In a 2007 retrospective review, Eurogamer called it 'a simulation down to the core: those dedicated will eventually reap success but most will be deterred by the difficulty'. It also pioneered the third-person rear-view perspective used in most racing games since then, with the track's vanishing point swaying side to side as the player approaches corners, accurately simulating forward movement into the distance. It featured other AI cars to race against, crashes caused by collisions with other vehicles and roadside signs, and introduced a qualifying lap concept where the player needs to complete a time trial before they can compete in Grand Prix races. Prior to the division between arcade-style racing and sim racing, the earliest attempts at providing driving simulation experiences were arcade racing video games, dating back to Pole Position, a 1982 arcade game developed by Namco, which the game's publisher Atari publicized for its 'unbelievable driving realism' in providing a Formula 1 experience behind a racing wheel at the time. History of sim racing Arcade simulator era (1982–1989) In general, sim racing gameplay style applied in several video games like iRacing, Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione, Gran Turismo, among others. With continued development of the physics engine software that forms the basis of these sims, as well as improved hardware (providing tactile feedback), the experience has become more realistic. Even those who race in real-world competition use simulations for practice or for entertainment.

With the development of online racing, the ability to drive against human opponents and computer AI offline is the closest many will come to driving cars on a real track. While these games can be played with a controller, it is recommended that players invest in a racing wheel and pedals. In recent years, many sim racing experiences have been developed for consoles, such as the PlayStation and Xbox. While using a simple gamepad, joystick or even a mouse and keyboard may suffice for most arcade-style driving games on home systems, it won't provide the same level of immersion and realism as using a racing wheel and pedals. Many cars are digitally recreated for sim racing like this BMW Z4 GT3 from Assetto Corsa.

Driving simulator online