The launching of the first Gran Turismo game for the Playstation was such a huge success that it marked the start of racing game dominance in the gaming consoles. We all know that racing simulations had been making a home in the PC for quite some time now, and although there were games such as Sega Rally, Mario Kart, and Polyphony Digital's Motor Toon Grand Prix, those games were not promising enough in terms of what the racing genre could actually offer to the gamers.

After it was initially released in Japan on 1997, and then shortly in the US and Europe, the game became an instant success. It was definitely a racer that has never been seen on the console before, therefore it does not come as a surprise that Gran Turismo and its preceding sequels collectively sold over 50 million copies worldwide. With over 250 cars to race with and 11 courses, it's astounding how you still have such personalized access to car specifications to make the game feel like what a real racing should be like.

And now, with the upcoming Gran Turismo 5, you'll get more than a glimpse of this much-awaited installment with the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Although this is not the full sequel, GT5 Prologue is a full insight into the much-anticipated 5th installment of the ever-popular racing game. You can choose to purchase this as a standalone game or you can download it via the Playstation Network. It will surely keep you all geared up until the GT5 hits market next year.

Even though this is not the full version of the game and you do not have access to the full roster of cars and racetracks, your list of choices still total an impressive 40 cars. And these cars are not a bunch of trash either, with such racing giants as Ferrari and Lotus sports cars, what better choice can you have? Not only that, you can also compete in racetracks that are based in some of the more popular racing tracks in the world, such as the Suzuka racetrack in Japan.

Son'y partnership with Polyphony Digital, which is known as the premier videogame designer, ensures that fans will have utmost fun racing in these tracks. If you find these stuffs you're hearing quite too good to be true, there is still so much in store as this is primarily only a sort of ?demo? for the main game, GT5. And as if they haven't offered quite a promise yet, you can also make use of the GT5 Prologue Online mode. So long as you have a broadband connection, you can join in on the online racing fun which is able to support up to 16 players. This may be a good time to test you and your friends' racing skills.

Just like in the offline version of the game, you can also play using the Garage Mode while engaging in online play. While playing in this mode, you will be able to specify your car settings like hydraulics, engine settings, brake and suspension, tires, etc. By doing this, you can ensure optimum performance from your chosen vehicle when you compete in a race like the Global Online Rankings Challenge. The competition can be quite stiff but winning each race you've ran can be quite fulfilling.

If you're still not convince with the racing prowess of this game, these few extras that have been bundled for this game might just as well tickle your fancy. The Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has got a My Page option, which enables you to either Race, go to the Garage, watch TV, or look at the Album where pictures taken while in Race mode are stored. One other interesting feature in GT5 Prologue is the Calendar, which enables you to view scheduled Races, as well as weather reports for each racing day.

Although the PS3 SixAxis joypad can be quite responsive while playing GT5, plugging in a steering wheel can prove more rewarding. This will enable you to view the action clearly via the point of view of a real racer, and see other cars disappear behind you as you run past them.

Since GT5 Prologue is rendered in full High Definition, you can be guaranteed to get the highest picture quality with every single race you run. With all its features, it's hard to imagine why this game can't be a full title. Well, this means there'll be so much more in store for the Gran Turismo 5. Until then, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will surely work up your appetite.