Regional Differences

This is a sub-page of Gran Turismo (PlayStation).

To do: Add more stuff from EU version of the game or more accurately rip the Buy/Sell/Change Colour/My Car buttons. Is the JP car wash music is played in the EU version while the car is getting washed? There are less demo replays in Japanese version. Since the Japanese version has 3 pages worth of car descriptions rather than 1 for the US/EU versions, it is possible to translate them? There might be some changes in translation. I'm being pedantic, can we get that NSX-R GT1 Turbo screenshot in red instead of black?

There are changes to reflect branding of manufacturers, cultural tastes and localization terms between regions. The Japanese version was made first. The European version is an intermediate version keeping some stuff from the Japanese version, having changes that reflect the later US release as well as its own changes. Finally, the US version has some changes of its own.

Title Screens#

Japan	Europe	US

Quick Arcade & Gran Turismo were renamed to Arcade Mode and Simulation Mode in the US version. The Japanese version also has Quick Arcade & Gran Turismo in a larger font as well as Options being Option. In addition, the copyright year was updated for the international releases.

FMVs#

The intro FMV saw some modification to it in both music tracks, and even Polyphony Digital's original name as "Polys Entertainment". The US version added additional sound effects. In Japan, Moon Over the Castle by Masahiro Ando from the jazz-fusion band T-Square was used, while Western versions use The Chemical Brothers' remix of Everything Must Go by Manic Street Preachers as the intro music.

The credits music also differs. In Japan, Second Chance was used, while Western versions use Skeletal as the credit music.

Music Differences#

The game's entire soundtrack, menu and race, was swapped out in the international releases, with a further few streamed music track differences between the European and US versions. (Gran Turismo 2 and onward would simply stick to the original menu music, replacing the race music with whatever was appropriate.) The menu music for the Japanese version were composed by Isamu Ohira, who later composed most of the menu songs for the game until Gran Turismo 4 (with some of his songs making a comeback in Gran Turismo 6 and Gran Turismo Sport), while the US/European ones were composed by Jason Page, who worked for SCEE; his songs have not appeared in any of the series since.

For example, the Nissan Dealership's music:

• Arcade Mode Menu
• Arcade Mode Manufacturer
• Arcade Results
• Gran Turismo Mode/Simulation Mode Menu
• Aston Martin Showroom
• Car Wash
• Chevrolet Showroom
• Dodge/Chrysler Showroom
• Go Race/License/Machine Test
• Home
• Honda/Acura Showroom
• Mazda Showroom
• Mitsubishi Showroom
• Nissan Showroom
• Race Start
• Subaru Showroom
• Toyota Showroom
• TVR Showroom

Another example is in the race music, where the Japanese version used a soundtrack made for the game, while the Western version used licensed music from famous artists:

In the US version's MUSIC.DAT file, music slots previously taken up by Feeder's songs were replaced with duplicates of shared North American/European music tracks, an exception being Chicken on a Bone replaced with High by TMF.

The European version also has a partial music test in the Options that the Japanese and US versions do not have.

Car Availability#

Arcade Mode#

The default dealership choices for Arcade Mode are significantly different between releases. In the Japanese version, all Japanese manufacturers (Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, and Mitsubishi) are available at start, while the US and European versions swap out Subaru and Toyota for Aston Martin and Chevrolet (placed in the bottom) to ensure at least one American and British brands are available from the start.

In addition, the arcade roster is also different between versions:

• The Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-Apex (Class C) was replaced with the Toyota Soarer 2.5GT-T VVT-i (Class B).
• The Mazda Lantis 4door Coupe Type-R 2000 was replaced with the Mazda Roadster RS '98. Both are Class C vehicles.
• The Nissan Silvia K's 2000cc (Class B) was replaced with the Nissan Fairlady Z Version S 2seater (Class A).
• The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV (Class A) was replaced by the Mitsubishi Eclipse (Class B). Some demo versions outside Japan attempt to change it to Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg-R 3door '92, although in the end they settled for the Eclipse instead.
• As the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427 (C2) was completely absent in the Japanese version, Chevrolet only has three cars to select from in Arcade Mode. Said car replaces the TVR Griffith Blackpool B340 as an opponent racer in Class A Arcade Mode races and the Trial Mountain Spot Race.

Honda#

Japan	Europe	North America

In the US version, the showroom splits between Honda and Acura due to branding reasons affecting the Integra and the NSX. The European and the US versions of the game have two less cars in the showroom to buy, the CR-X del Sol VGi and the CR-X del Sol SiR. There is also a mistake with the European version not being in price order unlike the Japanese version and the US version.

