Formula 1 (video game)

Formula 1

Cover art
Developer(s) Bizarre Creations
Publisher(s) Psygnosis
Platform(s) PlayStation, PC
Release date(s)
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single Player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)
Media/distribution CD-ROM

Formula 1 is the first racing game in Sony's Formula One series. Unlike later games in the series, this game's cover has no specific driver on it. In the North America version, the game's cover features Michael Schumacher who drove for the Benetton team during the late 1991 Formula One season, using Pirelli tires.

Published by Psygnosis, Formula 1 is based on the 1995 Formula One season, although it was released in 1996. It is distinct from its sequels because it was made after the end of the season, meaning that it features driver substitutes. The game also allows two-players to compete against each other either head-to-head or with other computer cars via the 'Link-Cable'. Both players may then compete over a 17-race Championship season, or in a single race of the players choice.

Contents

Gameplay

Formula 1 follows the 1995 Formula One season, with 17 tracks, 13 teams and 26 drivers. The teams are:

Team Drivers Extra Driver(s)
Benetton Formula 1. Michael Schumacher
2. Johnny Herbert
Tyrrell Racing 3. Ukyo Katayama
4. Mika Salo
3. Gabriele Tarquini (in place of Katayama)
WilliamsF1 5. Damon Hill
6. David Coulthard
McLaren 7. Mark Blundell
8. Mika Häkkinen
7. Nigel Mansell (in place of Blundell),
8. Jan Magnussen (in place of Häkkinen)
Footwork Arrows 9. Gianni Morbidelli
10. Taki Inoue
9. Massimiliano Papis (in place of Morbidelli)
Simtek 11. Domenico Schiattarella
12. Jos Verstappen
Jordan Grand Prix 14. Rubens Barrichello
15. Eddie Irvine
Pacific Racing 16. Bertrand Gachot
17. Andrea Montermini
16. Giovanni Lavaggi
16. Jean-Denis Délétraz (both in place of Gachot)
Forti 21. Pedro Diniz
22. Roberto Moreno
Minardi 23. Pierluigi Martini
24. Luca Badoer
23. Pedro Lamy (in place of Martini)
Ligier 25. Martin Brundle
26. Olivier Panis
25. Aguri Suzuki (in place of Brundle)
Scuderia Ferrari 27. Jean Alesi
28. Gerhard Berger
Sauber 29. Jean-Christophe Boullion
30. Heinz-Harald Frentzen
29. Karl Wendlinger (in place of Boullion)

The circuits are:

Grand Prix Circuit Name Location
Brazilian Grand Prix Autódromo José Carlos Pace São Paulo, Brazil
Argentine Grand Prix Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Buenos Aires, Argentina
San Marino Grand Prix Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Imola, Italy
Spanish Grand Prix Circuit de Catalunya Barcelona, Spain
Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco Monte Carlo, Monaco
Canadian Grand Prix Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Montreal, Canada
French Grand Prix Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours Magny-Cours, France
British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
German Grand Prix Hockenheimring Hockenheim, Germany
Hungarian Grand Prix Hungaroring Mogyoród, Hungary
Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Spa, Belgium
Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale Monza Monza, Italy
Portuguese Grand Prix Autódromo do Estoril Estoril, Portugal
European Grand Prix Nürburgring Nürburg, Germany
Pacific Grand Prix TI Circuit Aida, Japan
Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka Circuit Suzuka, Japan
Australian Grand Prix Adelaide Street Circuit Adelaide, Australia

If a player is to complete a season after winning every race, and leading the Constructor's Championship, a special hidden circuit is unlocked. The track is a lower-level city circuit, which when viewed at the Race Preview page is in the shape of a Formula One car. As there is no way of saving game data, the track is lost when the console was turned off.

Later tracks have 24 competitors on them instead of 26 because Simtek pulled out of the actual championship after the Monaco Grand Prix. It is still possible to drive a Simtek on any course after Monaco, creating a field of 25 drivers. If two players are playing the game via the link cable setup (where players would connect two Playstation consoles together with two copies of the game), it is possible to play as both Simtek cars, thus creating a field of 26 drivers on any course after Monaco.

Commentary

This game saw the introduction of in game commentary, which was done in the English version of the game by Murray Walker, the German version by Jochen Mass, the French version by Philippe Alliot, the Spanish version by Carlos Riera and the Italian version by Andrea de Adamich.

Soundtrack

Along with songs created by Psygnosis' in-house composer Overdrive, the soundtrack also features the songs "Juice" by Steve Vai (from his Alien Love Secrets album), as well as "Summer Song" and "Back to Shalla-Bal" by Joe Satriani (from The Extremist and Flying in a Blue Dream, respectively).

Alcohol and tobacco-related sponsors

In the North American and all European versions besides Great Britain the alcohol sponsors are censored, but in all versions the tobacco sponsors are censored also:

Development

The game was reasonably well received, with the PlayStation version earning a 7.6 on GameSpot while the PC version received a 6.0. IGN.com gave the PlayStation version a 8.0.

External links