Grand Pro Circuit Appears to Be the Nostalgic F1 Racing Simulation We've Always Desired
Mascot Entertainment via Steam
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With so many indie racing games available, making a mark can be challenging. However, Grand Pro Circuit—which, to be frank, could use a more appealing name—looks fantastic. The trailer just launched on Steam, and I added it to my wishlist simply based on its vibe.
It's easy to reminisce about retro racing games and label them as charming and not serious, but developers were genuinely attempting to push the boundaries with the technology they had. Projects like Grand Pro Circuit remind me of that effort. The graphics may feature a low polygon count with gritty textures and no anti-aliasing, yet they convey an authentic and immersive experience, with wing mirrors vibrating in the cockpit view and sparks flying as cars scrape the ground on straightaways. There are even fully animated pit crews!
If Sega ever produced a 3D Formula 1 game for arcades, perhaps leveraging the Model 3 hardware that powered Scud Race and Daytona USA 2, it might have looked something like Grand Pro Circuit, albeit slightly less sharp. The game's success is partly due to the motorsport era it seeks to represent.
The cars, adorned with humorous parodies of real sponsors, resemble those from the mid-'80s F1 scene. Back then, the closest F1 simulation looked more like Pole Position than this. Even when Sega’s Super Monaco GP was released in 1989, with its stunning sprite graphics, 3D racing games were still in their infancy, thanks to pioneers like Hard Drivin’.
Grand Pro Circuit feels like the F1 game that should have been available during one of the sport's most thrilling periods, yet the technology to create it was still a decade or more away.
Mascot Entertainment via Steam
It also fully embraces its concept. Drawing clear inspiration from PC sim racing games from 25 years ago, Grand Pro Circuit's Steam page includes a video demonstrating the game’s keyboard controls. Additionally, we can view tire, oil, and water temperatures onscreen, along with fuel load, suggesting more depth than the arcade experience one might anticipate from the game’s appearance. I'm uncertain how many will be drawn to this unique blend of modern intricacy and retro style, but it’s precisely what I’m after, so I’m eager to see how this one develops.
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Grand Pro Circuit Appears to Be the Nostalgic F1 Racing Simulation We've Always Desired
A homage to the F1 simulators from the '90s and situated in the sport's glorious period of the '80s, this indie racing game has been promptly placed on our Steam wishlist.