For me this game opened a new world, as Regular Cars review guy states - https://www.youtube.com/user/RegularCars - this game was the reason why some kids got into cars, tuning and JDM.
Nissan Syline R34 - the car that all the '90 kids will go crazy about, Honda NSX, ... that Suzuky Escudo - spoiler bigger than the whole car ... so many memories, music, dam that game was pure emotion, adrenaline and caaaaars.
Damn these Japanese and their driving school in this game, we took that driving license so serious that we become really skillful with cornering and drifting.
Take that car and mode it to the max ... shit that people do in real life with their Evos or Impreza ... they took it from here.
Yes, I respect NFS Porsche, NFS Underground 2, even bought the last one - but there was something about this first speed sensation that I cannot find in NFS ... Forza got this mojo somehow ;)
There is a driver in all of us, and if you had the first playstation and you take racing games seriously I don't think that you skipped this one.
First love, first car, first driving simulator - yeeeeaaaaaaaah - bring that Tommy Kaira !!!!!