Gran Turismo (PlayStation)

Gran Turismo is a racing game designed by Kazunori Yamauchi, developed by Polyphony Digital, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1997 for the PlayStation. It was well-received publicly and critically, shipping a total of 10.85 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling original PlayStation game, and scoring an average of 95% in GameRankings' aggregate score.
==Gameplay==
Gran Turismo is fundamentally based on the racing game genre. The player must maneuver an automobile to compete against artificially intelligent drivers on various race tracks. The game uses two different modes: Arcade Mode and Simulation (or GT) Mode. In Arcade Mode, the player can choose a car and track from the available selection and start a race against AI opponents, where winning races on different tracks and in different vehicle classes will unlock more cars to use and more tracks to race on.
However, Simulation Mode requires the player to earn progressively more difficult levels of driver's licenses in order to qualify for events, and earn credits, trophies, and prize cars by winning race championships. Winning one particular championship also unlocks a video and a few additional demonstration tracks. Credits earned by winning championships can be used to purchase additional vehicles, and for parts and tuning of all vehicles.
Officially, the game has 180 cars. However, two cars from the Japanese version, the Honda CR-X del Sol SiR and VGi '95, were both removed from the American and European versions. They are accessible in the American version via a cheat device, along with the Arcade Mode-only 1967 Corvette Sting Ray and 1998 Mazda MX-5 1.8 RS.
==Development==
The first time Kazunori Yamauchi requested to develop this game, under the working title Test Drive, he was denied approval. Instead, he was asked to focus on producing two other games: Motor Toon Grand Prix and Motor Toon Grand Prix 2. He was the lead designer for both games and it allowed him to learn how to apply vehicle physics, create vehicle textures, and experiment with racing dynamics. After these two games were completed, he then again requested to start a new series. The board of directors, impressed by the success of the Motor Toon series, approved this request.
==Cars==
Main article: Gran Turismo (PlayStation)/Car List
There are nearly 180 cars included in the titular game.
==Race Tracks==
Main article: Gran Turismo (PlayStation)/Track List
There are 11 courses featured here, they are:
*Autumn Ring
*Autumn Ring Mini
*Clubman Stage Route 5
*Deep Forest Raceway
*Grand Valley Speedway
*Grand Valley East
*High Speed Ring
*Special Stage Route 5
*Special Stage Route 11
*Test Course
*Trial Mountain
All of these tracks, with the exception of Test Course, can be raced in the reverse direction. The Clubman Stage Route 5, Special Stage Route 5 and Route 11 courses can also be driven in time trial style in a special "GT HiFi" high-definition mode that is unlocked by completing the GT World Cup.
==Audio==
The Japanese version sports an original soundtrack by Masahiro Andoh (guitarist and lead composer of renowned jazz-fusion band T-Square) and Isamu Ohira. The opening song, "Moon Over The Castle", is often considered to be the main theme of the series, returning as the opening theme for the Japanese versions of every subsequent game in the main series, except for Gran Turismo 6 and Sport.
The US and European releases, in contrast, use a selection of licensed rock and electronica songs. Their opening song is "Everything Must Go" by the Manic Street Preachers remixed by the Chemical Brothers. Other artists featured include Garbage, Feeder, Ash, Cubanate, and TMF.
==Limited Edition==
Gran Turismo was also released in a Limited Edition version, which were serial numbered on the bottom left corner. It is unknown how many of these Limited Edition copies were shipped, but all of them were sold in Japan. The packaging included a User Manual, a Reference Manual, a miniature drag-racing Christmas Tree (the seven-lamp countdown timer used at the start of a drag race) albeit with no lamps and stamped with the GT logo, and a unique disc case.
==Sequels==
===Main Games===
Game Title 	Year Released
Gran Turismo 2 	1999
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec	2001
Gran Turismo 4 	2004
Gran Turismo 5 	2010
Gran Turismo 6 	2013
Gran Turismo Sport 	2017
Gran Turismo 7 	2022
===Spin-Offs and Concepts===
Game Title 	Year Released
Gran Turismo 2000 	2000
Gran Turismo Concept 	2002
Gran Turismo 4 Prologue	2004
Gran Turismo 4 Online* 	2006
Gran Turismo HD Concept	2006
Tourist Trophy 	2006
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue	2008
Gran Turismo PSP 	2009
*Released in the US, Japan and Korea only
==Trivia==
*This is the only game in the Gran Turismo series where there is more than one special color available on a single model.
*In the PAL and NTSC-U versions of the game, The rules of racing modifications are different. The player can perform racing modifications on the cars directly and weight reduction will be included, but in the NTSC-J Version, the player must reduce the car's weight through all three stages before being able to perform the modifications. In Gran Turismo 2, the rule of performing weight reduction first now applies in all versions.
==Videos==
File:Gran Turismo 1 - Trial Version Opening (unused)|The unused original opening movie, taken from the Gran Turismo Trial Version featured in Volume 8 of the Japanese video game magazine Pure Pure
File:Gran Turismo 1 ps1 japan intro|The Japanese version intro movie
File:Gran Turismo 1 Intro|The European/American version intro movie
==Notes==
Category:PlayStation games
Category:1990s games