TOUR DE FRANCE 2026 From: Nacon For: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, PC ★★★ This is the sort of game that has to be filed firmly in the “labour of love” category. And that goes for both those who have crafted a really faithful video game celebrating the world’s greatest bicycle race, and those gamers whose idea of fun is, well, pedalling a bike. Tour de France 2026 is the latest release from developers Nacon, based (quelle surprise) in France, home of the grand tour. Immediately upon playing it, I could make two assessments: those who love cycling will love it; and people like me, well, not so much. But if it did not instantly grab me, it at least showed what a remarkable job a designer can do with a sport that is not obviously an easy fit for a video game. You get to jump on a bike straight away and learn the movements and strategies of the race that grips so many. There is pedalling and steering, obviously, but also mechanics around body position, time trial movements and team instructions. Being on the bike feels smooth, if a little sterile, and it is genuinely fun-slash-terrifying to soar on a downhill stage or feel your wheel slip out in the rain. Being a bit of a dunce, I struggled for a while to come to grips with things like when to increase and decrease your effort — your energy levels plummet if your overdo it — but there was satisfaction to be gained in getting it right. [Missing Credit][object Object] Racing in a bunch is challenging but engaging, and is much more about careful strategy than mindless button-mashing. The entire Tour de France — all stages of the great race, from the mountains to the time trials — is available. And if the graphics are not stunningly great, they are pleasant enough, and provide plenty of variety, from the scenery to the cheering crowds. All the authentic riders and teams and equipment and various coloured jerseys are included, and the expansion of weather effects has a wide-ranging impact. Perhaps like the real thing, playing a Tour de France game requires and rewards plenty of patience. And I won’t lie — mine started to wear out thanks to the general repetition and steepish learning curve. Still, if you like the bike, and the Tour de France keeps you up at night, this will definitely be your thing.
