Did you know that Sega GT was the 2nd best selling racing game on the Dreamcast (Sega Rally 2 being the 1st)? About 580,000 units were sold worldwide. Sega GT was also the best selling Dreamcast racer in the US with just over 202,000 copies sold (just a tad more than Hydro Thunder)! Around 179,000 copies of Sega GT: Homologation Special were sold in Japan so that leaves just under 200,000 copies that were sold in other territories (Europe, South America and other Asia/Australia). It would be deliciously ironic if Sega GT outsold Metropolis Street Racer in Europe considering the limited exposure it got compared to MSR. PS I do not classify Crazy Taxi as a racing game.
For the record, I am reviewing the PAL version of Sega GT for the Dreamcast however I will be making references to the Japanese original (Sega GT: Homologation Special). While this game is considered a Gran Turismo clone, I have hardly played Polyphony's seminal works (despite owning all the PS1 and PS2 titles) so I am unable to make a fair comparison. Sega GT is actually the first 'serious racer' I have fully completed! I originally completed it back in 2017 as part of a 'community play' on OnlineConsoles (see here for the link: https://dreamcast.onlineconsoles.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10443). However I just did another completion playthrough in the last month (August/September 2023) so I feel I have the experience to give this game a fair review...
GRAPHICS
In one word: functional. Sega GT's graphics are clean, crisp and run at a consistent 30 fps. They are not going to win any awards however they certainly better than racers from the PS1/Saturn/N64 consoles. Car models are nothing special but are adequate for the task at hand. The course environments are at least varied and provide atmosphere although they can appear somewhat bland. Highlights include a nice sunset effect on the "Rock Road" courses along with animated turbines and a basic flare effect from the streetlights. On the night courses, there are also some pretty tai light effects. The only minor gripe is that parts of the night courses are too dark and required better lighting, however this can be overcome with repeat plays. If you play in Dual Mode (2-player split screen), there is a noticeable fog effect over the background graphics that only dissipates when you get very close. This is likely due to the increased processing power required to run this mode.
The sunset effect on the Rock Road tracks. MSR could have done with some proper sunshine.
Blue blue skies! Blue blue skies I see...(sorry, wrong game)
The mountain range in...Snowy Mountain!
Tail light effects on the Night Section replays
SOUND
The best way to describe most of the menu music is 'synthesised lounge jazz muzak' although there are some uptempo track present. It's nothing you would want to hear outside of the game but credit to the developers for putting in different tunes throughout the menus. The racing music itself is mainly a frenetic mixture of drum & bass, techno and wailing guitars. I guess it suits the game somewhat but again it's nothing I would listen to away from Sega GT. However there is a nice mellow dance track on the "Rock Road" courses and the latter part of the "Snowy Mountain" music has some nice Daytona USA 2 electric guitar wails. The highlight though is the music from the game's endings: a great, uplifting soft rock track complete with 'air guitar' riffs; a real Sega racing vibe!
I am not an expert on motor sounds but car engines and tire screeches during a race sound OK to me. I personally like the revving engine sound that occurs during the loading screen.
PRESENTATION
The front menu for Sega GT ('Mode Select') is presented in a basic list format and is easy to understand. The 'Championship' sub-menu has been changed from the Japanese version's list format to graphic icons which immediately avoids confusion with the previous menu. A good change in my opinion. Unfortunately some of the options and set ups within the Championship mode are overly convoluted. I'll discuss these problems more in the following section.
The Mode Select and Championship menus are both neatly laid out
Driver Lice? Factory Lice? Get down the clinic you dirty swines!
GAMEPLAY
The main mode is Championship where you take part in various lap trials and races in order to make cash and gain access to better cars. Acquiring cash not only allows you to buy new cars but to upgrade existing ones via the Tuning Shop. However not all cars can be bought; some can only be won by taking part or winning a particular event. You start the game with 10,000 in Sega GT Pounds (yes, I made up that term!) and that's only enough to buy one of three low powered 2nd hand cars. While it's possible to win a few races with these vehicles without upgrades, I recommend starting out in the Car License section. Here you need to gain a license that grants you the right to purchase and drive more powerful cars. License tests are divided into 4 'engine power' classes (Extra, B, A and SA) and there are 6 tests per class, each from a different manufacturer. Each test is a simple 'one lap time trial' where it's very easy to qualify, however the real challenge is beating the pre-set record lap time in order to take part in a Works Cup race. If you enter and win this Work Cup race, you not only win cash but the Works Car itself. A Works Car is designed for racing and has already been fully upgraded so there's no need to spend money in the Tuning Shop (although you can still adjust the car settings if required). The downside is that obtaining Works Cars somewhat break the game's structure and make things a lot more easier than they should be. However once you begin to experience Sega GT's flaws, that may be no bad thing.
