Enthusia Professional Racing
Encyclopedia
Enthusia Professional Racing is a racing game
for the PlayStation 2
. It is the first auto racing
simulator made by Konami
.
· Enthusia Life
· Free Race
· Driving Revolution
· Time Attack
· Versus Racing
Although the main mode, "Enthusia Life", is a little awkward at first, it is original and easy for the player to get used to. As opposed to purchasing vehicles as in the majority of games in the "driving simulator" genre, unlocking cars is done by completing a race, followed by a slot machine style method that determines which opposing car in the race you unlock, and depending on when the player stops the slot, sometimes no car at all is unlocked.
Also, instead of purchasing parts to improve your car, "Enthu Points" are used to keep track of collisions with walls and cars, or going off course. These points are used to calculate a form of "experience points" which, when enough are obtained, a stat of the car (weight, power, or tires) is upgraded, up to three times each. The more "Enthu Points" are lost, the less points one can get to upgrade a car.
The driver can also be upgraded in the same way, with the points changing stats such as maximum number of "Enthu Points" or the rate at which they are recovered after a race. If a player runs out of "Enthu Points" ("Driver HP" in the JPN version) during a race, the player is has to miss the next race. Full points can be restored by "resting," or a large amount is restored when changing a car.
Another unique mode of play in Enthusia is the "Driving Revolution" mode. In this mode players must attempt to pass through gates at the correct speed while accelerating, braking or keeping a constant speed. Points are gained for doing this correctly and enough points must be gained to pass on to the next level.
Compared to a 700+ vehicle racing simulator like Gran Turismo 4
, Enthusia distinguishes itself by a decent selection of rare makers such as Saab
or Smart
and collectible cars including the Bugatti EB110
'91, Citroën DS
23 Pallas '73, BMW M1
Procar '79, BMW 3.0 CSL works car '73, De Tomaso Pantera
GTS '73, Alfa Romeo SZ
'89 and more. In total, Enthusia includes 211 vehicles to choose from in classes ranging from F through A and R.
The game's visual effects include a speed blur effect in first person view (as appeared in Genki
's Racing Battle C1 Grand Prix released a few weeks later), very detailed graphics with highly detailed CG-like car models (Citröen 2cv 6 Charleston) e.g. the Bugatti EB110
's rear spoiler slowly rises up in real time at the beginning of the race just like in the real life.
Enthusia also features realistic foreground textures (Burgenschlucht, Löwenseering courses), and course animations such as birds taking off, an animated windpower park (Burgenschlucht), multiple waterfalls, rivers and fountains (Mystic Caveway, Edge Of The Road), car traffic (Route De La Seine) or even a full aerobatic demonstration team emitting coloured smoke trails (Löwenseering) complete with a realistic aircraft fly-by sound.
Enthusia contains ultra realistic engine, tire and exhaust sounds admired by car industry professionals (Hiroshi Ito from Mazda Motors vehicle development division) and experienced pro driver celebrities (Motoharu "Gan San" Kurosawa who raced 6000 laps over Nürburgring
the last 20 years).
The Replay mode in Enthusia is also different from most seen in other games of the genre. Replays contain visual effects such as dirt buildup on sideskirts and tires on rally stages, cars emitting smoke on rally raid stages, wind streams moving dune sand, animated waves on the Dakar seashore or the choked sound of the car bouncing on the sand dunes (Mirage Crossing).
Also worthy of noting, Enthusia appears to be the first game of its kind to accurately represent automatic transmissions. Many racing/driving simulators use a generic automatic method of requiring the engine to reach a set redline in each gear before it will shift to the next gear regardless of the amount of throttle being applied. In Enthusia, pressure sensitive throttle input is taken advantage of to mimic real automatic transmission characteristics.
For example, you can be in a high gear "cruising" at the standard highway speed (U.S.) of 65mph, and you will be in the highest gear/lowest RPM range for optimal fuel efficiency. If you were to apply full throttle, Enthusia senses this and down shifts to a lower gear to provide more power - like in real life. While this is a much overlooked feature due to its functionality, it is one of the many small unique things that set Enthusia apart from other simulators, and true car enthusiasts notice.
On the other hand there are some flaws and perfectible aspects such as the low-fi background bitmaps (Dragon Range, Burgenschlucht) which look unnatural and inferior compared to the photo realistic high-resolution background bitmaps used in Gran Turismo 4 (Citta Di Aria, Grand Canyon courses). Also, the game could have featured options such as Widescreen mode, 480p, screen adjust setup, hide display function and Dolby Prologic II sound instead of simply mono or stereo sound options.
Enthusia can be used with the Logitech
Driving Force, Driving Force Pro, Driving Force GT and G25 steering wheels. For the last three wheels the game fully supports the 900-Degree Steering mode.
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. It is the first auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
simulator made by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
.
Description
Enthusia Professional Racing has five available play modes:· Enthusia Life
· Free Race
· Driving Revolution
· Time Attack
· Versus Racing
Although the main mode, "Enthusia Life", is a little awkward at first, it is original and easy for the player to get used to. As opposed to purchasing vehicles as in the majority of games in the "driving simulator" genre, unlocking cars is done by completing a race, followed by a slot machine style method that determines which opposing car in the race you unlock, and depending on when the player stops the slot, sometimes no car at all is unlocked.
Also, instead of purchasing parts to improve your car, "Enthu Points" are used to keep track of collisions with walls and cars, or going off course. These points are used to calculate a form of "experience points" which, when enough are obtained, a stat of the car (weight, power, or tires) is upgraded, up to three times each. The more "Enthu Points" are lost, the less points one can get to upgrade a car.
