Tourist Trophy: Real Riding Simulator

Racing simulation games have come along quite well recently.  The graphics have improved. The authentic looks of the vehicles are great.  But most of these simulators are for cars.  For those of you who like the bikes, get ready for Tourist Trophy:  Real Riding Simulator.  Tourist Trophy was made by the same creators that made the ever so popular Gran Turismo series.

In Tourist Trophy, you get to play various different game modes throughout 35 different international courses.  These courses are either closed circuit or city tracks.  Some tracks you may even remember from Gran Turismo such as:  New York City, Suzuka, Tsukuba, Laguna Seca, and more!  Take on these tracks with your choice of over 100 different licensed motorcycles.  These include:  BMW, Triumph, Kawasaki, Ducati, Honda, Motorrad, and more.

There are various modes of play.  In challenge mode, you play a career type mode.  You start out trying to get your license.  You go through various tests and challenges that test your speed and skill throughout various conditions.  Once you accomplish that, you can then select various engine classes, along with the courses you wish to race.  You then get your garage access so that you can use the credits you accumulate from winning races to upgrade your bike and accessories.  The look of your rider and bike is fully customizable!

There is also an arcade mode for those of you who wish for a quick race or a split screen 2 player race against your friends.  Photo mode allows you to take pictures of your bike from the challenge mode.

Enough about that.  Now how are the controls?  The controls take a bit to master.  You need to learn when to lean, when to brake or accelerate (especially during turns), and how to follow the line.  Once you figure this out, you will see how fluid and graceful the movement of your bike and rider really are.  The way the game was made makes these motions look just beautiful.  This coincides with the gorgeous graphics!  The soundtrack is also pretty good.

Tourist Trophy is available on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of E for everyone.  This means that the game is suitable for even children to play.  A strategy guide is available for those of you who would like a bit of help.