Your favourite Colin McRae/DiRT game?
- Thread starter JR98
- 41 comments
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- 6,106
- Texas
CMR3 was the first in the series I owned. I just beat career again last November or so. It needed more rallies though. The length of the ones we had were great, but it just felt lacking in the locales department, which seems to be a running thing for Codemasters. Played the original Colin McRae, Sweden is 🤬 unforgiving, but t was fun too. That said, I'm all for the DiRT games. The rallying is great in the named games, but the variety in the DiRT games makes up for the lack of truly different locales. As for the Codies-Floatie-Physics, CMR3 is a floaty as any game I've played, more so than the LEGIT DiRT games, of which Showdown is not a part of, but it makes them a truly middle-of-the-range racer, meaning you have people moaning it isn't a real sim while you have others moaning it isn't more arcadey, meanwhile I'm over here playing DiRT 2 yet again with a stupid smile on my face.
Yes, DiRT 2. I liked the damage and tuning systems from DiRT 1, and the hillclimbs, and DiRT 3 is technically almost as perfect as the series may get, but I choose 2 over the others for one reason: The immersion of it.
Confused? Well, it's taken me some time to figure it out myself. DiRT 1 you may as well be an anonymous entity in cyberspace, because everything outside of the racing itself took place in white floating menus with only ambient noise the nameless soundtrack to accompany you. Jump to DiRT 3 now, and instead of floating n cyberspace, you're floating in Ken Block's simulator. Again, floating menus of various shades attached to nothing, and the thing is that normally this wouldn't be a knock on the game, as well it shouldn't because it's very organized and easy to use, but DiRT 2 exist.
Let's start from the beginning. Yes, the X-Games thing can be a turn-off, but the game puts you in the middle of the event, not in some blank world. Next is that a vast majority of the game is a tribute to Colin himself, even using what is claimed as his Impreza, and not to mention the nods to his past here and there, and one specific video I'll mention later. Next on the checklist is the music. I have about half the music tracks on my iPod, if I knew how to get 'Good Love' on there without fuss I'd do it, while the other games have had good but nameless songs. Also the licensed songs are awesome. Now, remember that 'Immersion' thing I mentioned, here's why it makes the game. YOU have to navigate your little area, interacting with vehicles, people, and catalogues to do anything. YOUR home is an old RV you somehow managed to get off the crew chief from TOCA Race Driver 2, as you travel and win, miscellaneous crap collects around the RV, and gets moved around from time to time. You can see the spectators, your crew, you interact with the map itself, your races are presented in event passes. Hell, when you turn on the game, your person walks out of the bedroom like they just woke up! Can I praise this game any more.....
Yes. After all that, possibly one of the greatest direct tributes in all of gaming. That aforementioned video, one of the few things that pulled on the heartstrings hard and simply capped the game off:
PS: And it hit the same strings again. I wish it was HD, but those cut off bits.
Yes, DiRT 2. I liked the damage and tuning systems from DiRT 1, and the hillclimbs, and DiRT 3 is technically almost as perfect as the series may get, but I choose 2 over the others for one reason: The immersion of it.
Confused? Well, it's taken me some time to figure it out myself. DiRT 1 you may as well be an anonymous entity in cyberspace, because everything outside of the racing itself took place in white floating menus with only ambient noise the nameless soundtrack to accompany you. Jump to DiRT 3 now, and instead of floating n cyberspace, you're floating in Ken Block's simulator. Again, floating menus of various shades attached to nothing, and the thing is that normally this wouldn't be a knock on the game, as well it shouldn't because it's very organized and easy to use, but DiRT 2 exist.
