TOCA Race Driver

{{Infobox video game

| title = TOCA Race Driver

| image = TOCA Race Driver cover.jpg

| publisher = Codemasters

| series = TOCA

| platforms = PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox

| released = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|23 August 2002}}|PlayStation 2|{{vgrelease|EU|23 August 2002{{Cite web |last=Bye |first=John |date=13 August 2002 |title=TOCA sounds off |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/article-46482 |access-date=23 June 2024 |website=Eurogamer |archive-date=23 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623221808/https://www.eurogamer.net/article-46482 |url-status=live }}|AU|27 August 2002{{Cite web |title=V8 Supercars Race Driver |url=http://gamenation.com.au/product/?action=view&id=833 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020816053125/http://gamenation.com.au/product/?action=view&id=833 |archive-date=16 August 2002 |access-date=23 June 2024 |website=Game Nation}}|NA|10 December 2002{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2002 |title=Pro Race Driver Ship Date |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/27/pro-race-driver-ship-date |access-date=June 23, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=23 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623221808/https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/27/pro-race-driver-ship-date |url-status=live }}}}|Windows, Xbox|{{vgrelease|EU|28 March 2003{{Cite web |title=TOCA Race Driver |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/games/toca-race-driver |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326230351/https://www.eurogamer.net/games/toca-race-driver |archive-date=26 March 2016 |access-date=23 June 2024 |website=Eurogamer}}|AU|4 April 2003 (Xbox){{Cite web |title=V8 Supercars |url=http://www.gpstore.com.au/product.x?1457412 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031122195242/http://www.gpstore.com.au/product.x?1457412 |archive-date=22 November 2003 |access-date=23 June 2024 |website=Gameplanet}}|AU|12 April 2003 (PC){{Cite web |title=V8 Supercars Race Driver |url=http://gpstore.com.au/product.x?1456547 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031122200455/http://gpstore.com.au/product.x?1456547 |archive-date=22 November 2003 |access-date=23 June 2024 |website=Gameplanet}}|NA|15 April 2003{{Cite web |last=Sulic |first=Ivan |date=2003-04-15 |title=Pro Race Starting |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/15/pro-race-starting |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=23 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623221807/https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/15/pro-race-starting |url-status=live }}}}}}

| genre = Racing

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer

}}

TOCA Race Driver (DTM Race Driver in Germany, Pro Race Driver in North America and V8 Supercars: Race Driver in Australia) is a 2002 racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for PlayStation 2, Windows and Xbox. It is the fourth game in the TOCA series. The racing elements of the game continued to receive positive reviews and the game went straight to number one in the UK game charts. Xbox and PC conversions followed in March 2003, with a further Xbox version released several months later at budget price adding Xbox Live support.

Gameplay and plot

Image:Toca race driver gameplay.png

Race Driver took the game in a new direction, since the main game mode featured a plot (leading to the game being labelled as a "Car-PG") where the player would take on the role of a fictional race driver called Ryan McKane, trying to make a name for himself in a multitude of car championships, all the while under the shadow of his more successful older brother and haunted by the death of his father on the racetrack (as witnessed by Ryan as a child).

The British Touring Car Championship (TOCA) which gives the game series its name, returned for this game. The real-life championship had undergone a transformation after most of the manufacturers had pulled out, and crowd numbers dropped, so TOCA asked Codemasters to include the series to boost the audience interest. However, the return was short-lived. Many tracks were added, and some of the "World" tracks were not continued from TOCA 3, despite their popularity, such as Watkins Glen and Surfers Paradise. The game continued with random grid positions and no penalties for bad driving.

