Tourist Trophy arriving in May

By Ellie Gibson Published 1 March, 2006

Courtesy of Polyphony Digital.

Sony has announced that Tourist Trophy, the motorbike racer from the people who brought you Gran Turismo, will be heading to European PS2s this spring.

Tourist Trophy - the Real Riding Simulator features 35 circuits, both real life and made up, including the Laguna Sega, Nürburgring and Valencia. There are more than 180 licensed sports bikes from the world's leading manufacturers, including the Honda CBR1100xx, Yamaha's 1980 RZ250, the Aprilia RSV1000R and the Ducati 999R.

Each bike has been recreated down to the finest detail, with authentic cockpits, handling and engine noise. You also get a healthy selection of customisable riding gear to choose from, including licensed helmets.

Arcade mode is ideal for a quick fix, while Tourist Trophy Mode is all about collecting bikes and gear as you race through more than 20 events. Photo mode lets you take photos of your favourite bike and print them out, providing if you've got the right kind of USB printer.

Tourist Trophy is out in May.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DiscoMike #1 6 years ago

    m0t0r b1k3 p0rn ?

  • Sorb #2 6 years ago

    MotoGP '06 is also out in May. May the best game win.

  • Abject #3 6 years ago

    2 brakes, or just the 1?

  • myiagros #4 6 years ago

    2 brakes on advanced controls, 1 on standard.

  • Heds #5 6 years ago

    Laguna Sega? Crikey, they must have been hard up for cash if Sega sponsored them enough to change the track name!! ;-)
    Edited by 1 at 01/03/06 @ 11:58

  • Talha #6 6 years ago

    Lots of content, no damage modeling. That said, I have read that they have used even more polygons to make the bikes than the cars in GT4. With the pleasant result that you can only race with three other opponents.

    For Polyphony's detail obsessed folks, PS3 can't arrive soon enough!

  • Zuiyo #7 6 years ago

    You can't blame them for trying to do things right with the tools they have.

  • myiagros #8 6 years ago

    can't wait for next gen Polyphony stuff, great graphics and hopefuly more vehicles on track at one time. Maybe they will do a Tourist Trophy/Gran Turismo combined game.

    Photorealistic cars vs Photorealistic bikes, anyone??

  • Talha #9 6 years ago

    @Zuiyo: I think my post struck a wrong tone. I love Polyphony and positively respect the effort they put into a game - I think in that respect they are the best devs around. I was only anticipating the chief criticisms TT is likely to encounter. What they have already achieved graphically and sonically with GT4 is astounding - no one else has been able to achieve that on any platform, with the possible exception of PGR3 which I haven't played.

    As for more bikes/cars on track, I think that is CERTAIN because of the demos they showed of GT5. Add damage modeling and online modes, and GT5 is a shoo-in for King of the Hill.

  • uiruki #10 6 years ago

    I played this at the Tokyo Motor Show, and unless they REALLY tightened it up in the last couple months of development, it's pretty bad. The engine is exactly the same as GT4, even down to idnetical HUDs and a complete lack of extra tracks. The sensation of speed is even worse than GT4, and the handling is basically GT4 but a bit slower, and if you don't drive straight you fall off. Disappointing, and the Famitsu review score didn't exactly encourage either. Shame, because it sounds like a good idea on paper.

  • kangarootoo #11 6 years ago

    Hope the gameplay works, because the screens I saw of this looked amazing.

    uiruki, how long ago did you play that demo? It sounds very "work in progress" to me given the similarities to GT.

  • Talha #12 6 years ago

    @kangarootoo: Actually it IS very similar to GT4 from the previews I have read. As for sense of speed, well, GT games feel slow (i.e. more akin to real life) - so that is a take-it-or-leave-it thing for any gamer. As for falling off if you don't drive straight, I have heard that you control the RIDER as opposed to the BIKE in this, so maybe the controls would feel horrid at first. I have also read about a couple of extra tracks - maybe they took them out.