Japan: NSX-R GT1 Turbo	Europe: NSX-R LM GT2	US: NSX-R LM GT2

The Japanese version featured the NSX-R GT1 Turbo as Honda's special model, while Western releases featured the Team Kunimitsu NSX-R LM GT2. Both cars took part in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans race, with the LM GT2 (driven by Kunimitsu Takahashi, Keiichi Tsuchiya, and Akira Iida) securing a class win, while the two GT1 Turbos that Honda ran in the race could not be classified (one was too slow to be classified and the other failed very early in the race). Also of note, in the US versions, the NSX-R LM GT2 is given Acura badging. As well, the prices of every single car were adjusted to closer reflect European/American currency.

TVR#

There was also at least one car name change: TVR's Griffith Blackpool B340 was renamed to the Griffith 500 in other regions. Both Griffiths also receive a racing modification design change, with the Japanese version opting for stripes, sporting the Gran Turismo logo visible on the side of the car, while international versions opt for a design based on TVR Tuscan Challenge cars, evident with the changed taillights and the series logo in the rear quarter.

Griffith 500#

JP Version	US/EU Version

JP Version	US/EU Version

Griffith Blackpool B340/500#

JP Version	US/EU Version

JP Version	US/EU Version

HUD#

JP Version	US Version

As well, the HUD was even touched up a slight bit, with a smoother and smaller font being added. The "Lap" text over the lap counter was all-caps in the Japanese version. The Western versions also added a closer chase camera.

Arcade Mode#

Japan	US/Europe

• Goodies was renamed to Bonus Items.
• Hard was renamed to Difficult in the US version.
• Cars drive much faster in the international versions' Arcade Mode, due to increased performance multiplier.
• Jumps were added on the Arcade Mode versions of the following tracks:
  • Trial Mountain (backstretch)
  • Grand Valley East (second-last corner before the tunnel; end of the first East layout-specific road)
  • Autumn Ring (before the bridge)
  • Deep Forest Raceway (home straight, before the bridge)
  • Grand Valley (before the hairpin)

Gran Turismo/Simulation Mode#

JP/EU Version	US Version

• Two dealership names were changed. Namely, Honda was changed to reflect the presence of Acura in its lineup. As well, Chrysler was changed to Dodge to reflect its international presence. All references to Chrysler were changed to Dodge in the US version of the game, although a Chrysler logo remains in the reverse versions of Grand Valley Speedway.

JP/EU Version	US Version

• The Chevrolet logos were also updated between releases, due to branding changes at General Motors. This also can be seen in some billboards in the game's circuits.

• There were some small changes to phrasing to remove cases of Engrish: YOU GET SILVER PRIZE! became SILVER PRIZE!, etc.

• Failing a license test in the Japanese version is followed by an additional screen before returning to the License Examination menu, similar to the "YOU GET ___ PRIZE" screen, but with flashing red text saying "FAILED" and different music track playing. It was removed in the International version due to redundancy, as the game already informs you of your failure the exact moment you finish the race.

• Japanese and American versions simply used the word "Exit" to exit menus, while the European version used a door as the exit symbol; due to a possible programming error, the exit door remains in the car description for the FC generation of Mazda RX-7s on American copies of the game. The Buy and Sell buttons in the European version have also been replaced by symbols. Furthermore, "Change" is the European equivalent of "GET IN" (US version) in the garage screen.

• Car descriptions could be a whopping three pages long in the Japanese version, but only one page long in US and European versions.

• The international versions adds an ability to scroll quickly in the used car list by pressing Left or Right on the D-Pad.

Pre-Race and Settings Menu#

JP Version	US/EU Version

• The order of Machine Setting/Car Setting was switched in the international versions.
• The helper text for menu navigation were removed in the international versions.

JP Version	US/EU Version

JP Version	US/EU Version

• The prompt to switch between Change Parts/Parts Settings using shoulder buttons was removed in the international versions, although the functionality is still there.

Demonstration Replays#

Each region offers a different set of demonstration replays:

Japan#

The Japanese version also only has the license demonstrations for tests B-3, B-5, B-7, B-8, A-1, A-4, A-7, A-8, and IA-7.

North America#

Unlike the Japanese version, the North American version has demonstration replays for all license tests.

Gameplay Features#

Units of Measurement#

The units of measurement were changed – mostly between North America and Japan & Europe – in another attempt of better suiting players from different regions.

License Times#

Others#

• Save data is not checked or loaded automatically upon startup in the Japanese version.
• In the European version, when set to English, the word "card" in "Memory card" was in lowercase. However, in the US version, the first letters are capitalized as they should be ("Memory Card"). Also, the word "Loading" during the loading screens is all caps in the European version. The Japanese version lacks loading messages when moving from the main menus to the pre-race menu entirely.