Trigger Happy
54
with Namco’s arcade Pole Position (1982), whose
steering wheel and pedals controlled a bright, colorful
approximation of track driving. Ever since, racing
games have become better and better at true
perspective, while added textures on the tarmac and
solid passing landmarks enhance the feeling of speed.
One of the best examples at the time of writing is Gran
Turismo, with tracks modeled on Japanese suburbs,
superbly atmospheric lighting effects and (crucially)
wonderfully throaty engine roars. As in most racing
games, players must learn to throw their cars into
powerslides with abandon and not to worry too much
about hitting other competitors; these vehicles might
look like racing cars but they act like dodgems.
This is not true, however, of a more serious kind of
racer, usually modeled on Formula One cars and real
Grand Prix circuits, and in spirit more of a simulation
than a pure videogame. Cars suffer real damage and
braking technique is vital. Simulation, distinct from the
role-playing game, is arguably not a genre in itself;
rather, it promotes in certain genres (driving, flight
games) the primacy of supposed “realism” over instant
fun. A true videogame deliberately simplifies any given
situation (imaginary or real) down to its essential,
kinetic parts; a simulation is loath to simplify
