Comparing Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown to Forza and Gran Turismo – Here’s What to Expect!

Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is coming out on September 12, and we're extremely excited to finally be able to play it after such a long wait. The question that remains, though, is how might the new TDU compare to true gargatuans of the niche: Forza Horizon and Gran Turismo.

Of course, each of these franchises exists in a bubble of its own, but it'd be silly to pretend that there's no overlap between the three. Those of us who love cars and arcade racing experiences will, inevitably, give all three a shot and in some ways, Solar Crown is the ultimate rendition of this particular fantasy.

How is that the case, though? And how does Solar Crown compare to its competitors in 2024? Well, here's what we know!

What is Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown?

As we discussed in our earlier everything-we-know article (link featured above), Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is an all-new open-world racing game with MMO leanings. Indeed, this is an always-online experience where you roam about the whole Hong Kong Island that's brimming with life and activity. Join other players for races, explore HKI, or simply enjoy your snazzy new rides in the viewer interface - that's what Solar Crown is all about.

While cars are - obviously - the big draw of playing Solar Crown, the really interesting bit is that this game aims to build out the social experience of mingling about with other like-minded gearheads. Through clan competitions, social events, and the general ability to just mill about in car dealerships, workshops, etc., Solar Crown truly drives home the feel of a proper car meet.

Get your early access to Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown with 2Game today!

Comparing TDU: Solar Crown to Forza Horizon

Forza Horizon games are the obvious closest point of comparison for Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown. Both are arcadey, open-world racing games that deliver dozens of cars for players to enjoy in remarkable detail. More importantly, they both aim to give you a whole region of playable terrain to muck about in.

Whereas Forza Horizon usually delivers a smaller, truncated version of the real-world region it's been inspired with, like with Forza Horizon 5's rendition of Mexico, Solar Crown takes a wholly different direction. TDU: Solar Crown's Hong Kong Island is a faithful 1:1 recreation of the real deal. Of course, some roads have been made more appropriate for fast driving, but everything else is precisely the way you'd find it in the real world, making it a unique experience in this respect.

Further, Solar Crown's cars, too, go for a quality over quantity approach. There won't be nearly as many cars in this game as there are in, say, Forza Horizon 5, but you will be able to control their blinkers, wipers, and a whole host of other features that simply aren't there in Forza. So, in summary, TDU will be more in-depth but less broad than Forza, generally speaking!

So, to summarize:

Fewer cars.
More depth and functionality for each vehicle.
Less car customization (limited to color and wheel choices).
Much bigger and more true-to-life map.
More life-sim elements.
More social gameplay.

Comparing TDU: Solar Crown to Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo, on the other hand, is a category all of its own. Gameplay and progression-wise, it is broadly comparable to a Forza game, but it doesn't have an open-world gameplay component of any sort. Instead, it's all racing all the time, unless you're in a car cafe learning about automotive history.

Solar Crown is bound to inherit much of Gran Turismo's trademark "sterility," if you will. These aren't the dirty, grimy street-racing experiences of yore. These are high-tier automotive enjoyment expeditions instead, the kind of games you play specifically if you want to celebrate car culture. This, of course, means you forego customization in some respects, so no body kits, wings, and whatnot!

Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown aims to celebrate some of the very same features that we usually expect to see exclusively in a Gran Turismo game, but it does away with the historical aspects of the automotive industry. Whereas GT aims to immerse you into the very heart and soul of this niche, Solar Crown is happy to stick with the cars themselves, which many will find enjoyable and preferable.

So, to summarize this comparison:

Fewer cars.
Less customization opportunities.
Less of a focus on automotive history and industry quirks.
More celebration of stock vehicles.
Proper open-world access instead of races.
More in-person activities (socializing, gambling, etc.).

How will Solar Crown stand on its own two feet?

We've got no doubt that Solar Crown will eke out its own niche over a long enough period of time. Its unique social focus, the lack of offline gameplay, and an insistence on the vanilla driving experience are sure to rile up car purists, and the sheer depth of vehicle modeling is going to keep us glued to our screens as we soar across Hong Kong Island at improbable speeds.

There's still some time to go before TDU: Solar Crown comes out, and we expect that we'll get to learn even more about the game over the coming weeks. For that - and loads more - do stay tuned to 2Game as much as possible. And don't forget to use our link to grab a delightful pre-order discount and early access to the game as soon as it's available. Have fun!

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Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is coming out on September 12, and we’re extremely excited to finally be able to play it after such a long wait. The question that remains, though, is how might the new TDU compare to true gargatuans of the niche: Forza Horizon and Gran Turismo. Of course, each of these […]

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