Colin Okay

Anyone who knows me knows two things: I love order, and I have about as much interest in fast cars as I do in Formula 1 coverage on Sunday afternoons. However, what applies in real life is often thrown out the window in video games. That's why I wasn't always averse to digital racing challenges — Need for Speed was one of my favorite series in my youth for a reason.

Colin McRae Rally on the other hand combined everything I dislike about motor racing. No races against other drivers, no battles for position, no adrenaline rush from car chases or police sirens. The only opponent is time, represented by sober checkpoints and merciless second counters. Rallying, in other words. A sport that doesn't appeal to me as a spectator, let alone as a player.

Other entries in the Colin McRae Rally -series

Soundtrack

Colin McRae Rally (1998)

Soundtrack

Colin McRae Rally 2.0 (2000)

Soundtrack

Colin McRae Rally 3 (2002)

Soundtrack

Colin McRae Rally 04 (2003)

Soundtrack

Colin McRae Rally 2005 (2004)

Looking back, it's hardly surprising that I ignored the first game in the series from 1998. My few encounters with the genre were long limited to exceptions such as Richard Burns Rally or, in a much more arcade-like form, Ignition. Even though it was just an arcade racer, the Micro Machines-clone's track layout would have been virtually unplayable without orientation aids. I digress.

The score

Unfortunately, there was no official soundtrack, only a compilation by composer Jonathan Colling. The two albums summarize the first five games in the series, which I'll break down again for my website. It's good that I can be brief here, as only one track from the first game is included. Colin McRae Rally 1 Theme [Long Version]Jonathan Colling4 is loud techno that starts its first loop after just 46 seconds. The whole thing sounds stereotypical and like the background music for a “cool” commercial for kids of the 90s.