Back in the day on a lazy Sunday afternoon, watching Formula One was pretty much the only thing to do. Now that BBC have taken over the coverage and Schumacher has stepped aside, F1 is definitely back. Now all racing fans need is for the gaming side of the sport to catch up. Sony have relinquished their license now and the brilliant Codemasters have stepped up to the plate but what should they be looking back at for influences?
During 1999 to 2002 EA owned the official Formula One license and despite releasing eighteen versions of five games during the three years, they didn’t do a terrible job. The exact version I went back to was F1 Championship Season 2000 for Mac OS/X. At first glance probably not the best set up for a Formula One title but surprisingly it works very smoothly even on an Intel Mac.
Championship Season was essentially a re-release of F1 2000 but with a faster frame rate and race conditions that matched the real counterparts. Meaning that you can play through the whole 2000 season with real grid lineups and weather conditions. Practice and Warm-Up sessions are available but only the hardcore need apply. Still there is a decent amount of enjoyment just from competing in qualifying. Constant updates on your opponents’ lap times are chimed in through your car radio along with personal sector updates and comparisons.
Still the real highlight is the race it’s self. Despite being nearly ten years old, the game still holds up. The constant threat of collisions and crashes loom in the back of your mind while you try to catch up with drivers up ahead. You can opt to run the entire hour+ grand prix although running at 10% of the real number of laps is what tame casual racers will prefer.
The racing model is aimed at that very audience. Driving assists are a plenty, even with ones that steer for you meaning effectively you can just hold the forward key to race. If you want a real challenge or more control you should probably play through the championship with a view to turning as many of these assists off.
Obviously having the official license means that F1 2000 looks the business boasting all the official tracks, that are quite well represented considering the age of the game, along with all the sponsors and car liveries. The streets of Monaco along with the NASCAR’s home Indianapolis are recreated decently and met with instant recognition.
F1 2000 might be nine years old but considering the barren wasteland of Mac games available F1 Championship Season 2000 is worth ago. While it might not be as immersive and convincing compared to today’s simulations, F1 holds up as a great example of how to make a Formula One simulation approachable. Or maybe it just shows a lack of advancement for F1 simulations in the last decade.
Verdict: Thumbs Up
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