Le Tour de France: 1903-2003: Centenary Edition

While the Pro Cycling Manager series games attempt to recreate the feeling of managing a Pro/Continental Tour cycling team, Tour de France: Centenary Edition is all about providing the thrills of being a cyclist, starting from the back of the peloton and working your way up to a chance at victory. The Tour de France licensed game features many real teams and cyclists in six stages, some of which are available in reverse mode. Because of the name’s nature, the tracks change drastically – what can be a perfect track for climbers becomes one for technical riders (with good breaking and turning abilities) in reverse. While the game offers a much simpler arcade experience, it plays very differently than games that feature motor vehicles. The player has a limited stamina bar that decreases as the player speeds up to break away from the current group or pedals harder to overcome a steeper hill. To replenish it, he can drink a limited number of water bottles, use downhill sections, or use opponents’ and teammates’ slipstreams. However, there are risks: downhill sections can be tricky due to the high speeds, colliding requires stamina and time (and may eventually force a retirement), and slipstreams are not always available or large enough. Because cycling is a team sport, the player can request that a teammate slipstream him during a break or give him extra water bottles. They are also easier to slipstream because they will not break away if the player stays too close for too long. Weather also plays a significant role in the race; rain makes pedaling much more complex and increases braking distance noticeably, while fog reduces stamina loss, but players must be careful not to overspend due to limited viewing distance. The game modes are training, arcade, time trials, and the Tour de France. The Tour de France is a career mode in which the player can begin a 5-year plan to become the world’s number one cyclist by winning local races, which allows them to afford better bike parts and training sessions. Parts affect mostly how well the player controls the bike. Still, because the game simulates the stage until the final miles, the starting position in the peloton is defined by training, so a player who has a top bike but neglects movement will struggle to perform well in the Tour de France, as instead of starting in the top 40, they will begin at the bottom 80, losing valuable time and sprint and mountain points.