It’s been a few months since it arrived, but Gran Turismo 7 is still played by longtime fans of the franchise. That ties into the history of the series as it is widely regarded as the greatest and most realistic racing game in history.
While games like Mario Kart are definitely a ton of fun and have their place in the genre, Gran Turismo feels like it’s for the most serious racing fans. The ratings on Metacritic are consistent with the idea that it’s the best, as the main games all received high ratings from reviewers
8 Gran Turismo Sports (2017) – 75
The only main game in the series that doesn’t follow the chronological number sequence is Gran Turismo Sport. It also stands out as the only entry in the franchise to be released exclusively on the PlayStation 4. One thing that may have caused the lower rating is that there were fewer options for gamers.
For example, there were just over 300 cars available and less than 100 tracks, both of which were less than the previous installment. In fact, the game had over 1,000 cars before it, making it a huge dip that disappointed fans. While the single player mode was strong, this game emphasized online gameplay, which was welcome.
7 Gran Turismo 6 (2013) – 81
No game in the franchise had more cars or tracks available than Gran Turismo 6. There were over 1,200 cars to use and 100 tracks to drive, but despite all that, it still had the lowest sales figures for the main series.
A big win for Gran Turismo 6 was that it became the first game to be certified by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), making everything feel even more realistic and official. While there was a lot to like, some disagreed with the bugs the game had at launch and the lack of improvements for certain modes.
6 Gran Turismo 5 (2010) – 84
Gran Turismo 5 was the first time in the history of the series that gamers could choose from more than 1,000 vehicles, which was a huge step forward from the past. This game was so big that a prlogue was released a few years earlier and even that scored impressively on Metacritic (80).
Licensing was a big part of this game as it introduced NASCAR, Super GT and World Rally Championship into the mix, making your performance seem like an even bigger deal. As the first entry to be released on PlayStation 3, it was highly anticipated and made phenomenal use of the graphics engine. In fact, it became one of the best-selling games in PS3 history.
5 Gran Turismo 7 (2022) – 87
The newest game in the franchise is Gran Turismo 7 and fans have been waiting for it for almost five years and almost a decade since the last entry with a song on it. The reviews have shown that the game lived up to the hype and delivered the things long-time fans of the critically acclaimed series have come to expect.
Unfortunately, things were not without controversy for this game. Players were so mad at the use of microtransactions that they bombed it on Metacritic upon release. Since then things have leveled out and while those aspects are still not appreciated, the gameplay, graphics and difficulty got a stronger response.
4 Gran Turismo 4 (2004) – 89
As is the case with most long-running game franchises, the earlier installments were released with a more frequent clip. Gran Turismo 4 came just three years after the previous game and was a huge hit, made even more impressive by the fact that it was released for the PlayStation, the best-selling console ever.
With over 700 cars and 50 tracks, there was a lot for players to do. The game once again received a lot of acclaim for how real it was, and even got a test on Top gear to see how realistic it was compared to real racing. There was some criticism lobbied about the way cars were damaged in the game and the way some of the cars handled.
3 Gran Turismo 2 (1999) – 93
After the huge success of the first part, there was a lot of pressure on Sony to deliver something special with the sequel. Luckily they nailed it as Gran Turismo 2 is widely regarded as one of the best-received sequels in video game history, building on what worked so well the first time around.
Compared to later entries, there aren’t nearly as many cars, tracks, options and modes, but it was a huge success for other reasons. It has won a slew of awards and is considered one of the best racing games in history. The only negative that some saw is that it was a bit rushed to production leading to some minor unpolished aspects.
2 Gran Turismo 3: A Spec (2001) – 95
Given how massive the first two entries were, there was even more pressure for the third game, but Gran Turismo 3: A Spec blew expectations out of the water. The graphics were almost unheard of for the time, as this marked the franchise’s debut on the PlayStation 2 and it was a critical darling.
While the number of cars was significantly lower, almost everything else about the game more than made up for it. The soundtrack was strong, the gameplay was smooth and for the first time the game featured Formula 1 cars. Throw in the car rewards to get closer to 100% of the game and this was a clear winner. Even comparable racing games can’t really touch it.
1 Gran Turismo (1997) – 96
Sometimes it’s hard to top the original. Gran Turismo was a revelation when it arrived in 1997 and changed the face of the racing genre forever. Back then, games were like Need for speed led the way and while those were iconic and great games, they were completely different from Gran Turismo.
It was more realistic in terms of gameplay, but also implementing concepts like having to pass your driver’s license before qualifying for certain events. The game also featured some of the best AI in the genre and groundbreaking features such as the use of the DualShock controller. It is often referred to as the best racing game ever made.
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