V-Rally: 97 Championship Edition

V-Rally: 97 Championship Edition is a rally racing game published by Infogrames, and it was one of the company’s biggest PlayStation successes in Europe.

PAL release landscape

Our database currently catalogues five PAL variants, with the earliest recorded release dating from June 1999. Between them they cover France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK, with English, French and German language support. The release types are quite varied: an Original, a Reprint, a Best Of Infogrames edition, a Value Series Best of Infogrames edition and a Platinum release.

Physical characteristics

Every catalogued variant uses a Full Jewel PAL case, holds a single disc, and carries a Hologram B on the case. That consistency makes the packaging easy to recognise, but the different budget and re-release labels, along with shifting serial suffixes and barcodes, mean collectors need to check details carefully to identify which pressing they hold.

Collector interest

The range of re-release branding makes this a rewarding title for completists. Tracking the Original, Platinum and Best Of lines side by side offers a neat picture of how Infogrames kept a strong seller in circulation across the PlayStation’s life.