Today I re-visited my childhood: ToCA 2 Touring Cars

I was lucky enough to have a few days off work last week due to a rather painful throat infection - so what better way to spend my time than to re-install an old classic game onto my PC. Namely ToCA 2 Touring Cars.

But doesit hold the same charms that I remember from years gone by, or were my memories clouded by the layers of nostalgia?

As not everyone here will know, or have even heard of this game, here’s a quick run down of what it’s about;
Based on the 1998 British Touring Car Championship, ToCA 2 includes all the real BTCC tracks, such as Thruxton, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Knockhill, Donington - as well as some fun, fictional tracks.

Also included are all 16 full licenced ‘98 BTCC cars, from Nissan, Vauxhall, Ford, Audi etc. as well as the addition of ‘support series’ which includes stuff from humble Ford Fiesta’s, to the fire breathing Lister Storm.

Graphically, the game simply doesn’t hold up against modern day racing games, but what did you expect?! It’s almost 20 years old (F*cking hell, that makes me feel so old now), so of course the graphics aren’t going to be brilliant. It is, however, full of charm. It’s colourful, easy on the eyes, and there’s not too much going on which means you don’t get distracted whilst racing. There are some little touches here and there, lense flares, and windscreen dirt on the cockpit views, which just add to the charm of the game. Back in the day this was incredible levels of details, nowadays it’s almost quaint. All this aside, the game holds up well, put it this way - you can tell your Nissans from your Hondas easily.

Moving on to sound, and it’s actually surprising how good this game sounds. All the cars have different engine notes, so you get the V6 and 5pot howls from the Fords and Volvo’s, the throaty 4 pot noises from the rest of the field (in different pitches etc. to keep it interesting), which means you know exactly who’s behind you, and you know the exact moment Rydell in his Volvo is going to shove you out of the way whilst you’re braking for the next corner. The interior sounds for the cars are pretty much all the same, but the interior views get the added bonus of being able to hear all the gravel etc. hitting the bottom of your car should you decide to throw the car off track. This is something most modern games seem to miss. I’ve crashed into a gravel trap (and then proceeded to roll - you know what they say, go big etc. etc.) and the noise is bloody loud, as the car’s flooded with shingle, and ToCA 2 captures this perfectly. You’ll also get pops, crackles and bangs from the exhausts whilst racing too.

The physics still also hold up well, the cars do seem to have a habit of gripping until the very last minute, where upon you have literally 0 grip and end up spinning wildly into a tyre wall. Once you realise that, and learn how to manage the cars, it’s really a brilliant mix between arcade and sim (ish) handling. The dynamic weather engine also is a real joy, even to this day, with sudden downpours causing havoc mid-race when the entire field are still on slicks. Also new for 1998, was a pit stop system, which allowed you to fix damage, and change tyres. Before the races, you’re also able to tweak and set up your car in rather in-depth detail.

The damage engine and models also hold up well, from scuffed paint, to bumpers, wings, bonnets etc. all fully detachable! Even broken glass will show who’s been used as a battering ram come the end of a race. Going back to the cockpit view, the screen will also crack and eventually shatter, depending on how hard you decide to use the car infront of you as a brakeing option (Jason Plato syndrome).

To summarise - I’d say, yes. ToCA 2 still fills me with the same childish joy it did when I first played it some 19-20 years ago. It’s not as in-depth, good looking, or complex as most current racing games, but it’s for exactly those reasons why I love it so much. It’s a brilliant, no frills, no messing, brilliantly fun racing game, and I look forward to replaying the entire 1998 championship.