I also recommend doing all the license tests with each manufacturer (24 in total) and aiming to beat the record lap time on each. For me, the license tests were actually one of the most enjoyable parts of my Sega GT playthrough. Just a preset car (no tuning or adjustments available) on a track against the clock. I was hooked trying to push each car as far as it could go and ended going above and beyond beating the preset record lap times. Doing this will not only give you access to all the Works Cups, it allows you to gain valuable experience with Sega GT's handling and physics system. Unfortunately you will still encounter problems in this area, but it does aliviate it somewhat. I appreciate not all players want or may have the ability/patience to beat these record lap times but I recommend trying your best to do so.
Some of my old SA License Replays from 2017
One department Sega GT does not lack in is the sheer number of cars available. There are well over 100 licensed cars to drive, most of them from Japanese manufacturers which is not surprising considering the game's origin. You have the big hitters like Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Toyota, as well as smaller offerings from Suzuki and Daihatsu. For the European version, you have the addition of US car makers Ford and Dodge Viper (although there is only one car from each) as well as familiar continental names like Fiat, Audi, Peugeot, Opel/Vauxhall, Mercedes-Benz & Renault. The cars are mainly from the 1990s and range from standard consumer fare (ie Suzuki Cappuccino, Renault Megane, Peugeot 206 & Mercedes SLK 230), so-called street racer types (ie Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyliner R34, Mitsubishi Lancer GSR Evo 6 & Toyota Supra) to actual racing cars (ie Castrol Tom's Supra, Pennzoil Nismo GT-R & Amemiya Matsumoto-Kiyoshi RX-7 from the GT 1999 series & the Dodge Viper GTS/R 2000 Concept). A lots of cars are just variations of a particular model with different wheel drives and engine power (Nissan Skyliner being a prime example). As mentioned previously, some of these cars have to be won and cannot be bought. Also certain models can only be purchased from the Used Car section.
Sticking with cars, we now come to the standout feature of Sega GT: the Carrozzeria (car body shop)! Here you can actually make your own car within certain parameters. You get to choose a displacement level (engine power/class), engine type and location (where you put the engine will effect the handling), drive train (front, rear or 4 wheel drive) and finally a body type. Back in the day, a lot of expert players used this feature to make replica supercars from the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini and Lotus, as well as older cars like Cadillacs and 1960's Mini Coopers. Sadly some Carrozzeria body types from the Japanese version were omitted from the European release however I was able to transfer Carrozzeria cars made using those omitted body types from a Japanese/US save to my PAL save. Carrozzeria is the higlight of Sega GT however there are things that unfortunately bring it down. Carrozzeria cars are expensive and there is no option to test a creation before making the purchase. It is very possible to make a 'dud car' by coupling an engine to an unsuitable body and you may not realise this until after making the final purchase and taking it for a spin. Therefore you can end up wasting large chunks of cash. Of course, you can use the workaround of reloading your VMU save but this should not be required. You also have to undertake separate Carrozzeria license tests to build the more powerful cars (you must have passed the relevant standard licence test before attempting it) but these events are time trials on a short section of track, not even a full lap! Finally the expensive cost of Carrozzeria means you have to play through the majority of the game first to earn enough cash to get the best from it...and that is not necessarily a good thing (see below).
Start with the displacement
Then the engine type and location
Now the drive train, body and paint job
Congratulations...you have just made a car! This 'BANANABOAT' creation has also been fully upgraded in the Tuning Shop, hence the high stats.
And here's some that were made earlier..by the original expert players from back in 2000-2002!
This Lamborghini body type can only be created in the Japanese version but the car will work on PAL/US versions via the Car Trade function
Same applies to this 1960's Mini Cooper lookalike. Cannot be created on the US/PAL versions
If you name your Carrozzeria car PCWRZD13, it will handle like a dream! Actually this really IS my best handling creation.
Some of my old Carrozzeria Exhibition videos including some of the Japanese creations made by the original players from back in 2000-2001.
All cars in Sega GT are ranked by class (E/Extra, B A and SA). The Work cars can be identified by the black background on their class logo and Carrozzeria cars are identified by their orange backgrounds on their class logo.
