Formula One video games
Ever since Pole Position in 1982, Formula One has always played a part of the racing genre in video games. Geoff Crammond's 1991 simulation Grand Prix played an integral role in moving Formula One games from arcade games to being full simulations of the sport.
History
Early roots and arcade games
The roots of Formula One games can be traced back to the 1970s, with arcade games such as Speed Race and Gran Trak 10 which depicted F1-like cars going on a race track.However, the first successful Formula One game in arcade history was Pole Position, by Namco. In Pole Position, the player has to complete a lap in a certain amount of time in order to qualify for a race at the Fuji racetrack. After qualifying, the player had to face other cars in a championship race. The game was very successful and it spawned an official sequel, Pole Position II, and an unofficial one, Final Lap. After the success of Pole Position, many similar games appeared in arcades such as TX-1.
During the late 1980s, arcades began being dropped in favour of home computer games. Late successful arcade games can be considered Super Sprint, which uses the top view instead of the rear view of most games, and its sequel Championship Sprint.
Dawn of the home computer era
The first true Formula One racing simulators were Chequered Flag and Geoff Crammond's Formula One Grand Prix. Chequered Flag featured fuel depletion and car damage, and a set of several real circuits. Previously, most racing games representing Formula One, such as Accolade's Grand Prix Circuit and Electronic Arts' Ferrari Formula One, had been arcade-style games, but F1GP paid more attention to the physics of the cars, in addition to innovative graphics and accurate rendering of the actual racing tracks. The game, released in 1992, was based on the season. Over the years, the game had sequels Grand Prix 2, 3, and 4.The F1 official license was also held by Ubisoft and later transferred to Electronic Arts, which published seasonal simulations and also F1 Challenge '99-'02.
A notable place on PC simulation games is held by Papyrus' Grand Prix Legends, which depicted the 1967 Formula One season instead of the then-current season, like all other contemporaries. It recreates in a very accurate way the physics of the car and the feel of driving a real 1967 Formula One racer: for this, even after many years, it is still considered one of the most realistic games ever made. The game still has a vast popularity among video gamers, with many mods and original circuits being produced.
Console gaming; Sony exclusivity
Beginning from the second part of the 1980s more games were being created for personal computers, which could guarantee an easier and less expensive development. Most of these games featured racetracks, cars and driver names similar to the real ones, but all modified slightly, since they did not have official licenses from FIA. Examples of this are Super Monaco GP or Nigel Mansell's World Championship, but many other less known games had similar features.The first half of the 1990s saw a growing in popularity of Formula One games, and many software houses began acquiring licences and display most real names and cars, for example Formula One by Domark, which featured most real tracks, drivers and teams.
The 3D graphics revolution started by Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix did not go unnoticed by the console market: some software houses began developing games in this style like Sega with its Virtua Racing, and later Namco with .
The first 3D game to feature a full license was Formula 1, developed by Bizarre Creations and released on PlayStation, the first game of the successful Formula One series. Despite the game being a mostly arcade game rather than a simulation, it was very well received; later the series moved towards a more realistic race approach. Other Formula One games released around the same time include EA Sports F1 Series and Video System/Nintendo's F-1 World Grand Prix and F-1 World Grand Prix II.
Sony had held an exclusive license to make Formula One games from 1996 until 2006, releasing sequels to Formula 1 on its PlayStation systems roughly at an annual pace throughout that time to form its Formula One series, as well as licensing the release of Infogrames' 2003 PS2-exclusive game Grand Prix Challenge, developed by Melbourne House. Challenge was well received by critics, particularly its high quality graphics for its time, despite being unknown to most F1 gaming fans.
Codemasters takes control (2009–)
After Sony concluded the Formula One series with the releases of Formula One 06 on the PS2 and Formula One Championship Edition on the PlayStation 3, the license for F1 games then passed to Codemasters, which then used it to begin their own Formula One video game series, releasing titles in annual installments for each season, starting with the season. The first game of the series, F1 2009, was released on the Wii, PlayStation Portable and iOS, with the Wii version supporting the Wii Wheel for motion-controlled steering. However, Codemasters chose to release subsequent annual sequels on non-Nintendo consoles and personal computers, with F1 2011 also being available on eighth-generation handhelds and F1 2016 also available as a paid mobile title on iOS and Android. Besides the Wii U port of the F1 Race Stars spin-off, subtitled Powered-Up Edition, no other Codemasters F1 game has been available on a Nintendo console.While Formula One games in general are strict reproductions of the sport regardless of gameplay style, Codemasters ' F1 Race Stars was the first to bring Mario Kart-style gameplay to the setting, while their official license from FIA allowed for the teams and drivers from that year's season to be given a cartoonish makeover.
