Description of Indianapolis 500: The Simulation
Indianapolis 500 is the first racing game by Papyrus Design Group, designers of modern-day classics like NASCAR Racing and IndyCar Racing.
It's basically an excellent 3D simulation of the 25-mile Indianapolis 500. Not a simple arcade racer, where fast reactions are enough to lead to success, but a - for its time - very detailed simulation with great graphics, nice music and sounds by Rob Hubbard and many aspects of the racing-car open for modification. A great classic. Sadly, the game features only the Indy 500 track with no possibility to edit or add new ones. Here is some more information from MobyGames:
Indy 500's graphics are simply stunning considering the system requirements. You cannot find a PC that won't run this game well. The sound is also quite good; if you have an Adlib or Sound Blaster, the engine sounds are amazingly realistic. That's not to say Indy 500 is an arcade game--when it says "simulation", it means it. You can adjust your spoiler, outer and inner tire pressure, and even the amount of fuel you have in your tank to shave precious seconds off of your lap. Also, the physics are true to life: If you enter a corner too fast, centrifugal force pushes you to the outside of the track, tires squealing.
Two thumbs up for this classic that is a forerunner to Papyrus' immensely successful racing series that continues to this day with NASCAR 4 and beyond.
Review By HOTUD
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Comments and reviews
Hazed100 2022-05-29 3 points Amiga version
I bought this game on an Amiga 500 in 1990 I think, I read that manual cover to cover and played religiously, it was the first ever proper racing simulator I could ever afford after lusting for years over the! C micro game REVS and not bring able to afford a computer back then. Then watching various PC racing games I couldn't afford. Finally I got the Amiga and grabbed this game. It took me a YEAR before I got a 1st place finish and I swear it was and still is my greatest feeling of achievement in any racing game. No other game was ever so hard or demanding of time and effort. Even GP legends later on a PC which I eventually owned and played to death, loved too, was not as hard to win. Seems to me games designers have lost the art of making legendary titles like these. The perfect balance of difficulty vs fun and feeling of skill rewards. Ahhh how I miss gaming like that. Thanks for this site and the chance to hear and see this running again. Brought a tear to my eye!!! magical.
wazza99999 2022-03-31 0 point Amiga version
Remember playing this loads and doing quite well right up until too much dust got into the ball cavity of the mouse, causing me to crash as it became unresponsive. Still one of the best race sims to this day though
Tim 2022-02-05 1 point
This game caused me to buy my first PC. During the Indy 500 telecast they showed Emerson Fittipaldi playing this game. The next week I was out buying my first PC for $3000. DX486 if I remember correctly.
RichardFromMarple 2020-11-27 1 point
This is one game my brother & I played for hours just trying to get the setups of the cars right. My brother could win the first two levels of races but I only managed the 10 lap one occasionally.
Iñiguren 2020-10-14 0 point Amiga version
Fantástico juego.
Lo disfrute en Commodore amiga y después de mil intentos conseguí ganar la Indy 500.
Old Boy 2020-04-26 1 point
One of the first games I played back in those days. A friend made a copy for me in one of those 5 1/4 floppy disks. We played games in 8088 4.77Mhz machine with monochrome CGA screen, no hard disk.
AexTb 2018-10-31 0 point
This is one of the best ever simulation (i told ever considering the actual one). I remember if you don't prepare the car you never win the race. The firs ever win on 30 laps race i do on myself prepared Buick (the red car).
I still play it sometime on dosbox
momo 2018-10-19 1 point DOS version
That was one of the most challenging experiences I had in my teenage years. I loved to find the perfect settings for each car and the concentration t required to finish the 200 laps.
ajshell1 2018-01-02 6 points DOS version
I have some tips for the DOS version:
You can change the game's video mode and sound system by launching it with certain command line switches:
To use adlib sound, type "indy /a"
To use CGA graphics, type "indy /c"
To use EGA graphics, type "indy /e"
To use MCGA graphics, type "indy /m"
To use Roland sound, you would supposedly type "indy /r", but that causes the game to freeze without starting for me.
To disable sound, type "indy /s"
To use Tandy sound and graphics, type 'indy /t". This only works if DOSbox is properly configured to use Tandy graphics and sound.
Russ 2017-10-21 -3 points
Download WinUAE (Amiga emulator) and get the Amiga version. So much better than PC.
Rick Fortuna 2017-06-15 4 points DOS version
I played it over and over sometimes crashing at lap #75 sometimes at #110. One day, just one day - I remember it clearly - I managed to win the 200 laps.. In one of the pauses of 5 min I took to relieve the cramps in my right hand I called my brother and his friend Benno to watch the last 25 laps... and they witnessed me winning the Indy 500!! Gosh it felt amazing and it was truly a lifetime achievement. Never again I did it.
Joe Mama 2017-03-16 2 points DOS version
I love this game, bought it a long time ago when it came in a pack along with Gunship 2000 and Jetfighter. Only thing which is a pain is the copy protection of having to refer to the manual when you start the game. I enjoyed playing the 10 laps, no car damage to see how many other cars I could take out. I often either ran the wrong way around the track or littered the main track along the pits with wrecked cars until all the other cars were wrecked, too. The instant replays are fun to watch.
Rougue Warrior 2016-03-06 0 point DOS version
Awsome game. I got this game as a birthday gift when I was 9 and I still play it to this day. Came up with a set up that had me pushing a 240mph top speed.
InsanePhoe 2015-02-28 -1 point DOS version
Spent many a time using pushing crashed cars into a wall and replaying the pack collisions when it was timed in such a way that about 10-15 cars all piled into the debris of cars lined up across the track that had crashed from previous laps.
Imed 2014-10-20 -1 point DOS version
Absolutely love it!.
I remember how epic it was playing the 200 laps race...
Trickster 2014-05-27 1 point DOS version
The graphics were very fluent for its time, and you could really sense the adjustments you'd made. Still, my fave activity was to select a quick race, turn around, and try to organize such massive collisions that only I finished the race.
Knökenknecht 2014-02-19 1 point DOS version
Wow, that was fun - in any aspects: camera angles, collisions, action replay, speed, car tuning and Roland sound support. No, I meant, it was really fun these days. Best game of Papyrus imo.
Vortexfugue 2013-10-14 1 point DOS version
My very favorite racing simulator back in the day.. I loved this game!
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DOS Version
Game Extras
Various files to help you run Indianapolis 500: The Simulation, apply patches, fixes, maps or miscellaneous utilities.
2 MB
Amiga ROM
- Year: 1990
- Publisher: Electronic Arts, Inc., Hit Squad, The
- Developer: Papyrus Design Group, Inc.
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