TOCA 2: Touring Cars

TOCA 2: Touring Cars
Cover art
Developer(s)Codemasters
Publisher(s)Codemasters
SeriesTOCA
Platform(s)PlayStation, Windows
Release
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

TOCA 2: Touring Cars (TOCA 2: Touring Car Challenge in North America) is a British racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is the second game in the TOCA series, based on the 1998 season of the British Touring Car Championship. Mainly an annual franchise update of cars and tracks, the game added more detailed graphics, physics, multiplayer modes and other minor features. Realistic tracks were added, and support races such as Ford Fiestas, Formula Ford and others also arrived. The level of car damage possible during a race was also enhanced, which was a significant selling point compared with the likes of Gran Turismo which had no damage model at the time.

Gameplay

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Gameplay screenshot (PlayStation)

The game modes include the support races such as Formula Ford and the Ford Fiesta Championships, a test track mode where the player tests any car on certain variations of the test track, a Championship mode which is dependent on the length with the difficulty selected, a feature new to the game is the support cars are able to be chosen with the colour the player prefers. A challenge mode is included to see how fast the player can get to the checkpoints in a limited amount of time. The single race mode allows the player to select the track to race on, as well as the weather conditions, laps raced and allowance for computer cars for one or more players. Similar to the first game, once the players select a car, they replace a driver and partner the other driver, but unlike the first TOCA game, this time they replace the second team driver, not the first.

The standard cars featured are the Audi A4, Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Nissan Primera, Peugeot 406, Renault Laguna, Vauxhall Vectra and Volvo S40. The support cars are the AC Superblower, Ford Fiesta, Formula Ford, Grinnall Scorpion, Jaguar XJ220, Lister Storm and TVR Speed 12.

All the tracks used in the various championships, including the main BTCC championship, are real racing tracks in Great Britain. These are as follows: Thruxton; Silverstone; Donington Park; Brands Hatch; Oulton Park; Croft; Snetterton; and Knockhill. There are bonus tracks and cars which can be accessed through the championship mode.

TOCA 2 for Windows also has the ability to import skins for each car. They can be edited using any paint/drawing program.

Multiplayer

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The multiplayer mode (known as Linkup Game) allows for two or more players to race on any circuit and also in the Championship mode. TOCA 2 is notable for being one of only four PlayStation games (the others being Wipeout 3: Special Edition, Ridge Racer Type 4 and Andretti Racing) to feature a four-player mode using the PlayStation's link cable and split-screen at the same time - i.e., four players compete against each other simultaneously using two PlayStation consoles, with two players per console and connected to two televisions.

Soundtrack

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The main menu background music features "Retro", and the opening video "Soundclash" by E-Z Rollers. Other versions feature "Sole Sentiment" by Ratman in the opening intro.

Reception

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The game received "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator GameRankings.[5][6] Official UK PlayStation Magazine said the PlayStation version was an improvement on the original game, with many tracks, but that "the new cars felt tacked on".[3] Rick Sanchez of NextGen said of the same console version, "Hands down, TOCA 2 [is] one of the best touring-car sims available, and one of the best new driving games for PlayStation."[17]

The PC version was nominated for PC PowerPlay's "Best Driving/Racing" award, which went to Grand Theft Auto 2.[22]

References

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  1. ^ GameSpot staff (11 November 1999). "Touring Car Races to Stores [date mislabeled as "April 27, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 25 May 2000. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  2. ^ "A driving force in games". The Citizen. 1 December 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 5 October 2024. Released November 27
  3. ^ a b c Pettengale, Paul (Christmas 1998). "TOCA 2 Touring Cars". Official UK PlayStation Magazine. No. 40. Future Publishing. pp. 102–4. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b Edge staff (Christmas 1998). "TOCA 2: Touring Cars (PS)" (PDF). Edge. No. 66. Future Publishing. pp. 90–91. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b "TOCA 2: Touring Car Challenge for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b "TOCA 2 Touring Car Challenge for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  7. ^ Nguyen, Cal. "Touring Car Challenge: TOCA 2 (PC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  8. ^ Kanarick, Mark. "Touring Car Challenge: TOCA 2 (PS) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  9. ^ Goble, Gordon (6 January 2000). "[TOCA 2:] Touring Car Challenge (PC)". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on 16 August 2000. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  10. ^ Helgeson, Matt (January 2000). "TOCA 2: Touring Car Challenge (PS)". Game Informer. No. 81. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on 11 July 2000. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  11. ^ Howarth, Robert (10 January 2000). "REVIEW for [TOCA 2:] Touring Car Challenge (PC)". GameFan. Shinno Media. Archived from the original on 16 May 2000. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  12. ^ Lam, Danny W. (2000). "TOCA 2 [Touring Car Challenge] Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on 9 February 2005. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  13. ^ Poole, Stephen (22 December 1999). "Touring Car Challenge Review (PC)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  14. ^ Stahl, Ben (10 November 1999). "TOCA 2 Touring Car Challenge Review (PS)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  15. ^ Rouse, Rich (17 December 1999). "TOCA 2: Touring Car Challenge (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  16. ^ Bishop, Sam (16 February 2000). "TOCA 2 [Touring Car Challenge] (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  17. ^ a b Sanchez, Rick (December 1999). "TOCA 2: Touring Car Challenge (PS)". NextGen. No. 60. Imagine Media. p. 113. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  18. ^ Maruyama, Wataru (December 1999). "TOCA 2 [Touring Car Challenge]". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 3, no. 3. Ziff Davis. p. 164. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  19. ^ Smith, Rob (December 1999). "TOCA 2: Touring Car Challenge". PC Accelerator. No. 16. Imagine Media. p. 90. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  20. ^ Mahood, Andy (2000). "TOCA 2 [Touring Car Challenge]". PC Gamer. Imagine Media. Archived from the original on 15 March 2006. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  21. ^ a b Berman, A.S. (28 January 2000). "Racing game needs less touring, more challenge". The Cincinnati Enquirer (USA Today). Gannett Company. Archived from the original on 16 August 2000. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  22. ^ "Game of the Year 1999 (Part 3)". PC PowerPlay. No. 47. Next Media Pty Ltd. April 2000. p. 30. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
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