  • myiagros #13 6 years ago

    @Talha - the only extra track over GT4 is Valencia, however some of the other tracks have been reworked slightly to better suit bikes.

  • Triggerhappytel #14 6 years ago

    I've never really got into the GT games, but I'm quite looking forward to this. Hopefully Polyphony can achieve a good balance between arcade & sim, give us some good handling & a keen sensation of speed.

    uiriku - can you tell me what score this got in Famitsu please?

  • kangarootoo #15 6 years ago

    @Talha

    Hmmm, I'm alwasys interested in this sort of thing (I ride a bike myself), but in the end it has never provided quite enough plain old fun.

    For the record, I'm much more of a Burnout man than a GT one, so this may not be for me, even with the high detail bikes and "realistic" controls.

  • MrGrumpy.au #16 6 years ago

    @uiruki, I've been really looking forward to this game, but now after reading your comment I'm feeling slightly nervous.

    Fingers crossed this lives up to its game engine heritage as I'm still trying to get over the GT4 Online fiasco, V8 Supercars 3 (aka TOCA/DTM/Race Driver etc.) is great online but a GT game would have been the pinnacle for PS2 online racers.

    [ Oh well only 19 more days 'til Outrun 2 CtC is released /grins ]

  • OnlyMe #17 6 years ago

    While I'm curious about the game, I can't help but feel that the feeling of having 180 bikes in your garage is nowhere comparable to having 180 cars in your garage. There's only so much variation to be found in racing bikes - most of them look almost identical.

  • uiruki #18 6 years ago

    I played it in early November, and the game came out not too long ago. It got 8/8/8/8 (32) from Famitsu, which is less than what you'd expect from a game from Polyphony - I believe GT4 got a total of 39. From what I've read, they really haven't changed the tracks much either - which is a real disappointment as a Manx track would have been awesome. Or even a few of the MotoGP calendar's tracks!

    And it really does feel slow - in real life even a 125 feels like it's incredibly fast thanks to wind buffeting etc, and it's just sterile - nothing like the depth of field effects in the Climax MotoGP series. The handling didn't feel as convincing as MotoGP either, but then again I didn't have time to try the pro mode. I finished 3rd out of 4 on a Katana and the guy said I was 'very good' at the game, so make of that what you will. I will say this though - even with the weaknesses it's a million times better than Riding Spirits! I'll probably pick it up when I get the chance jsut to support bike racing games.

  • kangarootoo #19 6 years ago

    "There's only so much variation to be found in racing bikes - most of them look almost identical."

    Heretic!! ;)

    A lot of the bikes on a racing grid look very similar, but that is because they are grouped by class, same as formula 1 cars. If you look at all the bikes that are out there you will find plenty of variation over the years.

    Three such divergent examples.

    http://www.fahrschule-krause.de/fahrzeuge/gs1100.jpg
    http://www.suprememotorcycles.co.uk/images/Triumph1x1.g if
    http://www.smanettoni.net/news/yamahar62006-7052-001-f .jpg

  • Rodster #20 6 years ago

    "Lots of content, no damage modeling. That said, I have read that they have used even more polygons to make the bikes than the cars in GT4. With the pleasant result that you can only race with three other opponents."

    4 bikes per race no thanks :p

  • Kostabi #21 6 years ago

    4 bikes per race? Wow, that's a bit crap really. MotoGP 06 it is then.

    Thank God for PC sims which can put 40-60 cars into a race.

  • tengu #22 6 years ago

    A motorbike racing game? Fuck me, I almost bored myself to sleep just typing that.

    No thanks, car racing games are boring enough.

