About this game
Gran Turismo (1997) is the game that invented the modern racing simulation genre for home consoles. Designed by Kazunori Yamauchi at what would become Polyphony Digital — then a small development group within Sony — it took five years to complete on a budget of roughly five million dollars and launched with over 140 licensed cars, a physics engine that modelled tyre adhesion and suspension behaviour, and a structured licence system that taught players to drive correctly before they could compete. It shipped 10.85 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling original PlayStation game, and established a franchise that has defined automotive gaming for nearly three decades.
Key Features
Over 140 licensed cars from real manufacturers — Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and others — at a time when licensed vehicles in racing games were unusual. A structured Licence system (B, A, IC, IB, IA, S) that required players to pass timed tests in specific driving techniques before accessing higher competition tiers. Simulation physics modelling tyre adhesion, weight transfer, and suspension response. An Arcade Mode for casual play and a Simulation Mode with career progression. A replay camera system that captured races from cinematic angles.
The Story Behind
In 1997, racing games on home consoles were primarily arcade experiences: fast, accessible, designed around reflexes rather than technique. Ridge Racer and Daytona USA had demonstrated that console hardware could produce thrilling racing games; what they had not demonstrated was that a home console could simulate the physics of real driving. Kazunori Yamauchi began developing Gran Turismo in 1992 — before the PlayStation existed — motivated by his dissatisfaction with every racing game available. He wanted a game that behaved like a car, not a game that looked like a car. The development team was tiny: five people at the start, fewer than twenty by the end. The five-year timeline was itself a statement of intent — racing simulations on the PC had existed for years, but no home console had attempted the same depth. Gran Turismo's release in December 1997 in Japan, two days before Christmas, and its subsequent success in North America and Europe, established Sony as the publisher of both the most ambitious RPG of the generation (Final Fantasy VII) and the most technically rigorous racing game (Gran Turismo) — an unlikely combination that defined the PlayStation's software identity.
Tricks & Tales
Kazunori Yamauchi reportedly could not drive a car when he began developing Gran Turismo. He learned to drive in part through the process of designing the game's physics model. The Licence test system — requiring players to pass specific timed challenges before accessing advanced competition — was rejected internally by Sony executives who argued it would alienate casual players; Yamauchi fought to keep it as an essential part of the game's identity. The game's photo mode, allowing players to capture their cars in static shots, was an early example of what would become a standard feature in racing games decades later. Gran Turismo shipped more copies than any other original PlayStation title, outselling both Crash Bandicoot and Final Fantasy VII.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The Japanese release was 23 December 1997; the North American release followed on 12 May 1998. The Japanese version (NTSC-J) is the original release and plays on Japanese PlayStation hardware and region-free modified units. Text is in Japanese. The car roster and track list are identical across all regional versions. The game's licensed vehicles are the same regardless of region.
Maintenance Tips
Gran Turismo is a two-disc set for the Simulation Mode — verify both discs are present and readable. Disc 1 contains the main simulation game; Disc 2 contains additional tracks. PlayStation disc-read errors are common on ageing hardware; a lens cleaning disc often resolves them. The game's physics engine requires sustained consistent performance from the CD-ROM drive — any degradation may cause stuttering during physics-intensive moments. Memory cards save race progress; carry a backup save where possible.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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