Director(s) Ralph Fulton Series Colin McRae Rally | Initial release date 1998 Genre Racing video game | |
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Release date(s) PlayStation
EU: July 1998
NA: 31 January 2000
Microsoft Windows
EU: 29 September 1998
NA: 29 February 2000
Game Boy Color
EU: 21 September 2001 Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer Platforms PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Developers Codemasters, Spellbound Entertainment Publishers Codemasters, Sony Interactive Entertainment, THQ, Imagineer, Spike Similar Colin McRae Rally games, Codemasters games, Racing video games | ||
Colin McRae Rally is a racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for PlayStation, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Color. It is the first game in the Colin McRae Rally series. It features 8 official cars (and their drivers) and rallies from the 1998 World Rally Championship season, in addition to 4 extra cars.
Contents
Gameplay
Colin McRae Rally is a rally simulation game, featuring the works-entered cars and the rallies of the 1998 WRC season. 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.
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. Rally Indonesia was originally part of the 1998 WRC season calendar, but the rally was cancelled due to civil unrest. Although the rallies themselves are named the same as the real events, all of the stages are fictional.
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. Sales soared, and the sequel Colin McRae Rally 2.0 was released on 14 December 2000.
Development
Codemasters have cited the arcade game Sega Rally as a strong influence on Colin McRae Rally. Other influences included the PC game Screamer Rally and Nintendo 64 game Wave Race 64.
Reception
Colin McRae Rally was released to mostly positive reviews, averaging 77% for the PC version, and 82% for the PlayStation version, according to GameRankings. Edge gave the PS version nine out of 10, praising its authentic simulation, but commenting that graphical glitches sometimes occurred. Game Revolution gave the same version a B rating, criticizing its graphics, lack of music and co-driver voicing, but praising its track variation and gameplay. GameSpot were far less positive, giving the PC version 6.6 out of 10, praising the driving experience, but criticizing the car setup procedure, the length of the stages, and the damage model. They were even less positive about the PlayStation port, rating it 5.6 out of 10, criticizing its lack of originality. IGN were split, giving the PlayStation version 9 out of 10, praising its skill-based nature and its strong simulation, but also giving the PC version 6.7 out of 10, criticizing it for being less exciting than traditional games. Official UK PlayStation Magazine gave the game a score of nine out of ten, praising the graphics and variety, and saying that it "pushed the boundaries of the off-road racer to somewhere near the heights of Gran Turismo". The game was a bestseller in the UK.