The driver can also be upgraded in the same way, with the points changing stats such as maximum number of "Enthu Points" or the rate at which they are recovered after a race. If a player runs out of "Enthu Points" ("Driver HP" in the JPN version) during a race, the player is has to miss the next race. Full points can be restored by "resting," or a large amount is restored when changing a car.
Another unique mode of play in Enthusia is the "Driving Revolution" mode. In this mode players must attempt to pass through gates at the correct speed while accelerating, braking or keeping a constant speed. Points are gained for doing this correctly and enough points must be gained to pass on to the next level.
Compared to a 700+ vehicle racing simulator like Gran Turismo 4
Gran Turismo 4
is a racing simulator for the Sony PlayStation 2 which was developed by Polyphony Digital. It was released on December 28, 2004 in Japan and Hong Kong , February 22, 2005 in North America , and March 9, 2005 in Europe , and has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Greatest Hits' line...
, Enthusia distinguishes itself by a decent selection of rare makers such as Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
or Smart
Smart (automobile)
Smart is an automotive branch of Daimler AG. Smart is a German manufacturer of microcars produced in Hambach, France, and Böblingen, Germany...
and collectible cars including the Bugatti EB110
Bugatti EB110
The Bugatti EB110 is a mid-engine sports car from Bugatti Automobili SpA. It was unveiled on September 15, 1991, in both Versailles and in front of the Grande Arche at La Défense in Paris, France, exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti's birth....
'91, Citroën DS
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
23 Pallas '73, BMW M1
BMW M1
The BMW M1 is a sports car that was produced by German automaker BMW from 1978 to 1981.In the late 1970s, Italian manufacturer Lamborghini entered into an agreement with BMW to build a production racing car in sufficient quantity for homologation. The result was sold to the public, from 1978 to...
Procar '79, BMW 3.0 CSL works car '73, De Tomaso Pantera
De Tomaso Pantera
The Pantera was a sports car produced by the De Tomaso car company of Italy from 1971 to 1991, the last one being delivered to a customer in 1992.The word "Pantera" is Italian for "Panther".-History:...
GTS '73, Alfa Romeo SZ
Alfa Romeo SZ
The Alfa Romeo SZ or ES-30 is a high-performance limited-production sports car/road-concept car built between 1989 and 1991 with partnership via Centro Stile Zagato, Centro Stile Alfa Romeo and Centro Stile Fiat...
'89 and more. In total, Enthusia includes 211 vehicles to choose from in classes ranging from F through A and R.
The game's visual effects include a speed blur effect in first person view (as appeared in Genki
Genki (company)
Genki is a Japanese developer of computer and video games. It was founded in October 1990 by Hiroshi Hamagaki and Tomo Kimura, who left Sega to form the company. Genki is best known for its racing game titles.-History:...
's Racing Battle C1 Grand Prix released a few weeks later), very detailed graphics with highly detailed CG-like car models (Citröen 2cv 6 Charleston) e.g. the Bugatti EB110
Bugatti EB110
The Bugatti EB110 is a mid-engine sports car from Bugatti Automobili SpA. It was unveiled on September 15, 1991, in both Versailles and in front of the Grande Arche at La Défense in Paris, France, exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti's birth....
's rear spoiler slowly rises up in real time at the beginning of the race just like in the real life.
Enthusia also features realistic foreground textures (Burgenschlucht, Löwenseering courses), and course animations such as birds taking off, an animated windpower park (Burgenschlucht), multiple waterfalls, rivers and fountains (Mystic Caveway, Edge Of The Road), car traffic (Route De La Seine) or even a full aerobatic demonstration team emitting coloured smoke trails (Löwenseering) complete with a realistic aircraft fly-by sound.
Enthusia contains ultra realistic engine, tire and exhaust sounds admired by car industry professionals (Hiroshi Ito from Mazda Motors vehicle development division) and experienced pro driver celebrities (Motoharu "Gan San" Kurosawa who raced 6000 laps over Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
the last 20 years).
The Replay mode in Enthusia is also different from most seen in other games of the genre. Replays contain visual effects such as dirt buildup on sideskirts and tires on rally stages, cars emitting smoke on rally raid stages, wind streams moving dune sand, animated waves on the Dakar seashore or the choked sound of the car bouncing on the sand dunes (Mirage Crossing).
Also worthy of noting, Enthusia appears to be the first game of its kind to accurately represent automatic transmissions. Many racing/driving simulators use a generic automatic method of requiring the engine to reach a set redline in each gear before it will shift to the next gear regardless of the amount of throttle being applied. In Enthusia, pressure sensitive throttle input is taken advantage of to mimic real automatic transmission characteristics.
For example, you can be in a high gear "cruising" at the standard highway speed (U.S.) of 65mph, and you will be in the highest gear/lowest RPM range for optimal fuel efficiency. If you were to apply full throttle, Enthusia senses this and down shifts to a lower gear to provide more power - like in real life. While this is a much overlooked feature due to its functionality, it is one of the many small unique things that set Enthusia apart from other simulators, and true car enthusiasts notice.
On the other hand there are some flaws and perfectible aspects such as the low-fi background bitmaps (Dragon Range, Burgenschlucht) which look unnatural and inferior compared to the photo realistic high-resolution background bitmaps used in Gran Turismo 4 (Citta Di Aria, Grand Canyon courses). Also, the game could have featured options such as Widescreen mode, 480p, screen adjust setup, hide display function and Dolby Prologic II sound instead of simply mono or stereo sound options.
Enthusia can be used with the Logitech
Logitech
Logitech International S.A. is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers...
Driving Force, Driving Force Pro, Driving Force GT and G25 steering wheels. For the last three wheels the game fully supports the 900-Degree Steering mode.