Colin McRae Rally is a rally racing video game developed and published by Codemasters. It was originally released for iOS mobile devices in June 2013, and then ported to Android devices and OS X and Windows personal computers (PCs) in 2014. Gameplay is similar to early iterations of the series with content predominantly taken from the 2000 title Colin McRae Rally 2.0. Players can drive cars and participate in point-to-point rally events, competing against times recorded by computer drivers. Stages take place in several different locations with varied terrain like tarmac and gravel. The game features damage modelling and chassis deformation effects that can be sustained from collisions.
The title marked Codemasters' debut in developing a mobile game internally. The goal of the project was to create a core, rally racing experience for mobile devices. The development team chose to use Colin McRae Rally 2.0 as the foundation, taking its tracks, driving model, and pacenotes for the new title. Original vehicle models were reused but aspects of the game's graphics were enhanced to provide the higher visual quality expected by modern standards. Numerous sound assets were replaced with samples from other Codemasters driving games.
Compared to the positive reception to previous games in the series, reception towards the 2013 release was mixed. The primary criticism among professional reviewers was the lack of content and omission of important features. However, the attempt to replicate the driving experience of classic Colin McRae Rally games was complimented. Critics generally believed that the level of difficulty and realistic driving model would appease rally fans and experienced players but might deter beginners. Upon release, the PC version was received negatively by players who were not expecting a mobile game port. The reaction prompted Codemasters to offer refunds to the players.
Gameplay
Colin McRae Rally is a racing video game in which players can drive cars in point-to-point rally events. The game can be played from a behind-the-car perspective or from a bonnet camera view. On mobile devices, cars can be steered using on-screen buttons which provide digital input or using tilt controls which provide analog input. The game's content and driving model are taken directly from the 2000 title Colin McRae Rally 2.0. The game features thirty rally stages from Colin McRae Rally 2.0, located in Australia, Corsica, and Greece. Terrain and surfaces vary between stages ranging from smooth tarmac roads to gravely off-road tracks. Track information is provided through verbal descriptions from the co-driver and icons that appear near the top of the screen. The icons display the severity and difficulty of turns using colour-coding. A progress indicator is also displayed on screen, so that the player can see how much of the course they have completed and compare their position to the computer drivers.
The game features three modes: Championship, Single Rally, and Single Stage. The Championship mode is split into eight rallies, each composed of either twelve or twenty-four stages. To win a rally, the player must attain the lowest total time against the computer drivers. The total time is taken as the summation of each individual stage time. Players begin the game with a single vehicle, the Ford Focus RS WRC; three additional cars—the Subaru Impreza WRX, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI, and the Lancia Stratos—can be unlocked by placing first in the championship rallies. During a race, vehicles can sustain damage from collisions, which can subsequently be repaired at intervals after every two events.