Colin McRae Rally (1998 video game)

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Colin McRae Rally
Colin McRae Rally cover PlayStation PAL.jpg
European PlayStation cover art
Developer(s) Codemasters
Spellbound (GBC)
Publisher(s)
Series Colin McRae Rally
Platform(s) PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Color
ReleasePlayStation
Microsoft Windows
Game Boy Color
  • EU: 21 September 2001 [1]
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Colin McRae Rally is a racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It features 8 official cars and their drivers and rallies from the 1998 World Rally Championship season, in addition to 4 extra cars. [6] A 2D version was released for the Game Boy Color in Europe in 2001. It was developed by Spellbound and published by THQ.

Contents

Gameplay

A Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV Group A rally car, at the Rally New Zealand stage 1. Colin McRae Rally.png
A Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV Group A rally car, at the Rally New Zealand stage 1.

Colin McRae Rally is a rally simulation game, featuring the works-entered cars and the rallies of the 1998 World Rally Championship. There are three difficulty modes in the game, and each mode offers different cars: the Novice mode offers FWD F2-class cars, such as the SEAT Ibiza F2 Kit Car, the Intermediate mode offers 4WD World Rally Car class cars, such as the Subaru Impreza WRC, and the Expert mode offers the ability to unlock bonus cars, such as Ford Escort MKII, Lancia Delta Integrale, Audi Quattro S1, and Ford RS200. There are a total of 12 cars, produced using laser-modelling. [6] When released in North America in 2000, only 11 cars featured due to Codemasters losing the license to use Renault in Novice mode. Renault were replaced by extra drivers from the remaining 3 manufacturers. Also unlike in the European release of the game (real driver names), the American release has made-up driver names (apart from Colin McRae)

Seven official rallies (New Zealand, Acropolis (Greece), Australia, Monte Carlo, Sweden, Corsica, and the United Kingdom), and one unofficial rally (Indonesia) from the WRC were included in the game. [6] Rally Indonesia was originally part of the 1998 WRC season calendar, but the rally was cancelled due to civil unrest. [7] Although the rallies themselves are named the same as the real events, all of the stages are fictional. [8]

When the game was re-released on the PlayStation "Value Series" budget label in 2000, Rally Monte Carlo was renamed as Rally Austria. On the loading screen for each rally, 2000 replaced the year 1998. The intro was cut in the yellow Bestsellers version. Also the yellow logos on the Subaru Impreza car were removed. It's also noticeable on the front cover and viewable in the screenshots from the back cover.

Although there is no internet-based multiplayer, the game does feature LAN-based multiplayer, allowing up to 8 drivers, on the same network, to compete at once, in addition to a 2-player split-screen mode. [6] Sales soared, and the sequel Colin McRae Rally 2.0 was released on December 2000.

Development

Colin Mcrae crop.jpg
Nicky Grist.png
The game featured the voices of Colin McRae (left) and Nicky Grist (right), who also served as the series' technical consultants.

Codemasters have cited the arcade game Sega Rally as a strong influence on Colin McRae Rally. [9] Other influences included the PC game Screamer Rally and the Nintendo 64 game Wave Race 64 . [9] The company initially had some reservations on the viability of a realistic rally simulator, as similar games of the period such as V-Rally are only loosely based on the sport, essentially being head-to-head racing games in a rally-esque setting similar to rallycross; such an arcade mode would later be introduced in Colin McRae Rally 2.0 . They eventually saw the potential after some early play testing with impromptu competitions within the team through an early prototype build of the game, prompting the team to move into full development. [9]

Besides providing technical input on the game's handling, Colin McRae and his co-driver Nicky Grist voiced themselves in the game, [10] with McRae himself serving as the Rally School instructor for the game's tutorial mode. [11]

The game also included an Easter egg in the form of an alien abduction scene where the player's car is beamed upwards into a ship on certain special stages upon activating a cheat code (akin to Codemasters' own Game Genie cheat devices prior), parodying the alleged abduction of Barney and Betty Hill by extraterrestrials in 1961. [12]

Reception

At the 1999 Milia festival in Cannes, Colin McRae Rally took home a "Gold" prize for revenues above €30 million in the European Union during the previous year. [31] By late 2002, its global sales had reached 4 million copies. [32] The game was a bestseller in the UK and went on to become Codemasters most successful boxed game in the UK. [33] [34]

