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Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developed by: Polyphony Digital
Genre: Racing
Rated: E (Everyone)
Release Date: April 4, 2006
Written By: Daniel Sims

From Polyphony Digital, the makers of the Gran Turismo series, well-known for its level of detail and realism among racers, comes Tourist Trophy, a game that�s basically supposed to do for motorcycles what Gran Turismo did for cars.

Almost as soon as Tourist Trophy is first booted up, it�s similarities to Gran Turismo 4 are apparent. In fact, Tourist Trophy features for the most part the same menu interface, many of the same courses, and the exact same graphics engine (which still looks excellent on the PS2) as GT4.

Many of the features that the two games share however seem to have been scaled down in Tourist Trophy. The main interface in Tourist Trophy mode � this game�s equivalent to GT4�s Gran Turismo mode, has been significantly slimmed down; the entire system for earning new bikes and gear has also been simplified. Probably the biggest cutback in Tourist Trophy however is the fact that no race in the entire game can have more than four total racers, which can make races in this game feel a bit sparse compared to those in other supercross games such as MotoGP.

With all the game�s similarities to Gran Turismo 4 as well as its overall simplification of GT4�s formula taken into account, to many people Tourist Trophy may seem like little more than a somewhat rushed together demonstration of the GT4 engine, just with bikes instead of cars. However, for those willing to dig a little deeper, Tourist Trophy does seem to have some significant content to help it stand on its own.

Being made by Polyphony, Tourist Trophy of course shares the same unusual level of depth and realism that Gran Turismo is famous for and it is in this that Tourist Trophy becomes its own game. Despite having an extremely similar interface to Gran Turismo, Tourist Trophy also has many different features to separate it from GT. The problem with this though is that like in Gran Turismo, in order to actually get to the meat of what makes this game requires a level of dedication and perseverance beyond what is required in most other games, and this is what will most likely scare a lot of people away from Tourist Trophy.

One of the first things that players will see when they first boot up the game is a screen asking for the player�s exact height, which is only a hint at the game�s level of realism. Not only is the game filled with racing jargon and terminology which may confuse some people, but the actual racing physics in Tourist Trophy happen to be brutally unforgiving. In the same way that Gran Turismo does not at all control like Burnout or Ridge Racer, Tourist Trophy does not at all control like any arcade motorcycle game and players who don�t adjust to this won�t stay on their bikes for long.

Effectively playing Tourist Trophy requires players to be able to pay attention to and manage several aspects of racing both on and off the track. First of all, if players hope to even stay in a race, much less win it, they must learn the ins and outs of each course (you can even watch preview runs of courses to learn them before actually taking them on), how to accurately gauge distance, how to accurately time breaking and accelerating, and how to turn and corner rhythmically in an environment where the very smallest error can make the difference between victory and miserable, miserable defeat.

Surviving in Tourist Trophy not only requires smooth performance on the track, but also good management off the track. Not only do players have to have their bikes properly customized like in most racers, but players must also take into account Tourist Trophy�s unique Rider Style system, which allows players to customize the form in which the rider is positioned on the bike. This form can be changed in at least a dozen different areas such as the angles of different body parts like the head, arms, and legs, and the degree at which the rider leans in on the bike or to either side of it. All of this affects things on the track such as wind resistance, stability, leaning, and cornering. The effect this unique mode has is that it changes Tourist Trophy from a game where players simply control a bike into a game where players control the rider on the bike. It is this along with its exceptionally realistic physics that sets Tourist Trophy apart from other supercross racers.

While the incredible level of difficulty that players will encounter in Tourist Trophy will probably stop most people from getting very far in it, for those who stick with it, the sense of accomplishment gained from winning a race after going through the course several times and fine tuning your run to the point of near perfection can be exceptional.

Closing Comments
Outwardly Tourist Trophy may seem to be largely the same game as Gran Turismo 4, only scaled down and with bikes. But dedicated players who have the patience to push through the game�s steep learning curve should find just enough depth, substance, and unique content to value Tourist Trophy as an experience all it�s own.

8/10

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