Let's start from the beginning. Yes, the X-Games thing can be a turn-off, but the game puts you in the middle of the event, not in some blank world. Next is that a vast majority of the game is a tribute to Colin himself, even using what is claimed as his Impreza, and not to mention the nods to his past here and there, and one specific video I'll mention later. Next on the checklist is the music. I have about half the music tracks on my iPod, if I knew how to get 'Good Love' on there without fuss I'd do it, while the other games have had good but nameless songs. Also the licensed songs are awesome. Now, remember that 'Immersion' thing I mentioned, here's why it makes the game. YOU have to navigate your little area, interacting with vehicles, people, and catalogues to do anything. YOUR home is an old RV you somehow managed to get off the crew chief from TOCA Race Driver 2, as you travel and win, miscellaneous crap collects around the RV, and gets moved around from time to time. You can see the spectators, your crew, you interact with the map itself, your races are presented in event passes. Hell, when you turn on the game, your person walks out of the bedroom like they just woke up! Can I praise this game any more.....
Yes. After all that, possibly one of the greatest direct tributes in all of gaming. That aforementioned video, one of the few things that pulled on the heartstrings hard and simply capped the game off:
PS: And it hit the same strings again. I wish it was HD, but those cut off bits.
Wiegert
Premium
- 13,387
- United Kingdom
CMR 3 is the only title I've never tried unfortunately. I didn't buy the original DiRT either, but I've played a friend's copy enough to be put off by the physics. I can say with confidence that it would easily best any other CMR title if the vehicles behaved more like they did in DiRT 2.
Actual favourite? Hard to pick between 04 and 2005. In terms of minor strengths (e.g. Derek Ringer as co-driver, nicer stage designs in most locations), 04 would probably come out on top. For overall gameplay and enjoyment, I'd choose 2005. With 2.0 not far behind.
Actual favourite? Hard to pick between 04 and 2005. In terms of minor strengths (e.g. Derek Ringer as co-driver, nicer stage designs in most locations), 04 would probably come out on top. For overall gameplay and enjoyment, I'd choose 2005. With 2.0 not far behind.
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- 2,260
- N. Jessamine, KY
- JMoney-689
- Woodside689
I've always loved DiRT 3. Still fun to play enough though it's almost 4 years old. It's one of the oldest games that you can still find players online because Codemasters hasn't made a successor to it yet. For DiRT 4 I think they should refocus on rally and trailblazer and drop rallycross and gymkhana. Put Pikes Peak back in the game and have three or four different years for the course, each with a different pavement layout. Re-creating the Dakar Rally with multiple stages would also be really awesome.
- 2,810
- Tasmania, AU
- stigsdaddy
Exactly this! 05 and 2.0 for me were both amazing games in their day! I also didn't like the feel of the first DiRT game when I rented it from a video store (remember those? lol), but I did buy DiRT2 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Especially once I had unlocked the Dallenbach Special. That thing rocked!
- 8,239
- United Kingdom
- 5,888
- Vidzeme, Riga
- Driverman447
- None.
Well, the Colin McRae series... It all started with Colin McRae Rally 04, when a friend of mine gave it to me. Rally games had always been close to me, I remember spending loads of time of my childhood playing the outstanding Mobil 1 British Rally Championship. 
But CMR 04 just took it to another level, the physics were awesome, the graphics and the level of detail was unprecedented, the sounds and the feel were amazing... It basically became my most played game right after Gran Turismo 4. Afterwards I tried CMR 1, 2.0, 3 and 2005 but, even though all of those are amazing games which I still play nowadays sometimes, 04 just remains my absolute favourite because of its simplicity and amazing modelling and physics.
Well, of the Dirt series, Dirt 3 is my favourite of those. I can't count the hours I spent online, playing outbreak all day all night!
And I love how it brought back so much of the rally content which was missing badly in Dirt 2.
IMO Dirt 4 should keep Rallycross, Trailblazer and maybe even a little bit of Gymkhana BUT it should totally focus on rally as the main discipline and improve upon it. Dirt 3 has amazing rally content but it has one major flaw - the stages are too short and they overlap immensely, it's very annoying driving down the same roads over and over again. And, it's not just a fault of Dirt 3, the WRC rally games from Milestone (which I really enjoy despite the general negativity towards them which I don't always get) commit the same sin by making the stages overlap.
