Customer Reviews

Toca Race Driver 3: The Ultimate Racing Simulator

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

GT 4 is the standard which all racing games are judged, and rightly so due to the amazing physics that have been reached with that 4th installment. Although you've heard "just as good as Grand Turismo" before (as with the woeful "Enthusia"), this one truly is a match. There is no mental compensation for any idiosyncries, you simply drive this as you would drive real cars.

It appears to have been designed for the Driving Force Pro wheel, because it works just absurdly well with it. You can let the car find its own path like Lauda or Prost, or manhandle it like Mansell. The wheel kickback is just perfect.

The drawback with Gran Turismo is that beyond a some great new addtions (like Le Mans), there's mostly the same tracks that have been in the series since the beginning. if you're looking for new tracks, this is for you.

To true racing conniseuers, some of the best racing going these days is the DTM and Australian V8 sedan series. All those great European tracks and Australian tracks are here, plus the new tracks in Shanghai and Istanbul (with that wild four apex corner). I've seen former F1 drivers who are driving DTM say what a blast these cars are, and it shows here. The Australian cars are just as good.

But those are just two of the classes here. There's open wheel cars and sports cars of all types to run these tracks, including classics going all the way back to the '30s. There's also a small American oval series that has four very different ovals, including a very well done version of Indy. There's also both a short dirt track and rally series which actually exceeds the shortcomings of GT4 dirt track races (although still short of the standard, 2001's still great "WRC").

This is obviously aimed at a European market, so for American fans of European racing, you will love this.

The best way to review this game is to draw comparisons with GT 3 & 4, since most people considering this game probably have these already; and of course, GT 3 & 4 are considered by many to be the best racers on the PS2.

Let me start off by saying that I have been playing racing/driving games for 25 years. I am very particular when it comes to this genre. In the short amount of time that I have owned Toca, it has become one of my all-time favorites.

Graphics: The GT series has the more realistic graphics. Toca has an arcade racer look, sporting more vibrant colors with less detailed textures. There are some aliasing issues but the texture "sparkle" effect that's prominent in the GT series is not as noticeable in Toca. The car models in GT look much better, especially in the third person view. However, Toca has a nice cockpit view that all racing games should emulate; this is the only view to play this game in. You can actually look to your left and right by clicking the shoulder buttons. When you crash, the windshield cracks making it difficult to see ahead.

Control: Toca wins this one hands down. This is one area I don't like about the GT series. Toca has a very intuitive control scheme that anyone can get into right away, but without feeling cheap. The GT series control has always been too floaty for my taste. I remember playing GT 3 for the first time and having to struggle just to stay on the road...and this happening to a guy that has been playing racers for 25 years. Yeah, you do get used to the GT series control scheme, but you should not have to. The physics in Toca are better than GT, in my opinion. This is the first game since Sega's F355 that makes me feel as if I'm actually controlling a car. I cannot wait to see Codemasters' efforts on the PS3.

A.I.: Again, Toca wins this one easily. The GT series is infamous for its cheap A.I. This is not the case with Toca. In addition, you cannot get away with bumping up against the other cars in Toca. Not only will your car sustain damage, but you will get penalized for careless driving. Your pit man talks to you along the way and he'll warn you when you bump into the opposing cars. If you remain careless, you receive a black flag and get penalized on your time. If you continue your carelessness, you are disqualified. In the GT series, you can bump against opposing cars while entering a corner to gain an advantage. This technique is not only cheap but unrealistic. These are areas in the GT series that should be addressed. Toca gets is right.

Variety: When it comes to the number of vehicles available, Toca cannot touch GT. However, Toca has an advantage in the number of tracks and variety of vehicle types; I would much rather have a larger number of tracks and fewer vehicles. There are no fantasy tracks here; all the tracks are real world. Although there are fewer cars to choose from, the variety is much greater. You can choose from open wheel, Touring, Endurance, Stock Car, Rally Sport, Kart, Super Truck, Dune Buggy, Baha Bug, Monster Truck, Mini GT, etc. No other racing game offers this kind of variety.

In closing, this is a must-own game for driving game enthusiasts who own a PS2.

Having played just about every Codemasters driving game over the past several years I was anxious to sample there latest offering TOCA RACE DRIVER 3. By and large it does not disappoint.
On the plus side there is the same enjoyable and mostly realistic driving dynamics/simulation we have come to know on all of there many fine Driving games. In some ways the Codemasters team have totally captured the experience of driving the big tin top race cars like the British GTs,German DTMs and Aussie V8s. The weighty steering felt thru the (very necessary) Logitech steering wheel, the brilliantly reproduced sound of a snorting V8 and the compellingly accurate cockpit driver's view all serve to reinforce the fact that Codemasters is a major player in the world of Driving games.
The dirt track cars and trucks represented here also have an absolutely superb overall feel and may be the highlight of the game - they are a total gas to drive. Many historic racecars are also represented here from the Lotus 49 to even more vintage Mercedes as well as the 70's, 80's and 90's Williams F1 cars - as well as a modern F1 car.
There are the usual compliment of the many fine British and Australian race tracks as well as the new Bahrain and Shangai Formula One racetracks - a very nice bonus for the Formula One student. Laguna Seca is there as well as Indy and just too many others too mention. The rally stuff is I'm afraid to say mediocre - track and car wise - EXCEPT for the historic rally machines represented which are very very cool.
Another slightly weak area is noted during any open wheel
racing event. There is an overzealous tendency for your competitors to smash into you from the side and mostly from behind. This really detracts from the game play.
Visually the game is fair to good, but cannot compare to a GT4.
The replays are a bit fuzzy and lack any real visual drama - this an area which needs major work.
Codemasters may have tried a bit too hard to be a Jack of all trades driving game, but they do manage to suceed in many areas. The wanna be 'boy racer' may find this game trying and tiresome, but for the real motorsports driving enthusiast there is a treasure trove of material here to be enjoyed for many many hours indeed.

