Gaming
10 retro car related game intros
Not too long ago we asked on our Facebook page "Which car related video games did you grow up playing?" to which we got quite a wide response but that got me thinking, which car related games had the best introductions...
We have compiled a list of 10 of our favourite car related game intros. Have we missed some out? Let us know on the Scottish Car Scene - Forum.
Colin mcrae rally
playstation 1
Colin McRae Rally on the PlayStation One must have been one of the first racing games I ever played, released in 1998 the game itself is the same age as me, Looking back on Colin McRae Rally now it must've been very advanced for it's time, featuring eight different cars to choose from and their drivers, and who could forget the Rally school featured in the game. Colin McRae Rally kicked off the franchise we know now today as DiRT, the Colin McRae name dropped after McRae tragically passed away in September 2007. The McRae name was used in 2013 by Codemasters for the mobile port of Colin McRae Rally.
gRAN Turismo 1
Playstation 1
Another PlayStation classic here, Gran Turismo 1 on the PS1, released in Japan and Europe in 1997 this game really was one of the pioneers of console racing games, the game released to very high critical acclaim receiving a score of 95% in Gamerankings aggregate.
This intro is one of my earliest memories of playing any racing games back in the early 2000s and it still gives me goosebumps to this day, I'm sure plenty of you will feel nostalgic about this one.
Also The Chemical Brothers remix of Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go is still a banger!
Need For speed underground
ps2, xbox, gamecube & pc
Need For Speed is one of the those franchises that truly is ingrained in car culture now, it's a series of games that has always tried to keep track of current trends within the car scene. Although some games before Underground did feature aspects of modification and tuning this one deserves a place in this list for that unforgettable intro. Very 2Fast2Furious inspired.
​
I spent countless hours playing NFS Underground as a bairn so this introduction is one I'll never forget.
Driver 2
PS1, Gameboy advance
The second instalment of the Driver series was very advanced for it's time, released in 2000 the Driver franchise at this point was actually ahead of it's rival Grand Theft Auto which only offered a top down camera view in a 2D world at the time. Driver offered a full 3D world with real cars on the PS1 which was very impressive using PS1 technology.
burnout 3 - takedown
ps2 & xbox
The burnout series is another one that a lot of car enthusiasts will have played, in short it is an arcade styled racing game with one main aim - causing as much carnage as possible, with crash mode aimed at causing maximum damage calculated in dollars. This mode also featured a slow motion camera once your car was totalled revealing the damage you had caused to the world. Similar to the way Beam.Ng drive does it now.
Another classic PS2 game with an amazing soundtrack.
Grand theft auto - vice city
ps2, Xbox, pc
Grand Theft Auto Vice City has one of the most memorable intro scenes of any game in my opinion, even if you didn't live through the 1980's this is a game that can make you feel nostalgic of this time period regardless. With an absolutely amazing soundtrack, GTA Vice city is a masterpiece.
Midnight club 2
ps2, xbox & pc
Another Rockstar Games entry on the list - Midnight Club 2, this game captures the early 2000's 'max power' era very well. Midnight Club 2 scored very well with critics, although it is a very hard game.
​
Midnight Club 2 heavily featured modifications, with certain mods having to be done before you can progress further in the game.
Ridge racer type 4
playstation 1
Ridge Racer Type 4's intro is another one that was so far ahead of it's time, released in 1998 it's showing it's age now but I think it may be one of the most underrated intros on the list. Ridge Racer was an amazing series of games back in the PS1 era and earlier but sadly it has faded into obscurity.
London racer
playstation 1
This is one lifted directly from the comments on our Facebook post, I had forgotten about this game altogether. London Racer wasn't a particularly good game even for it's time but that didn't mean it doesn't have a cool intro. There's something satisfying about watching low resolution supercars racing around the streets of London surrounded by possibly the most minecraft looking Astras & Land Rover police cars I've ever seen.
v-rally 2
ps1, Dreamcast, PC
Judging by V-Rally 2's intro it's hard to believe this game was released in 1999, featuring some crafty shots of a Peugeot 206 WRC which was first used during the 1999 season, it must've been pretty far ahead of the competition at the time. I remember playing V-Rally in the early 2000's and thinking the handling of the cars was so advanced.
​
This one deserved a place in the list due to the fact that introduction is pure art.