Modding
As the trend towards open source software has increased, developers have realised that many video games users like to add their own features to the games, and many modern PC racing games have become easier to mod. Games such as rFactor, although not primarily a Formula One game, have become somewhat of a development stage. rFactor players can download several mods for various F1 seasons, including "classic" seasons such as and. The game's makers, Image Space Incorporated, have worked with the BMW Sauber F1 team to introduce a realistic version of both the F1.06 and F1.07. Mods that can reproduce most seasons of Formula One are also available for Grand Prix 4 and F1 Challenge '99-'02.List
A list of Formula One video games that lists only those uses the F1 name, whether it is licensed by the Formula One Group or just F1 in name; is licensed by racing drivers and teams involved within the series otherwise featuring sprites that resemble a Formula One car in a way to get around licensing, featuring deliberately misspelt driver and team names; is named after a Grand Prix race that appear in the F1 calendar or those that features races that appear in the F1 calendar. Thus far, F1 games are playable on the following, numerous platforms: Arcade, SG-1000, Intellivision, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Atari 7800, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Commodore 16, Commodore Plus/4, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Amiga, Atari ST, PC DOS, Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, TurboGrafx-16, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Master System, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, iOS, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Mac OS X, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Android, tvOS and Linux.| Platforms | Release Date | Developer / Publisher | Formula 1 Season | |
| F-1 | Arcade | 1976 | Atari | No License |
| Monza GP | Arcade | 1979 | Olympia | No License |
| Monaco GP | Arcade, SG-1000 | 1979 | Gremlin Industries / Sega | No License |
| Pro Monaco GP, | Arcade | 1980 | Sega | No License |
| Monte Carlo | Arcade | 1980 | Atari | No License |
| Turbo | Arcade, Intellivision, Colecovision | 1981 | Sega | No License |
| Pole Position | Arcade | 1982 | Namco / Atari | No License |
| Brands Deluxe | C64 | 1983 | Alligata | No License |
| Grand Prix | C64 | 1983 | MRH | No License |
| Grand Prix | C64 | 1983 | C.R. Wright | No License |
| Chequered Flag | ZX Spectrum | 1983 | Steve Kelly | No License |
| Pole Position II | Arcade, Atari 7800, Commodore 64 | 1983 | Namco / Atari | No License |
| Grand Prix | C64 | 1984 | Ellis Horwood | No License |
| Grand Prix Manager | ZX Spectrum | 1984 | Silicon Joy | No License |
| F-1 Race | NES, Game Boy | 1984 | Nintendo | No License |
| Scalextric: The Computer Edition | C64, Amstrad, ZX Spectrum | 1985 | Leisure Genius | No License |
| Formula 1 Simulator | C64, Commodore 16/Plus4, Amstrad, MSX, ZX Spectrum | 1985 | Spirit Software/Mastertronic | No License |
| Formula One | Amstrad, ZX Spectrum | 1985 | G.B. Munday and B.P. Wheelhouse/CRL Group | No License |
| Grand Prix | C64 | 1986 | Systems Editoriale | No License |
| Grand Prix Simulator | C64, Amstrad, ZX Spectrum | 1986 | Codemasters | No License |
| Home Hungaroring | C64 | 1986 | Kerszi | No License |
| Continental Circus | Arcade | 1987 | Taito | No License |
| Final Lap | Arcade | 1987 | Namco | No License |
| F1 Spirit: The Road to Formula 1 | MSX | 1987 | Konami | No License |
| Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race | Famicom Disk System | 1987 | Nintendo | No License |
| Nigel Mansell's Grand Prix | Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad, ZX Spectrum | 1987 | Martech | No License |
| Grand Prix Circuit | PC DOS, Amiga, Amstrad, C64, ZX | 1988 | Distinctive Software / Accolade | No License |