  • chronom4n #23 6 years ago

    here is a question? all this talk of GT4 being online... someone come up with a system whereby you will be able to come up with a system that will implement the vast world of Gran Tursimo. The game is huge. People have criticised Polyphony for lacking in terms of being online. but have you witnessed the achievement that is GT4. and they have done it all with hardware that is harking back to 1999. i have played the rivals and in this case Forza Motorsport and man that game is unforgiving! yet it is supposed to be a rival to GT4? I hate that game. it may have the speed but then again it is running at 60Hz. I absolutely love the sensation of driving that is GT4. but i am lucky enough to own the Dual Force Pro and the bucket seat set up. Hardware has been the main issue with GT4 in my honest opinion. Also I am seriously hoping that GT5 and all the hardware that will be available to Polyphony will make the game realistic in terms of all the damage that will be available. both mechanincal and physical.

  • MrGrumpy.au #24 6 years ago

    chronom4n, Forza being unforgiving is one of its best features. There is nothing like trying to be too greedy on eg. a passing move and then writing your car off, unlike GT where you just bounce off everything and continue on your merry way. The GT games are great for hot-lapping and iLink/System link (assuming the other drivers don't think its a destruction derby), those are the reasons why I still play it (and get great enjoyment from it).

    With GT5 (Vision GT?) all it looks like so far is they've added another 10 opponents to the mix and upped the resolution, I'd say the PS2 could have done that (the 16 opponents) but they deliberately held it back (along with the online mode) to make GT5 look better.

    Forza is great, and GT4 is great for very different reasons so anyone that enjoys these types of (simish) games really should just be enjoying both.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/06 @ 00:57

  • Talha #25 6 years ago

    @MrGrumpy.au: Aw, you ARE grumpy today!! The reason they did not add more cars to GT4 is to make GT4 look better, not GT5. They have this obsession with recreating every last detail on a car, and that was the upshot.

    But I agree that GT has to get substantially more stringent and unforgiving, like Forza. The so-called speed penalty in GT4 is a hit and miss feature, and smacks of something half-cooked.

    And I also agree about enjoying BOTH GT and Forza - GT has better graphics (although it is hard to believe) and perhaps a better sense of immersion when you are just driving, a better car and track lineup (I think no one will Forza has better AI, and a better punishment system, a better sense of partcipating in a RACE.

    @Kostabi: I have yet to encounter 60 cars in a PC racing sim. Perhaps you can enlighten me. ALso, GT is different to every other racing sim with the possible exception of Forza, so it is no use comparing it to the likes of FIA GT etc. Also, please tell me how having 40-60 cars on a track is fun.

    @chronom4n : I agree with your sentiments, although IMHO it was not hardware but time that limited PD - GT4 had already been horrendously late. Perhaps if PD had compromised on some of the presentation aspects we would have online etc - but then we wouldn't be able to take STUNNING high-res photos of our cars in action!!

    Edited by 1 at 02/03/06 @ 06:23

  • 3william56 #26 6 years ago

    Not really a lot of point in damage modelling a bike; apart from a scrape of paint or fairing loss (not likely in anything less than the lamest shunt), in reality, one crash and it's all over anyway.

  • MrGrumpy.au #27 6 years ago

    @Talha, well I'm living up to my net name then ;)

    I really didn't think that post came across as agressive, maybe I was wrong.

    Oh well I'll try to be less grumpy next time. :D

    Anyway back onto Tourist Trophy, the best thing I'd have to say about it is they mainly focus on road bikes as apposed to all the bike games that are for pure racing spec beasts (MotoGP, Superbikes, etc). So it's a bike selection that anyone could relate to.

    /Goes back to enjoying TOCA 3...

  • Talha #28 6 years ago

    @MrGrumpy.au : No, you didn't sound agressive at all - just grumpy ;-).

    I think you have landed upon the main distinguishing factor for PD's approach - there is no point in comparing this to the likes of MotoGP as that would be like comparing GT to the Formula One games. In any case, I know I will probably get this, having enjoyed MotoGP tremendously (especially the part where I break my back after falling off - usually after a whole 20 feet of riding!!)