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| PC = true

| PS2 = true

| XBOX = true

| na = true

| Edge_PS2 = 7/10{{cite magazine |author=Edge staff |title=TOCA Race Driver (PS2) |magazine=Edge |issue=115 |date=October 2002}}

| EGM_PS2 = 7.5/10{{cite magazine |url=http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,2053,1492096,00.asp |title=Pro Race Driver (PS2) |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |issue=163 |date=February 2003 |page=135 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040401011103/http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,2053,1492096,00.asp |archivedate=1 April 2004 |url-status=dead |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| EuroG_PC = 8/10{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Martin |date=10 April 2003 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_tocaracedriver_pc |title=TOCA Race Driver (PC) |website=Eurogamer |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152318/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_tocaracedriver_pc |url-status=live }}

| EuroG_PS2 = 7/10{{cite web |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=7 September 2002 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_tocaracedriver_ps2 |title=TOCA Race Driver (PS2) |website=Eurogamer |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| GI_PS2 = 9.25/10{{cite magazine |last=Leeper |first=Justin |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200211/R03.0731.1147.36156.htm |title=Pro Race Driver (PS2) |magazine=Game Informer |issue=115 |date=November 2002 |page=112 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917093933/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200211/R03.0731.1147.36156.htm |archive-date=17 September 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=23 August 2015}}

| GI_XBOX = 9/10{{cite magazine |last=Kato |first=Matthew |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200304/R03.0806.1207.17705.htm |title=Pro Race Driver (Xbox) |magazine=Game Informer |issue=120 |date=April 2003 |page=91 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040307223409/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200304/R03.0806.1207.17705.htm |archive-date=7 March 2004 |url-status=dead |access-date=23 August 2015}}

| GamePro_PS2 = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |author=Air Hendrix |date=9 January 2003 |url=http://gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/27683.shtml |title=Pro Race Driver Review for PS2 on GamePro.com |magazine=GamePro |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050212141506/http://gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/27683.shtml |archivedate=12 February 2005 |url-status=dead |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| GamePro_XBOX = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |author=Dan Elektro |date=14 April 2003 |url=http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/28952.shtml |title=Pro Race Driver Review for Xbox on GamePro.com |magazine=GamePro |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050204180730/http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/28952.shtml |archivedate=4 February 2005 |url-status=dead |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| GameRev_XBOX = B{{cite web |author=G-Wok |date=May 2003 |url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pro-race-driver |title=Pro Race Driver Review (Xbox) |publisher=Game Revolution |accessdate=24 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924051240/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pro-race-driver |url-status=live }}

| GSpot_PC = 7.1/10{{cite web |last=Osborne |first=Scott |date=7 April 2003 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-race-driver-review/1900-6024676/ |title=Pro Race Driver Review (PC) |website=GameSpot |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=9 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609000136/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-race-driver-review/1900-6024676/ |url-status=live }}

| GSpot_PS2 = 7.6/10{{cite web |last=Osborne |first=Scott |date=13 January 2003 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-race-driver-review/1900-2908650/ |title=Pro Race Driver Review (PS2) |website=GameSpot |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=6 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506112923/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-race-driver-review/1900-2908650/ |url-status=live }}

| GSpot_XBOX = 7.7/10{{cite web |last=Osborne |first=Scott |date=18 April 2003 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-race-driver-review/1900-6025338/ |title=Pro Race Driver Review (Xbox) |website=GameSpot |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813141520/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-race-driver-review/1900-6025338/ |url-status=live }}

| GSpy_PC = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web |last=Smolka |first=Rob |date=14 April 2003 |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/pro-race-driver/5769p1.html |title=GameSpy: Pro Race Driver (PC) |publisher=GameSpy |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| GSpy_PS2 = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Steve |date=31 December 2002 |url=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/pro-race-driver-/558860p1.html |title=GameSpy: Pro Race Driver (PS2) |publisher=GameSpy |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123059/http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/pro-race-driver-/558860p1.html |url-status=live }}