THIS IS A GREAT GAME,AND ADDICTIVE. GRAPHICS WISE IT IS OK, BUT THE I LOVE HOW THE DAMAGE IS RATED AND THE CAR ACTUALLY FLIPS UNLIKE GT4.

the computer cars constantly push you off the track and into a spin, they don't wreck, you touch them and you wreck they touch you and YOU wreck. They take off the starting ine like a rocket while your spinning out as if you on oil. They stop on a dime, you brake fully and still shoot the corner. Meanwile the annoying guy talking to you is ragging on you to stay on the track.
this game should be titled 'how to put your fist through your tv'.
the programmers are morons. Gran turismo is 99 classes superior.

"150% satisfied with purchase from Packard's Video Games, my collection consist of 95% racing and this is by farrr my best game, very realistic with lots of fun. Also its like buying one game and getting 7: Off Road, Classics, Oval, 4WD Rally Cross, Touring Car, Open Wheel & GT. My BIGGEST regret to date - I waited to long to get this game, learn from my mistake cuz the game is worth EVERY PENNY." Vey Realistic with lots of Fun, no other Racing game comes clOSe although Gran Turismo is some way behind, but seriously its a game EVERY Racer should add to their collection, Finally i recommend purchasing from Packard's Video Games, they have made it into my top three supplier list.

The best way to review this game is to draw comparisons with GT 3 & 4, since most people considering this game probably have these already; and of course, GT 3 & 4 are considered by many to be the best racers on the PS2.

To start off, I have only owned this game for three days. I will update this review later as I play more into it.

Graphics: The GT series has the more realistic graphics. Toca has more of an arcade racer look, sporting more vibrant colors with less detailed textures. As a result, the texture "sparkle" effect that's prominent in the GT series is not as noticeable in Toca. As for the car models, they are more detailed in GT. Toca has a nice cockpit view that all racing games should emulate. You can actually look to your left and right by clicking the shoulder buttons. The frame rate and sensation of speed is about the same.

Control: Toca wins this one hands down. This is one area I never liked about the GT series. Toca has a very intuitive control scheme that anyone can get into right away, but without feeling cheap. The GT series control has always been too floaty for my taste. I remember playing GT 3 for the first time and having to struggle just to stay on the road...and this happening to a guy that has been playing racers for 25 years. Yeah, you do get used to the GT series control scheme, but you should not have to.

A.I.: Again, Toca wins this one easily. The GT series is infamous for its cheap A.I. This is not the case with Toca. In addition, you cannot get away with bumping up against the other cars in Toca. Not only will your car sustain damage, but you will get penalized for careless driving. Your pit man talks to you along the way and he'll warn you when you bump into the opposing cars. If you remain careless, you receive a black flag and get penalized on your time. If you continue your carelessness, you are disqualified. In the GT series, you can bump against opposing cars while entering a corner to gain an advantage. This technique is not only cheap but unrealistic. These are areas in the GT series that should be addressed. Toca gets is right.

Variety: When it comes to the number of vehicles available, Toca cannot touch GT. However, Toca has an advantage in the number of tracks and variety of vehicle types; I would much rather have a larger number of tracks and fewer vehicles. There are no fantasy tracks here; all the tracks are real world. Although there are fewer cars to choose from, the variety is much greater. You can choose from open wheel, Endurance, Stock Car, Rally Sport, Go-Cart, Mini GT, etc. No other racing game offers this kind of variety.

In closing, this is a must-own game for all racing game enthusiasts who own a PS2.

i race a porsche so i think i know what racing a real car is like . i have played and completed every racing game that works with a force feedback wheel, games like all the needforspeed games , gt3 and gt4. i finished this game in 9 days and i was not very happy with it . my biggest complaint is that as you go up in the levels your competitors dont get faster thay just run into you more to make you crash out . real racing is not like that at all ! the car setup is not all that good ! the brakes stink my bicycle stoppes better than the cars in this game. on a good note i did think the rallying is better than what it is in the gt4 game and i did like most of the tracks .if you like to have the other cars take you out of a race then get this game .

I was expecting a lot from this game based on the reviews but the load time per track was horrific, the car handling was idetical regardless of which course was selected and the limited number of courses available to play without winning a championship made me retire this game for good.