Onto the race tracks themselves now and the game states there are 22 courses in total. However if you discount the reverse tracks and the 2 drag strips, there are only really 10 unique courses. They are all fictional courses and take place in different environments. You have two oval type tracks (Sprint Zone and Sky Peak Track), a course in the mountains (aptly named Snowy Mountain), two in a desert canyon (Great Rock Road and Deep Rock Road), two in a nighttime city/motorway location (Night Section A & B), one set in a picturesque European seaside town (Sky Peak Hill), one with a Formula racing vibe (Solid Circuit) and finally a short night course that has a strange 'horse racing' feel (Night Ground). There are also the short and long drag racing strips (Industrial 400 and Heat Stage 1000 respectively). Unfortunately while the backgrounds are nice enough, overall track design itself is very bland and under par compared to other Sega racers. The courses consist mainly of slight turns with the occasional sharper corner. In fact, there is only one real hairpin turn in the whole game (Great Rock Road)! The Night Section tracks are a highlight with plenty of sharp corners and circular turns, however even here you really expected more from Sega. Remember this is the company that had recently released coin-op racers like Daytona USA 2, Sega Rally 2, Scud Race and Le Mans 24 Hours. While I would not expect a game like Sega GT to have such elaborate and lively tracks, there should have been some genuine technical circuits that allow you to really push the car and your driving ability. However maybe there is reason why the courses are the way they are (see below).
Now we will discuss the races themselves. Firstly there are 4 Official Race classes (again ranging from E to SA). Each class has both standard Cup events that involve racing across multiple courses along with a one track Special Race that requires a Works or an Original/Carrozzeria car. You then have Event Races with their own criteria. Open races allow you to use any car you like, Small/Light/Large Events restrict you on engine size but have additional criteria for each event. For example, the 'Gumout Novice Car Cup' from the Light Events only allows cars less than 1900cc but also requires you to use a standard production vehicle with no upgrades. The 'Ford Racing Original Car Cup' from the Large Events does not have any power restrictions but only allows Carrozzeria cars to be used. You then have the Special Races which are a mixture of time attack, drag racing, a maximum speed event and the dreaded Clio Trophy One Make Race (more on this later). The Event Races are a good idea as it forces you to use different cars and prevents players from just ploughing through the game using the fastest vehicle possible. You can also pick up sponsors from the Event Races and they provide you with additional funds when you win again in future. Therefore you may wish to complete as many Event races as possible with your existing cars (after doing the standard license tests and Works Cups). Once you have won all the Official and Event races, you open up the World Speed King events that are divided by wheel type (Front Drive, Rear Drive and 4 Wheel Drive). World Speed King is somewhat anticlimatic as there is only one race on each event.
The sponsors are real life companies, mainly from the motorsports world. They differ from those found in the Japanese version.
McDonalds are also present as sponsors but don't expect any free Happy Meals! Excite are technically still around today but are much diminished (they still have a presence in Japan though)
Outside of the main Championship, you have Single Race mode where races are divided into Easy, Normal and Hard classes. Each class has its own preselection of licensed cars to choose from depending on engine power (easy class cars have the lowest power while hard class have the highest). Before racing, you need to choose from two basic tuning options: Grip or Drift. Dual mode is the two player mode and this only allows head-to-head racing; no CPU cars are present. Dual mode permits the use of any car from your garage that can be tuned before racing or from a preselection of cars with Grip or Drift tuning options (similar to Single Race mode). You also have a Time Attack mode that's basically a 3 lap solo race around each course with the obvious exception being the two 2 drag strips. Time Attack is sensibly divided into power class (E,B,A and SA) and gives you the ability to save ghost cars to your VMU. Unfortunately there is no option to make your own race with the CPU cars, only the preset ones in Championship mode.
Speaking of VMUs, the game allows you to save replays of every race and time trial (including qualifying laps). This allows you to replay events from either a TV style or standard driving views. It even allows you to save replays of 2 player/Dual races! This game also had online capabilities back in the day so you swap time trial ghosts and replay files with other players. This was done via the Internet option which gives access to a built-in Dreamkey browser and email facility. You also had the ability to upload your best time attack results to an internet ranking, however I am not sure if one was ever built for Europe (see the Extras post for more information). This is where Sega GT's long term replay value lies although you really need like-minded players to get the best out of this.
You can send a Sega GT Ghost file to your long lost friend.....
..and get this back in return!
