want people spending ages on the game so what we have is just one track which is the Seattle circuit and we had one car, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V GSR '98, however, other models of car are on the track. A typical go around the track lasts about two minutes. It is shallow, but it also did a great job of getting people hyped. While the game would be greatly improved, it showed just how much more powerful the PS2 was.

What It Would Become

You may be wondering what ever happened to Gran Turismo 2000. Well, it did eventually come out, but it would be known as Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec, the first Gran Turismo game for the PlayStation 2 and it was a massive hit and a clear indication of where this series could go on Sony’s new powerful console. Perhaps the reason for the name change was that Sony knew they were going to miss their goal of having the game be released in 2000. However, since then all other Gran Turismo games have featured a number instead of a year in their title.

Pros:

• This is a key part of Gran Turismo’s history
• It is fun to play as you want to try and do better each time
• It actually looks pretty good for an early PS2 demo
• Getting a physical copy of this would be cool for a collector

Cons:

• After the two minutes, you have seen all the demo has to offer
• This is really only exciting for hardcore fans of the series

Polyphony Digital's flagship racing game is set to launch with the PlayStation2 in March 2000. This is the PS2's showcase title, along with Tekken Tag. Based on Gran Turismo 2, GT2000 will feature additional cars and tracks (the GT team will be spending all its time on GT2000 once GT2's wrapped up). One of the very cool graphical touches that you can see in a few of the screens here is heat waves coming up from the pavement during daytime replay shots. The game moves at 60 frames per second with no visible slowdown or graphical glitches--pop-up is a thing of the past. It also takes advantage of the new Dual Shock 2--analog buttons for gas and brake add a whole new dimension to the overall realism.

Even as Gran Turismo 2 continues to tear up the PlayStation sales charts, Polyphony Digital is hard at work porting it to Sony's powerhouse PlayStation2. Needless to say, it's going to be an extremely pretty racing game.

Most of the improvements in Gran Turismo 2000 are slated to be strictly visual. Improved vehicle and track models are the most obvious features, along with a really impressive, real-time reflection effect on the surface of your car. The lines in the road and track walls are clearly visible on the car's finish as you drive by them.

Gameplay-wise, Gran Turismo 2000 is currently supposed to contain the same tracks, cars and events as its PlayStation counterpart. However, the game will take advantage of the DualShock 2's analog buttons. No more "feathering" the gas and brake to make those tricky turns; now it's a matter of how much pressure is applied to the controller buttons. There's still no release date set for GT2K.

What's the deal?

Back in 1998, Sony all but snatched the driving crown right out from under Namco's nose when they released Gran Turismo upon an unsuspecting American public. It was so revolutionary with its testing system and ridiculous amount of licensed cars (many just everyday vehicles racing side by side with exotic dream machines) that it redefined the genre and has yet to be topped by any other racing game. Sony knows GT is one of the most bankable properties in the industry, so they're readying GT2000 (or GT on steroids, if you will) for release on the PlayStation 2.

While this title was originally announced as basically an upgrade to Gran Turismo 2, rumors abound that GT2000 will contain more cars and tracks than its PlayStation predecessor, not to mention the obvious graphical enhancements made possible through the PS2 hardware. You'll spy a shimmering heat wave as the cars scream over the hot pavement, and some of the most impressive lens-flare effects yet will add an unprecedented level of realism to what Sony hopes will be the definitive racing simulator on any console.

So why is it a must-get game?

The simple fact is the Gran Turismo games are the most realistic racing simulators available on home consoles today. Plus there's just no substitute for the myriad of licensed vehicles at your disposal. Whether you're racing a Honda Civic or a McLaren F1, the feeling of authenticity when you're screaming around a hairpin turn is more than enough reason to shell out the cash for this bad boy.