Gran Turismo
My brother and I picked this up back when it came out for PS1 along with one of Sony's new analog controllers. It really was the first of its kind. Racing games had always been very arcade oriented with over the top physics and fantasy cars. Gran Turismo however was true to its title of "the real driving simulator".
Racing required you to pass testing and becoming a licensed driver. The tests acted like tutorials, showing you the basics of proper racing and how to handle the car in various track situations. You couldn't just power through races like in other games; you had to ride a proper racing line, brake and throttle at appropriate times and generally put a lot of thought into your use of the tracks. Tracks were based off real tracks (some) and cars were based off of real cars. I learned a lot about different cars and car components and I'm certain that all that virtual practice helped me read a track better to this day.
I remember the replays looked amazing. They had some great tech for the cameras that made it look that much more realistic than it was. I'd almost always watch an entire replay after completing a race, especially if I managed to get more than one wheel at a time off the ground, which was not easy. The car selection was great. There was something special about being able to drive real cars; especially cars that I would be able to actually drive in real life one day. Down the road, I was always impressed when a game would have a car I owned in it. Forza was good for that, I've had the chance to virtually race my Honda Civic, Acura RSX-S, BMW 128i and my Honda 600RR in various racing games. It's a neat thing.
Gran Turismo really started the whole racing simulator thing for me. I love racing games; a lot. I enjoy a whole range of them; everything from Forza to Burnout to Wipeout. Racing can be relaxing, fun and very skill testing. And for the most part, it's my only chance to ever get behind the wheel of cars I may never even see in person in my lifetime. Which is part of the appeal of the racing simulator game like Gran Turismo. Everything is becoming modeled so close to reality you really do feel like you're in a Bugatti Veyron or BMW Z4. Heck, in Need For Speed: Shift 2, the interiors are modeled so well, the BMW 1 series is exactly the same as my own. I love it.
Maybe one day I'll put the money into a proper racing rig, what with the steering wheel, pedals and seat and all.
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