| Grand Prix Simulator II | C64, Amstrad, ZX Spectrum | 1988 | Oliver Twins / Codemasters | No License |
| F-1 Dream | Arcade | 1988 | Capcom / Romstar | No License |
| ' | MSX | 1988 | Konami | No License |
| Ferrari Formula One | PC DOS, Amiga, Amstrad, C64, ZX Spectrum | June 1, 1988 | Electronic Arts | No License |
| Grand Prix | Amstrad, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum | 1988 | D&H Games | No License |
| Satoru Nakajima: F-1 Hero | NES | 1988 | American Sammy / Varie | No License |
| F.1 Manager | Amiga, Atari, C64 | 1989 | Simulmondo | No License |
| Tail to Nose: Great Championship | Arcade | 1989 | Video System | No License |
| Super Monaco GP | Arcade, Sega Genesis, Amiga, Amstrad, Atari, C64, Sega Game Gear | 1989 | Sega | No License |
| F-1 Dream | PC Engine | 1989 | NEC Interchannel | No License |
| F-1 Pilot | PC Engine | 1989 | Pack-In-Video | No License |
| Driver's Eyes | Arcade | 1990 | Namco | No License |
| F1 Circus | PC Engine NES | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| Final Lap 2 | Arcade | 1990 | Namco | No License |
| ' | NES | 1990 | SETA | No License |
| F1 Circus '91 | PC Engine | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| F1 Circus MD | Sega Mega Drive | Micronics | No License | |
| Satoru Nakajima F-1 Hero GB World Championship '91 | Game Boy | Varie | No License | |
| Formula 1 3D: F1 Manager II | C64 | 1991 | Simulmondo | No License |
| Super Grand Prix | Amiga, Atari ST | 1991 | Codemasters | No License |
| F1 Exhaust Note | Arcade | 1991 | Sega | |
| F-1 Grand Prix | Arcade, SNES | 1991 | Video System | |
| F1 Grand Prix: Satoru Nakajima | Sega Genesis | 1991 | Varie | 1991 |
| Fastest 1 | Sega Mega Drive | 1991 | Human Entertainment | 1990 |
| Satoru Nakajima F-1 Hero 2 | NES | 1991 | Varie | No License |
| Slicks | C64, Amstrad, ZX Spectrum | 1991 | Oliver Twins / Codemasters | No License |
| Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing | NES | 1991 | Data East | No License |
| Aguri Suzuki F-1 Super Driving | SNES | 1992 | Genki | No License |
| F-1 Grand Prix Part II | Arcade, SNES | 1992 | Video System | |
| F1 Circus Special: Pole to Win | PC Engine | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| F1 Circus '92 | PC Engine | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| F-1 Hero MD | Sega Mega Drive | 1992 | Varie | |
| ' | Sega Genesis | 1992 | Varie | |
| F1 Pole Position | SNES | 1992 | Human Entertainment | |
| Final Lap 3 | Arcade | 1992 | Namco | No License |
| Grand Prix | PC DOS, Atari ST, Amiga | 1992 | MicroProse, Geoff Crammond | No License |
| Nigel Mansell's World Championship | PC DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, Sega Genesis, NES, ZX Spectrum | 1992 | Gremlin Graphics / Gremlin Interactive | No License |
| Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II | Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear | July 1992 | Sega | No License |
| Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge | Sega Genesis, Game Boy | 1992 | System 3 / Acclaim Entertainment | No License |
| Grand Prix Unlimited | PC DOS | 1992 | Accolade | 1991 |
| Exhaust Heat | SNES | 1992 | SETA | No License |
| Hungaroring | C64 | 1992 | Novotrade | No License |
| Satoru Nakajima F-1 Hero GB '92: The Graded Driver | Game Boy | Varie | No License | |
| Super F1 Circus | SNES | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| Super F1 Circus Limited | SNES | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| F1 Hero MD | Sega Genesis | 1992 | Aisystem / Varie | No License |
| ' | Sega Genesis | 1992 | Varie | |
| Super F1 Hero | SNES | December 18, 1992 | Varie | No License |
| Overtake | Arcade | 1992 | Zoom | No License |
| F1 Super Lap | Arcade | 1992 | Sega | |
| F-1 Grand Prix Star II | Arcade | 1993 | Jaleco | |
