Horse Racing Video Games

[Drag66]

I purchased the G1 Jockey 4 game for the PS3. It is the UK version, but it works on American PS3's. Graphics are good, but the game as a whole is not as good as prior G1 games. Riding the horse is awkward and extremely difficult as it is rhythm based (and it is exteremly hard to keep the rhythm). The old versions were based on using the bit and "keeping your horse happy" so to speak. www.orlworld.com is a good video game horse racing website with a lot of great info and they have online racing leagues you can join.

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by Drag66

I purchased the G1 Jockey 4 game for the PS3. It is the UK version, but it works on American PS3's. Graphics are good, but the game as a whole is not as good as prior G1 games. Riding the horse is awkward and extremely difficult as it is rhythm based (and it is exteremly hard to keep the rhythm). The old versions were based on using the bit and "keeping your horse happy" so to speak. www.orlworld.com is a good video game horse racing website with a lot of great info and they have online racing leagues you can join.

Welcome to DT

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by Drag66

I purchased the G1 Jockey 4 game for the PS3. It is the UK version, but it works on American PS3's. Graphics are good, but the game as a whole is not as good as prior G1 games. Riding the horse is awkward and extremely difficult as it is rhythm based (and it is exteremly hard to keep the rhythm). The old versions were based on using the bit and "keeping your horse happy" so to speak. www.orlworld.com is a good video game horse racing website with a lot of great info and they have online racing leagues you can join.

Welcome to the forums! I had no idea about the rhythmic nature of the controls. That would get on my nerves. I have a copy of G1 Jockey 3 for the PS2 and I also prefer that control setup. The Gallop Racer 2006 is even a little better I think.

[Drag66]

Thanks for the welcomes! I have lurked for a long time and just wanted to post to help out regarding the games you guys mentioned. I'll try to post more, although my knowledge of racing is half of many other posters here. I am pretty good at win betting, but average at best with exotic betting. I have been following the sport closely for about 13 years (Cigar brought me into the sport). I have attended the Derby every year since Monarchos' in 2001 and love the fall meet at Keeneland (I go every year). My interest in racing has taken a hit lately with the deaths of Wanderin Boy and Go Between (they both hit hard for some reason), but I will always love the sport. As for the video games, Gallop Racer 06's racing mechanic is my favorite, but I like 04's and 01's set ups much better - more horses in a stable, don't have to win every race, etc.

[DaTruth]

Does it matter whether or not you save ground in Gallop Racer? It seems that if you draw an outside post in a race that begins close to a turn, you end up spotting the inside horses a big lead even if you come gunning from the gate. However, if doesn't seem like you are at a huge disadvantage if you swing wide on the far turn.

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

Does it matter whether or not you save ground in Gallop Racer? It seems that if you draw an outside post in a race that begins close to a turn, you end up spotting the inside horses a big lead even if you come gunning from the gate. However, if doesn't seem like you are at a huge disadvantage if you swing wide on the far turn.

There does seem to be some relationship between how wide one takes the turn, but since it's a video game more than a simulation, I'm not sure that it's as huge of an impact as in real life. Your position in the grouping of horses does affect the mood of your horse, so in that sense trying to make it a good trip does make a big difference.

[joeydb]

Looks like the manufacturers of G1 Jockey and Gallop Racer have merged. Whether either of these games survive or themselves merge is anybody's guess.

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http://kotaku.com/5139085/tecmo-koei...tecmo-holdings

It's official. Tecmo and Koei announced today that the two companies have merged, giving birth through stock transfer to a joint holding company called Koei Tecmo Holdings as of April 1.

Last fall, Tecmo rejected Square Enix's offer of a friendly takeover. Instead, Tecmo commenced merger talks with Koei, stating that both "companies have excellent financial positions, strengths and the ability to take advantage of each other in order to improve profitability and solidified the foundation of a worldwide leader."

[richrosa]

I own G1 Jockey for Wii and have played it using the Wii controls and the balance board. The gameplay is straightforward when it comes to racing, as the controls and graphics make it an enjoyable experience. To some extent you can get the feel of what jockey's go through in races while trying to weave traffic or how to deal with trouble. The play is very realistic.

The game has its biggest problem in the simulator/storyline portion of the game where the game looks more like Leisure Suit Larry circa 1988 where the jockeys beg from work from trainers using annoying text-based messages that require input from the user at each sentence. It takes forever to move the game along, which adds nothing to the overall experience of gameplay. It needs to be eliminated or seriously updated. I won't play the game because of it.

G1 Jockey has a great racing engine, and with the Wii controls, a seriously realistic game, its just the storyline that makes Monkey Ball look more attractive every time I play it.

Yes, American Wii users can creatively find a way to play out-of-region games, but I'm sure if you have the "skill" to accomplish that, you will know where to find the details on "how" to do that.