Oh, and one last thing, I hope the tarmac physics of CMR 3 never return because those were just horrid.
But CMR 04 just took it to another level, the physics were awesome, the graphics and the level of detail was unprecedented, the sounds and the feel were amazing... It basically became my most played game right after Gran Turismo 4. Afterwards I tried CMR 1, 2.0, 3 and 2005 but, even though all of those are amazing games which I still play nowadays sometimes, 04 just remains my absolute favourite because of its simplicity and amazing modelling and physics.Well, of the Dirt series, Dirt 3 is my favourite of those. I can't count the hours I spent online, playing outbreak all day all night!
And I love how it brought back so much of the rally content which was missing badly in Dirt 2.IMO Dirt 4 should keep Rallycross, Trailblazer and maybe even a little bit of Gymkhana BUT it should totally focus on rally as the main discipline and improve upon it. Dirt 3 has amazing rally content but it has one major flaw - the stages are too short and they overlap immensely, it's very annoying driving down the same roads over and over again. And, it's not just a fault of Dirt 3, the WRC rally games from Milestone (which I really enjoy despite the general negativity towards them which I don't always get) commit the same sin by making the stages overlap.
Oh, and one last thing, I hope the tarmac physics of CMR 3 never return because those were just horrid.
- 2,260
- N. Jessamine, KY
- JMoney-689
- Woodside689
I just enjoy rally and trailblazer more than the other disciples. If they keep it the way it was in Dirt 3 they need to add more locations. At least 8 for each discipline. I think the most any of them had in Dirt 3 was 5. Also, longer routes for Rally. I want a course I can really settle in with that would take 20 minutes to complete. In DiRT 1 we had Pikes Peak, but there wasn't anything of the sort in DiRT 3.
Colin 05 had nice car selection (but they took away 2CV and that cool Transit and maybe some more), Dirt 3 graphics were epic (and still are!), Colin 2.0 was so fun to drive, Colin 2004 too. I didn't like Colin 03 car handling but it had Colin Mcrae's livery Ford Focus. Hard to choose, every game has something in it that I like. I can't decide between 2.0, 04 and 2005.
- 2,726
- England
- ECGadget
- Eh???
2.0 and now DiRT Rally
Though I am holding full judgement on DiRT Rally until it is fully finished! So CMR 2.0 because that was the first one I played and I had countless hours of fun. Even now the music rings in my ears. That and the fact that for some reason I had the initials as MLU... To this day I have no idea why...
Though I am holding full judgement on DiRT Rally until it is fully finished! So CMR 2.0 because that was the first one I played and I had countless hours of fun. Even now the music rings in my ears. That and the fact that for some reason I had the initials as MLU... To this day I have no idea why...
- 2,726
- England
- ECGadget
- Eh???
I had it on PS, I should probably get it on PC, I wonder if it is classed as abandonware yet.
On a sidenote, feels odd to say PS without attaching a "One", "2", "3" or "4" to it haha
- 2,726
- England
- ECGadget
- Eh???
Ah well; I can always buy it! Or find my game and play it on PS3...
Drave
(Banned)
- 84
- @ my XBox
Hard to decide between Dirt 2 and 3 for me.
The rally cross in 2 was fantastic, whilst I greatly enjoyed the variety in 3. I'd probably go for 3 if pushed.
I'm on XBox One myself and I find the new to us Dirt Rally a very disappointing game... graphics and noises are great, but the game itself is seriously lacking a rewind and a way to set the Ai difficulty.
How we as individuals play these games is personal to us, so why the lack of controls in Dirt Rally I have no idea... so it has been lobbed onto the 'I don't play it' pile and I play SLRE instead
The rally cross in 2 was fantastic, whilst I greatly enjoyed the variety in 3. I'd probably go for 3 if pushed.
I'm on XBox One myself and I find the new to us Dirt Rally a very disappointing game... graphics and noises are great, but the game itself is seriously lacking a rewind and a way to set the Ai difficulty.