Before I come onto Sega GT's fatal flaw, I'll discuss the Tuning Shop and Set Up facilities. With the exception of the Works Cars/Works Bodies, all cars can be upgraded via the Tuning Shop. Here you purchase new parts for your vehicle with the cash you have earned. There are mainly 3 upgrade levels for each component listed as either Step 1-3, or Street/Sports/Racing (Racing being the best). The only exceptions are the Stabiliser upgrade (Medium/Soft/Hard), the Brake Controller (only one upgrade) and Wheels (10 types available). Fully upgrading your car can be very expensive so I recommend sticking with the Works Cars, your favourite car models or car types you have to upgrade to win a race. If I upgrade a car, I normally choose the best parts straight away rather than doing it gradually. I then test out the upgraded vehicle and if it doesn't work for me, I'll just reload my VMU save. Once you have upgraded your vehicle or are using a Works Car, you have the ability to adjust its set up before each race event or time attack. This allows to adjust things like engine power, transmission, brake and downforce along with comprehensive suspension options for your car's spring rate, ride height, damper, camber and stabliser. It is very, very detailed although extremely daunting to anyone who isn't a car enthusiast. I should point out the 'y/RPM axis' numbers on the transmission graph obscures individual gear ratio rpms so it's difficult to make precise adjustments. It is possible to get around this but this design flaw can be a real pain (see the following pictures for an visual explanation). However my biggest gripe here is that Set Up should have been in 'real time', ie have the car on a test track, press pause to access the tuning menu and make adjustments, then unpause to see continue driving to instantly feel the change just made. Instead you have to go back through the menus and enter into a race/trial and if you find the settings do not work for you, you need to go back into Set Up. Having to constantly go in and out of Set Up is an unnecessary grind and puts off all but the most enthusiastic of players. Also, when you take a look at the PAL instruction manual and look for help on Set Up (or Carrozzeria for that matter), there is a note saying "See the website for a detailed guide". Well that's no good if you never built the website in the first place! In contrast, Homologation Special came with a very nice technical note guide for this; a copy can viewed here at: https://archive.org/details/Sega_GT_Homologation_Special_Technical_Note_2000_J_color/mode/2up
The Set Up option is very in-depth and requires a lot of trial and error to get things right. I guess it's easier if you are a car enthusiast!
As mentioned, you can see on the graph, the Y axis numbers get in the way of the gear ratio line numbers
Spring rates affect the car responsiveness and steering. The higher the level, the quicker the car will steer but it will also respond more violently to road bumps!
Well I've put this off long enough so it's now time to address Sega GT's biggest problem: the handling and car physics. Having played Vanishing Point, I'm automatically suspicious when I see complex tuning options as they may be used to hide fundamental flaws. Unlike Vanishing Point though, Sega GT is the type of game where you expect vehicle upgrades and adjustments so I have no problem with their presence. However the default handling is 'inconsistent' to put it mildly. The majority of E Class cars are perfectly fine as their low speed makes them controllable. However once you start driving certain upgraded B Class cars and taking part in the A Class Works Cups, the control issues become very obvious. It is like somebody took a arcade racing coin-op, pulled off the steering wheel and attached a console pad in its place. Driving in Sega GT feels extremely nervous and you literally have to 'brush' the controller stick to guide certain cars around a corner and avoid oversteer/spinouts. This particularly applies to the SA racing cars. You can use a Dreamcast steering wheel with Sega GT but it makes little difference. Special mention must be given to the Renault Clio V6/Renault Clio Trophy cars as they have some of the worse default controls I have ever encountered in a racer! Handling like a cross between a remote control car and a broken shopping trolley, the slightest steer will cause these cars to lurch out of control and spin out. The only way to remedy this is to either choose manual transmission and keep the car in permanently high gear (forces the revs down) or spending ridiculous amounts of time in the Set Up section. I chose the latter and eventually made it drivable after a lot of trial and error, however there was no sense of achievement when I succeeded as it should never have been like this in the first place! In my eyes, Sega GT commits a cardinal sin: a default, unmodified car should never be undriveable. I can accept a low top speed and poor acceleration, but I cannot accept that. If a player messes around with the tuning settings and made a car undrivable as a result, that's fair enough but the default option should always be controllable.
Sega GT's physics are indeed complex and nuanced, and each car does have a unique feel. You can also feel the changes in the driving physics when you purchase upgrades or make adjustments. However that doesn't make driving a good experience. Game like Ferrari F355 Challenge are hard to master but its controls are good enough for you to keep trying. If you lose a race on Ferrari F355 Challenge, it's purely down to a lack of skill/experience and a player can remedy this by practicing and trying again. The best control I managed to get from Sega GT was a kind of 'twitch pivot' steering where the car feels like its partially on Scalextric rails. The fastest cars in the game have a sort of 'plastic car' feel where the slightest bump sends shocks through the springs and causes them to spin out on the slightest steer. Driving in Sega GT can feel 'out of control' and players will not want to continue if the remedy is out of their hands. Granted, you can make default, uncontrollable cars somewhat drivable with extensive adjustments but only the most die-hard will want to do this (due to the lack of a real time Set Up) and even they will still have an unstable, floaty, 'sticky' feel!