| GSpy_XBOX = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last=Meston |first=Zach |date=14 April 2003 |url=http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/pro-race-driver/5743p1.html |title=GameSpy: Pro Race Driver (Xbox) |publisher=GameSpy |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051226031236/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/pro-race-driver/5743p1.html |archivedate=26 December 2005 |url-status=dead |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| GameZone_PC = 8/10{{cite web |author=Ovaldog |date=13 May 2003 |url=http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/pro_race_driver_pc_review |title=Pro Race Driver - PC - Review |publisher=GameZone |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108033500/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19063.htm |archivedate=8 November 2008 |url-status=live |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| GameZone_PS2 = 9.5/10{{cite web |author=Tha Wiz |date=25 December 2002 |url=http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/pro_race_driver_ps2_review |title=Pro Race Driver - PS2 - Review |publisher=GameZone |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225041741/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19063.htm |archivedate=25 December 2008 |url-status=live |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| GameZone_XBOX = 8.1/10{{cite web |last=Raymond |first=Justin |date=8 May 2003 |url=http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/pro_race_driver_xb_review |title=Pro Race Driver - XB - Review |publisher=GameZone |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004140126/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19063.htm |archivedate=4 October 2008 |url-status=live |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| IGN_PC = 7.5/10{{cite web |last=MacGruder |first=Randy |date=21 April 2003 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/21/pro-race-driver-review |title=Pro Race Driver Review (PC) |website=IGN |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133009/http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/21/pro-race-driver-review |url-status=live }}

| IGN_PS2 = 9.3/10{{cite web |last=Perry |first=Douglass C. |date=10 December 2002 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/10/pro-race-driver |title=Pro Race Driver (PS2) |website=IGN |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924131453/http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/10/pro-race-driver |url-status=live }}

| IGN_XBOX = 8.9/10{{cite web |last=Boulding |first=Aaron |date=24 March 2003 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/03/24/pro-race-driver-review-2 |title=Pro Race Driver Review (Xbox) |website=IGN |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924132820/http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/03/24/pro-race-driver-review-2 |url-status=live }}

| OPM_PS2 = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Davison |first=John |url=http://www.playstationmagazine.com/article2/0,2053,1494629,00.asp |title=Pro Race Driver |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |date=February 2003 |page=109 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040329071357/http://www.playstationmagazine.com/article2/0,2053,1494629,00.asp |archivedate=29 March 2004 |url-status=dead |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| OXM_XBOX = 8/10{{cite magazine |title=Pro Race Driver |magazine=Official Xbox Magazine |date=June 2003 |page=85}}

| PCGUS_PC = 51%{{cite journal |last=Mahood |first=Andy |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/07/pro_race_driver.html |title=Pro Race Driver |journal=PC Gamer |date=May 2003 |page=62 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060315140255/http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/07/pro_race_driver.html |archivedate=15 March 2006 |url-status=dead |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

| rev1 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev1_PS2 = B{{cite magazine |last=Brooks |first=Mark |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2003/01/24/pro-race-driver |title=Pro Race Driver (PS2) |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |issue=692–693 |date=24–31 January 2003 |page=106 |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924050326/http://www.ew.com/article/2003/01/24/pro-race-driver |url-status=live }}

| MC_PC = 74/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/pro-race-driver/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Pro Race Driver for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=3 April 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250403181540/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pro-race-driver/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |url-status=live }}

| MC_PS2 = 81/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/pro-race-driver/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Pro Race Driver for PlayStation 2 Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=3 April 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250403181632/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pro-race-driver/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |url-status=live }}

| MC_XBOX = 80/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/pro-race-driver/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=Pro Race Driver for Xbox Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=23 August 2015 |archive-date=3 April 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250403181633/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pro-race-driver/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |url-status=live }}

}}

The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions received "favourable" reviews, while the PC version received "average" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.

In the UK, Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine gave the PS2 version a score of eight out of ten and said that it was an "ultra-realistic racer with top visuals";{{cite journal |title=TOCA Race Driver |journal=Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine |publisher=Future Publishing |issue=24 |date=September 2002}} they also listed it in their top 100 games and awarded it a Bronze Medal.

Sequel

A sequel, TOCA Race Driver 2 was released in April 2004 for Windows and Xbox and later for PlayStation 2 in October 2004. Two more platforms were also released: a mobile version was released only in North America in February 2005 and the PlayStation Portable version was released only in Europe in September 2005. The North American version also uses the redesigned Race Driver name.

Another Race Driver sequel was released in February 2006.