Colin McRae Rally received "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. [13] [14] Edge praised the PS version's authentic simulation, but commented that graphical glitches sometimes occurred. [17] Game Revolution criticized the same console version's graphics, lack of music and co-driver voicing, but praised its track variation and gameplay. [22] GameSpot were far less positive, praising the PC version's driving experience, but criticizing the car setup procedure, the length of the stages, and the damage model. [23] They were even less positive about the PlayStation port, criticizing its lack of originality. [24] IGN were split, praising the PlayStation version's skill-based nature and its strong simulation, [26] but also criticizing the PC version for being less exciting than traditional games. [11] Official UK PlayStation Magazine praised the game's graphics and variety, and said that it "pushed the boundaries of the off-road racer to somewhere near the heights of Gran Turismo ". [27]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Colin McRae Rally - Game Boy Color". Spong. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "Get to Grips With the Latest Releases". Daily Mirror . 20 December 2023. p. 20. Retrieved 20 December 2023. Colin McRae Rally for PlayStation//£44.99//Out Today
  3. ↑ I. G. N. Staff (17 February 2000). "Burying TOCA in the Mud". IGN. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "Speed down to PC World and be first to get these new racing gamess". Evening Standard . 9 October 1998. p. 156. Retrieved 20 December 2023. Colin McRae Rally//Out Today
  5. ↑ "Colin McRae Rally". IGN . Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Mandel, Bob (31 May 2000). "Colin McRae Rally PC review". The Adrenaline Vault. NewWorld. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Rallies - Indonesia". World Rally Archive. Jonkka. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Retro Gamer (23 May 2011). "The Making Of Colin McRae Rally". NowGamer . Imagine Publishing. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 Edge staff (5 February 2010). "The Making Of: Colin McRae Rally". Edge . Future plc. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. The basic premise for the game was based around the car handling in Sega Rally," confirms Guy Wilday, producer of the first four CMR games. "Everyone who played it loved the way the cars behaved on the different surfaces, especially the fact that you could slide the car realistically on the loose gravel. The car handling remains excellent to this day and it's still an arcade machine I enjoy playing, given the chance.
  10. ↑ Jarmyn, Luke (4 May 2016). "FIRST PERSON: "There is nothing like the buzz from being in a rally car"". South Wales Argus . Newsquest . Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 Birnbaum, Mark (5 May 2000). "Colin McRae Rally (PC)". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  12. ↑ "Top 5 UFO Easter Eggs in Video Games". Houston Press . Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  13. 1 2 "Colin McRae Rally for PC". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  14. 1 2 "Colin McRae Rally for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  15. ↑ Kanarick, Mark. "Colin McRae Rally (PS) - Review". AllGame . All Media Network. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  16. 1 2 Lomas, Ev (August 1998). "Colin McRae Rally". Computer and Video Games . No. 201. pp. 60–61.
  17. 1 2 Edge staff (August 1998). "Colin Mcrae Rally Review (PS)". Edge. No. 61. Future plc. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  18. ↑ EGM staff (2000). "Colin McRae Rally (PS)". Electronic Gaming Monthly . Ziff Davis.
  19. ↑ Mears, Rick (23 February 2000). "REVIEW for Colin McRae Rally (PS)". GameFan . Shinno Media. Archived from the original on 10 June 2000. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  20. ↑ Hicks, Michael (6 April 2000). "Colin McRae Rally Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro . IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on 9 February 2005. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  21. ↑ The Freshman (24 February 2000). "Colin McRae Rally Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on 29 September 2004. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  22. 1 2 Joe (March 2000). "Colin McRae Rally Review (PS)". Game Revolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  23. 1 2 Poole, Stephen (22 March 2000). "Colin McRae Rally Review (PC)". GameSpot . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  24. 1 2 Taruc, Nelson (18 February 2000). "Colin McRae Rally Review (PS)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  25. ↑ Reed, Aaron (16 June 2000). "Colin McRae Rally Review on PC". GameZone. Archived from the original on 16 February 2005. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  26. 1 2 Perry, Douglass C. (22 February 2000). "Colin McRae Rally (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  27. 1 2 "Colin McRae Rally". Official UK PlayStation Magazine . No. 35. Future plc. August 1998. p. 96.
  28. ↑ "Colin McRae Rally". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . Ziff Davis. 2000.
  29. ↑ Williamson, Colin (2000). "Colin McRae Rally". PC Gamer . Future US. Archived from the original on 15 March 2006. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  30. ↑ Braxton-Brown, Justin (10 March 2000). "McRae rally a race into fun fast lane". The Cincinnati Enquirer . Gannett Company. Archived from the original on 12 March 2005. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  31. ↑ Staff (12 February 1999). "Milia News; ECCSELL Awards Name Winners". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 30 August 1999. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  32. ↑ Evans, Dean (December 2002). "Colin McRae Rally 3; Back Story". Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine . No. 27. Future plc. p. 96.
  33. ↑ "Gallup UK PlayStation sales chart". Official UK PlayStation Magazine. No. 37. Future plc. October 1998.
  34. ↑ Dring, Christopher (12 April 2019). "Revealed: The most successful UK game developers". GamesIndustry.biz . Retrieved 25 January 2023.
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