| Formula 1 Sensation | NES | 1993 | Konami | No License |
| Formula One | PC DOS, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, Amiga | 1993 | Atari / Domark | |
| F1 Pole Position 2 | SNES | 1993 | Human Entertainment | |
| F1-Racer | Amiga | 1994 | F1 Licenceware | No License |
| Final Lap R | Arcade | 1993 | Namco | |
| Gerhard Berger's Formula 1 Quiz | C64 | 1993 | Austriasoft | |
| Super F1 Circus 2 | SNES | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| F1 Circus CD | Mega-CD | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| F1 Super Battle | Arcade | 1994 | Jaleco | No License |
| Mega-CD | 1994 | Sega | ||
| F-1 Grand Prix Part III | SNES | 1994 | Video System | - |
| Human Grand Prix III: F1 Triple Battle | SNES | 1994 | Human Entertainment | |
| Nakajima Satoru F-1 Hero '94 | SNES | 1994 | Varie | No License |
| Super F1 Circus 3 | SNES | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| Grand Prix Manager | PC DOS | 1995 | MicroProse | 1995+ |
| F1 World Championship Edition | Amiga, Sega Genesis | 1995 | Peakstar / Domark | 1994 |
| F1 Challenge | Sega Saturn | 1995 | Virgin Interactive | 1995 |
| Human Grand Prix IV: F1 Dream Battle | SNES | 1995 | Human Entertainment | |
| SD F-1 Grand Prix | SNES | 1995 | Human Entertainment | No License |
| Slipstream | Arcade | 1995 | Capcom | No License |
| Super F1 Circus Gaiden | SNES | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| Grand Prix 2 | PC DOS | August 30, 1996 | Geoff Crammond, MicroProse | 1994 |
| Grand Prix Manager 2 | PC | 1996 | Edward Grabowski / MicroProse | 1996+ |
| F-1 Grand Prix 1996 - Team Unei Simulation | PlayStation | 1996 | Coconuts | 1996 |
| Formula One Masters | Amiga | 1996 | Amivision / ESP | No License |
| F1 Manager 96 | PC | 1996 | Software 2000 / EuroPress | 1996+ |
| Pole Position Team F1 | PC | 1996 | Ascon GmbH / Electronic Arts, Ascon GmbH | 1995+ |
| Formula 1 | PC, PlayStation | September 1996 | Bizarre Creations / Psygnosis | 1995 |
| Power F1 | PC | April 1997 | Teque London / Eidos | 1995 |
| Formula Circus | PlayStation | Nichibutsu | No License | |
| Formula Grand Prix: Team Unei Simulation 2 | PlayStation | 1997 | Coconuts | No License |
| Tactics Formula | Sega Saturn | 1997 | Aki Corporation | No License |
| Formula 1 97 | PC, PlayStation | September 26, 1997 | Bizarre Creations / Psygnosis | 1997 |
| F1 Pole Position 64 | Nintendo 64 | October 1997 | Human Entertainment / Ubisoft | 1996 |
| F1 Racing Simulation | PC | December 31, 1997 | Bizarre Creations / Ubisoft | 1996 |
| Prost Grand Prix | PC | 1998 | Visiware / Infogrames, Canal+ | No License |
| Racing Simulation 2 | PC | 1998 | Ubisoft | No License |
| F-1 World Grand Prix | Nintendo 64, Arcade Dreamcast, PS PC, Game Boy Color | July 27, 1998 1999 2000 | Paradigm Entertainment, Lankhor / Eidos Interactive, Video System, Sega | 1997 1998 1999 |
| Johnny Herbert's Grand Prix Championship 1998 | PC | September 30, 1998 | Midas Interactive Entertainment | No License |
| Grand Prix Legends | PC | October 1998 | Papyrus / Sierra Entertainment | 1967 |
| Formula 1 98 | PlayStation | November 30, 1998 | Visual Science / Psygnosis | 1998 |
| Official Formula One Racing | PC | 1999 | Lankhor / Eidos Interactive | 1998 |
| Monaco Grand Prix: Racing Simulation 2 | PC, PlayStation, Nintendo 64 | June 1999 | Ubisoft | No License |
| Grand Prix World | PC | June 1999 | Edward Grabowski / Microprose, Hasbro Interactive | 1998+ |
| F-1 World Grand Prix II | Nintendo 64 Dreamcast, Game Boy Color | September 30, 1999 2000 | Paradigm Entertainment, Video System | 1998 1999 |
| Formula One 99 | PC, PlayStation | October 1999 | Studio 33 / Psygnosis | 1999 |
| F1 2000 | PC, PS | March 2000 | Visual Science / EA Sports | 2000 |
| F1 Racing Championship | PC, PS, PS2, Nintendo 64, GBC, Sega Dreamcast | April 30, 2000 | Ubisoft / Video System | 1999 |