  • Kostabi #29 6 years ago

    @Kostabi: I have yet to encounter 60 cars in a PC racing sim. Perhaps you can enlighten me. ALso, GT is different to every other racing sim with the possible exception of Forza, so it is no use comparing it to the likes of FIA GT etc. Also, please tell me how having 40-60 cars on a track is fun.

    60 cars in game has been possible for a long time now, the first major game to push that many was F1 Challenge 99-02 and the slew of mods that followed. It's really only limited by the capability of your PC. Likewise, NASCAR games have regularly had 40+ cars for years and most recently rFactor has really pushed the boat out as there are a few 60 car servers online.

    I don't think it's unfair to compare Gran Turismo to something like GTR when they're both trying to simulate the same type of thing. If you're going to race at Le Mans you need a grid of 50+ cars to accurately portray all the different classes that are represented.

    I'm not saying these games are better because they allow 40-60 cars on track at one time, it's just simply more fun competing against 30 other real people than it is a handful of (fairly poor) AI in something like Gran Turismo.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/06 @ 11:41

  • chronom4n #30 6 years ago

    I have just this to say furthermore. Aside from the graphics and game engine of GT4 has anybody considered how wonderful the Dual Force Pro Steering Wheel is? I am sure that a part of the game is dedicated to making the wheel feel as real as is possible. This is not achieved in Forza. What i meant to say about Forza being unforgiving was that, some of the effort that you put in to getting a winning lead get evaporated when you get lsightly tapped and you go flying of the track and the AI wins. where is the pleasure in that? At least GT4 lets you get on with the job of winning. I do not want to spend half the time on the grass. even PGR2 is one of the kings of handling should you get tapped even the slightest. I am not saying that FM is a bad game but i found in considerably painful to get into with regards to the way in which it handles the mistakes the user makes.

  • Talha #31 6 years ago

    @Kostabi : OK I was mistaken on that account, even though I played F1 Challenge - what a shame. I also agree that AI in GT4 is very poor, and lack of online is a glaring omission - after all, nothing can emulate human competition.

    But GTR comparison to me is still not that fair because GTR's biggest goal is to simulate driving, as accurately as possible, at all costs. That clearly is not the case with GT4, which sacrifices some of the realism (not counting the poor AI or the horrid collision system of course), in hopes of providing a more balanced game that everyone can access. In essence, it boils down to what the respective devs set out to do with their games.

    @chronom4n : Well I get you, but for some people who demand fierce competition, that might be off-putting. And forget the wheel - even the force feedback in the normal Dual Shock pad is unparalleled.

  • Kostabi #32 6 years ago

    GT4 is great at what it does and I can see why people enjoy it so much, but when it calls itself the 'real driving simulator' it's hard not to hold it up against the likes of GTR or Live For Speed.

  • MrGrumpy.au #33 6 years ago

    @Kostabi, I agree with what your saying rFactor/LFS/GTL/GTR/GPL/Crammonds GPx/Papy's Nascar Racing/Sports Car GT etc. are catering to the hard core sim crowd, but not everyone wants all that depth and get just a much enjoyment out of the simpler stuff.

    I used to be in the group of people "If it's not a PC sim then it's rubbish", but you can change and learn to appreciate both styles and how they've approached the problem. At the moment for me the console games (GT4/Forza/Grand Prix Challenge/TOCA 3/Richard Burns Rally) are enough for me, yes I'll still dabble in GPL/Sportscar GT/GP4 on the PC but the consoles titles are what I'm enjoying at the moment.

    So I don't really think people are putting down the PC racing sims.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/06 @ 23:17

  • Talha #34 6 years ago

    @Kostabi: Obviously they are not to be taken THAT seriously (just like most things Sony bigwigs say about their hardware or games) ;-).

    @Mr Grumpy: Couldn't agree more.

  • wolfie1984 #35 6 years ago

    ive been looking around for a euro release date and now we know

    may

    bring it on