Formula One 99 is a racing video game developed by Studio 33 and published by Psygnosis for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. Sony Computer Entertainment released the game in Europe on the PlayStation. It is the sequel to the 1998 video game Formula 1 98 and was based on the 1999 Formula One World Championship.
| Formula One 99 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Studio 33 |
| Publisher(s) | Psygnosis
|
| Series | Formula One |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation, Microsoft Windows |
| Release | PlayStationMicrosoft Windows
|
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Following the disappointment of Formula 1 98, and the subsequent split with Visual Science, Psygnosis hired Studio 33 to develop Formula One 99, after their successful development of Newman/Haas Racing the previous year. During production of the game, Sony Computer Entertainment acquired Psygnosis, making this the final Formula One game to be released by Psygnosis independently.
The game is unique in having substitute drivers appear in the game as they did in the real 1999 season (such as Mika Salo replacing Michael Schumacher for the races between Austria and Europe). A new grid editor tool was also introduced, allowing players to customise the starting grid to their own liking before a race. Despite the lack of an arcade mode that had featured in previous titles, the game was widely praised as an overwhelming improvement in comparison to the 1998 game.
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | PS: 78%[3] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Edge | PS: 7/10[4] |
| Famitsu | PS: 28/40[5] |
| Game Informer | PS: 7.75/10[7] |
| GameFan | PS: 65%[6] |
| GamePro | PS:   [8] |
| GameSpot | PS: 7.7/10[9] |
| IGN | PC: 4.2/10[10] PS: 8.5/10[11] |
| PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia | PS: 8/10[12] |
| PlayStation Official Magazine – UK | PS: 8/10[13] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | PS:  [14] |
| PC Accelerator | PC: 5/10[15] |
| PC Gamer (US) | PC: 40%[16] |
| Gamers' Republic | PS: B+[17] |
The PlayStation version received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[3] Official UK PlayStation Magazine said that the game "put the series back on track after last year's debacle", with top gameplay and a true sense of speed.[13] GameSpot praised the controls and grid editor tool.[9] IGN called it the best F1 game for PlayStation.[11] In Japan, where the PlayStation version was ported and published by Sony Computer Entertainment on October 21, 1999, Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40.[5]
References
edit- ^ "PlayStation plus 4 New Releases". Daily Mirror. 29 October 1999. p. 14. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
- ^ "Psygnosis Ships Stellar F1 99". PSX Nation. 16 December 1999. Archived from the original on 25 February 2001. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Formula One 99 for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ Edge staff (December 1999). "Formula One 99 (PS)". Edge. No. 78. Future plc.
- ^ a b "フォーミュラ ワン 99 [PS]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ "REVIEW for Formula One 99 (PS)". GameFan. Shinno Media. 3 January 2000.
- ^ Anderson, Paul (January 2000). "Formula 1 '99 (PS)". Game Informer. No. 81. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on 22 May 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ The Freshman (2000). "Formula One 99 Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on 15 February 2005. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ a b MacDonald, Ryan (4 January 2000). "Formula 1 99 Review (PS) [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Rouse, Rich (30 May 2000). "Formula One 99 (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ a b Bishop, Sam (2 February 2000). "Formula One '99 (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ "Greymatter". PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia. No. 32. March 2000. pp. 106–109. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ a b "Formula One 99". Official UK PlayStation Magazine. No. 52. Future plc. December 1999.
- ^ "Formula One 99". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Ziff Davis. 2000.
- ^ Hamm, Tom (June 2000). "Formula One 99". PC Accelerator. No. 22. Imagine Media. p. 85. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ Goble, Gord (2000). "Formula One 99". PC Gamer. Imagine Media. Archived from the original on 15 March 2006. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ Hobbs, Mike. "Formula One 99". Gamers' Republic. No. 20. p. 64. Retrieved 4 August 2021.