| 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 |
Formula One 99 is aracing video game developed byStudio 33 and published byPsygnosis forPlayStation andMicrosoft Windows.Sony Computer Entertainment released the game in Europe on the PlayStation. It is the sequel to the1998video gameFormula 1 98 and was based on the1999 Formula One World Championship.
Following the disappointment ofFormula 1 98, and the subsequent split withVisual Science, Psygnosis hired Studio 33 to developFormula One 99, after their successful development ofNewman/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.
| 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 thereview aggregation websiteGameRankings.[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 bySony Computer Entertainment on October 21, 1999,Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40.[5]