When you experience the bad handling, you will then understand why the track design is as bland as it is. The car physics would be much more exposed by technical tracks with snaking bends and hairpin turns! A lot of people say that Sega GT's physics are the way they are as it's meant to be realistic. Well, my response to them is just look at this video:
Despite the bad handling on some of the faster cars, the race events themselves are relatively easy to beat with the right vehicle. The only real problem I had was with the 'Ford Racing Original Car Cup' event; I had to make a uncontrollable Dodge Viper clone as no other Carrozzeria car I made could outrun one of the CPU cars on the Sprint Zone track! The collision physics between cars however is totally unrealistic and feels like toy cars whacking into each other!
Another issue with Sega GT is the lack of autosave. You need to save everything manually so bear this in mind after completing an event. I understand that autosave may not be desirable if you have wasted money making a bad Carrozzeria car or upgrading a vehicle that doesn't cut the mustard, however the option should have still been present. The sub-menu layouts can also be confusing. For example, if I wanted to sell a car in Championship mode, I have to first select that particular car from the Car Select option. I then have to go into Car Dealer and go to the 'Used Car' option down the bottom above 'Exit'. As it's written in the same font as 'Exit' and obscured by the car manufacturer's logos, it's easy to miss it. Once you go into the 'Used Car' option, you then have to select the 'Sell' option (again just above the word 'Exit' and written in the same font). It would have better to have given the 'Used Car' section its own logo for selection and once inside, all cars you can buy and sell can be seen easily. However the worse example is trying to view your lap records for certain events. In order to view my lap record for a particular License Test, I have to go through 8 different menus! Far easier to have put all player records under one option in the Mode Select menu.
The Used Car option is located down the bottom in the Car Dealer screen and is easy to miss if you are not looking
Same applies with the Sell option. You need to go into the Used Car option first to get to it. Could have been done better!
Sega GT is definitely deep but then so is the Marianna Trench and most people do not want to go down there! I can see a lot of players getting frustrated with the physics and just charging through the events to win, whacking walls along the way (I did on my first playthrough). Yes, you can make cars handle a bit better by spending time in the Set Up option but the format make its an absolutely grind with no guarantee of success. In short a lot of effort for very little or nothing in return. Only die hard car enthusiasts will have the patience for this. While Sega Europe only really did the localisation for Sega GT, they could have pushed for a 're-edit' of the game that made the Carrozzeria the main focus. A strategy book (like the two released in Japan) or VHS guide containing the best replays from the top Japanese players would have helped. Seeing the game played at the highest level could have motivated some of the top Ferrari F355 and Sega Rally 2 players from Europe to give the game a chance. The likelihood any of this was considered though is pure wishful thinking.
I would hate to end this review on a bad note, so I'll briefly mention the surprise gem that is Pocket GT. I am happy to confirm that all three variations of this VMU mini game are present in the PAL version of Sega GT. I've done a separate review for Pocket GT which will be in the next post however I can say it's definitely worth playing. While you can transfer any money earned from Pocket GT into Sega GT, there are other more lucrative ways to increase your cash balance (like replaying a race).
CONCLUSION
To conclude, Sega GT is more a 'motorsports enthusiast' title than it is a racing game. I really wanted to like it and I gave it the best chance I could by doing two complete playthroughs. Unfortunately, while there is some good here (the Carrozzeria and the standard license tests), it is badly let down by inconsistent controls/physics and bland track design. Just because Sega excelled at one type of racing game does not automatically mean they excel in another. If you crave serious racing action on the Dreamcast, I would recommend Test Drive Le Mans, Sega's own Ferrari F355 Challenge or even the Formula One games instead. However if you are excited by terms like "Tom's Supra", "V-Type 12 Cylinder Engine", and "Natural Aspiration" and are prepared to put the time into making/tuning your favourite car, mastering its driving physics and can swap Time Attack replay/ghost files with like-minded players, you will find value here.
FINAL SCORE: FIVE OUT OF TEN (6/10 if you can develop a enthusiast following around the online/Time Attack functions).
It's likely the GT stands for 'Grand Tour' (after the racing series in Japan). However what do YOU think it stands for?. See the poll above
minor grammar and spelling edits
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