How we as individuals play these games is personal to us, so why the lack of controls in Dirt Rally I have no idea... so it has been lobbed onto the 'I don't play it' pile and I play SLRE instead
- 6,344
- Nantes
- P308R
For me it is the first one on the original playstation. This game introduced me to rally racing and I spend hours and hours on those beautiful crafted tracks. The game had great gameplay mechanics and cars were enjoyable to drive and visuals were top notch (for that time). A very colorful experience 
- 1,910
- valencia
- Donnced
Well,the first Colin McRae was awesome, also the Colin McRae games on PlayStation 2.
The first Colin McRae Rally DiRT on PlayStation 3 was for me the best of all the DiRTs launched on the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360.
But after the "original" Colin McRae Rally games, for me the new DiRT Rally has became my favourite game of the series,it's pure Rally and for me the most realistic ever launched in the series.. Colin McRae sure that would be very grateful and proud of the last game Paul Coleman and Codemasters made.
The first Colin McRae Rally DiRT on PlayStation 3 was for me the best of all the DiRTs launched on the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360.
But after the "original" Colin McRae Rally games, for me the new DiRT Rally has became my favourite game of the series,it's pure Rally and for me the most realistic ever launched in the series.. Colin McRae sure that would be very grateful and proud of the last game Paul Coleman and Codemasters made.
- 5,837
- Dublin
- Paul2007
This thread is crying out for a poll.
Good question. Of the original Colin McRae games I would say CMcRae 3 but I am loving DiRT Rally right now.
I was never a fan of the PS3 DiRT games which I feel became too arcade-like and far removed from the spirit of real rally.
Good question. Of the original Colin McRae games I would say CMcRae 3 but I am loving DiRT Rally right now.
I was never a fan of the PS3 DiRT games which I feel became too arcade-like and far removed from the spirit of real rally.
- 3,538
- Connecticut
- SPhilli
- SPhilli911
Dirt Rally is by far is my favorite. It's just a perfect rally game in my eyes.
Played almost all the Colin McRae games growing up, which were fun but obviously dated today. Colin McRae 2005 was memorable on the original Xbox for me. The Dirt games (excluding Dirt Rally) got progressively worse in my opinion and I played 3 for maybe a week before selling it. I remember being hooked on the first Dirt only because it was latest and greatest rally game, but I hated the driving physics.
Played almost all the Colin McRae games growing up, which were fun but obviously dated today. Colin McRae 2005 was memorable on the original Xbox for me. The Dirt games (excluding Dirt Rally) got progressively worse in my opinion and I played 3 for maybe a week before selling it. I remember being hooked on the first Dirt only because it was latest and greatest rally game, but I hated the driving physics.
- 63
- sydney
- jdm180
Colin Mcrae rally 3 personal favorite, theres something about the physics of the cars that's just so fun, You can really throw them around and slide every corner.
but apart from that dirt 3 is also top of my list.
Ive got dirt rally as well but find myself always going back to CMR3 and dirt 3.
I feel i gota take a more serious simulation approach with DIRT rally
but apart from that dirt 3 is also top of my list.
Ive got dirt rally as well but find myself always going back to CMR3 and dirt 3.
I feel i gota take a more serious simulation approach with DIRT rally
- 52
- Brazil
- motoyuki7
I didn't play the first game, but I played 2.0 a lot!
Skipped 3 and 4 because I could not get a copy, but I loved 2005.
Playes Dirt 1, 2, and a little bit o Showdown.
And I started to play Dirt Rally yesterday. So I will not count this one because I have to play it more.
I would put them in this order:
01) Colin Mc Rae Rally 2.0
02) DiRT 2
03) Colin Mc Rae Rally 2005
Skipped 3 and 4 because I could not get a copy, but I loved 2005.
Playes Dirt 1, 2, and a little bit o Showdown.
And I started to play Dirt Rally yesterday. So I will not count this one because I have to play it more.
I would put them in this order:
01) Colin Mc Rae Rally 2.0
02) DiRT 2
03) Colin Mc Rae Rally 2005