| Grand Prix 3 | PC | July 28, 2000 | Geoff Crammond, MicroProse / Hasbro Interactive | 1998 |
| Formula One 2000 | PlayStation, Game Boy Color | October 6, 2000 | Studio 33 / SCE | 2000 |
| F1 Manager 2000 | PC | October 13, 2000 | Intelligent Games / EA Sports | 1999+ |
| F1 Championship Season 2000 | PC, PS, PS2, Xbox, GBC | September 2001 | Visual Science / EA Sports | 2000 |
| F1 World Grand Prix 2000 | PC, PlayStation | February 21, 2001 | Eutechnyx / Eidos Interactive | 2000 |
| Formula One 2001 | PlayStation, PlayStation 2 | May 21, 2001 | Sony Studio Liverpool / SCEE | 2001 |
| Grand Prix 3 Season 2000 | PC | August 2001 | MicroProse / Atari | 2000 |
| F1 2001 | PC, PS2, Xbox | October 2001 | ISI / EA Sports | 2001 |
| Williams F1 Team Driver | PC | December 2001 | KnowWonder / THQ | 2001 |
| F1 2002 | PC, PS2, Xbox, GameCube | June 2002 | ISI, Magic Pockets / EA Sports | 2002 |
| Formula One Arcade | PlayStation | September, 2002 | Studio 33 / SCE | 2001 |
| Grand Prix 4 | PC | September 10, 2002 | Geoff Crammond, MicroProse / Infogrames | 2001 |
| Formula One 2002 | PlayStation 2 | November 1, 2002 | Sony Studio Liverpool / SCEE | 2002 |
| Grand Prix Challenge | PlayStation 2 | November 21, 2002 | Melbourne House, Infogrames / Atari | 2002 |
| F1 Challenge '99-'02 | PC | May 13, 2003 | ISI / EA Sports | 1999-2002 |
| Formula One 2003 | PlayStation 2 | July 11, 2003 | Sony Studio Liverpool / SCEE | 2003 |
| Formula One 04 | PlayStation 2 | September 22, 2004 | Sony Studio Liverpool / SCEE | 2004 |
| F1 Manager Online | PC | June 2005 | F1-TM | No License |
| Formula One 05 | PlayStation 2 | July 1, 2005 | Sony Studio Liverpool / SCEE | 2005 |
| F1 Grand Prix | PlayStation Portable | September 1, 2005 | Traveller's Tales / Sony CEE | 2005 |
| Formula One 06 | PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable | July 28, 2006 | SCE Studio Liverpool / SCE | 2006 |
| Formula One Championship Edition | PlayStation 3 | December 28, 2006 | SCE Studio Liverpool / SCE | 2006 |
| F1 2009 | Wii, PlayStation Portable | November 17, 2009 | Sumo Digital / Codemasters | 2009 |
| F1 2010 | PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | September 24, 2010 | Codemasters | 2010 |
| iGP Manager | PC, Android, iOS | 2011 | iGP Games | No License |
| F1 2011 | PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360 | September 20, 2011 | Codemasters | 2011 |
| F1 Online: The Game | PC | June 26, 2012 | Codemasters | 2011 |
| F1 2012 | PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | September 18, 2012 | Codemasters | 2012 |
| F1 Race Stars | PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | November 13, 2012 | Codemasters | 2012 |
| F1 Challenge | Android, iOS | 2013 | Codemasters | 2012 |
| F1 2013 | PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | October 4, 2013 | Codemasters | 2013 |
| F1 2014 | PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | October 17, 2014 | Codemasters | 2014 |
| Cockpit Manager 14 | PC | April 11, 2014 | Cartola Games | 2014 |
| F1 2015 | PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One | July 10, 2015 | Codemasters | 2014, 2015 |
| F1 2016 | PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, iOS, tvOS | August 19, 2016 | Codemasters | 2016 |
| F1 2017 | PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One | August 25, 2017 | Codemasters | 2017 |
| F1 2018 | PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One | August 24, 2018 | Codemasters | 2018 |
| F1 Mobile Racing | Android, iOS | October 18, 2018 | Codemasters | 2018, 2019 |
| F1 Manager | Android, iOS | May 10, 2019 | Hutch Games | 2019 |
| F1 2019 | PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One | June 28, 2019 | Codemasters | 2019 |
| F1 2020 | PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia | July 10, 2020 | Codemasters | 2020 |