Paris-Dakar Rally (2001): PC & PS2 Game Guide
Identify the original Paris-Dakar Rally game for PC and PS2, explore its website history, and find sources for patches and original screenshots.
By Dakar Rally Game editorial team · Published
An independent historical resource about the 2001 game. This site is not operated by Acclaim or Broadsword and does not provide their original customer support.
Which Paris-Dakar Rally game is this?
Paris-Dakar Rally is the 2001 PC and PlayStation 2 racing game associated with developer Broadsword and publisher Acclaim. This guide documents that original game and the website that once supported it. If an old review brought you to this domain, this is the part of the site devoted to the game it was describing.
The current site is an independent resource. It is not the original publisher’s support service, and the historical association of this domain does not mean that Acclaim or Broadsword operates it today.
PC, PlayStation 2 and the original announcement
The original English homepage, captured in May 2001, promoted versions for PC and PlayStation 2 and linked to both Acclaim and Broadsword. Its description centred on a journey across North Africa, with varied landscapes rather than a conventional circuit.
The original site was promotional material published around the game’s launch. A capture date tells us when a page was preserved; it does not establish an exact retail release date in every region. The archive is useful for identifying the game and its advertised features, but should not be read as a current compatibility or support promise.
Stages, terrain and vehicle management
The archived game information page described twelve stages with alternative routes through different environments. Its advertised terrain ranged from vegetation and rocky passages to desert dunes, with hazards that could slow a vehicle or damage it.
The same page discussed route choices around obstacles, vehicle repairs at way stations, and managing food and water. These are descriptions from the original publisher’s material, not claims that we have recently tested every feature. They explain why the game was presented as an endurance journey as well as a race.
Finding patches for the Windows version
The old PC downloads page offered updates under filenames such as Dakar101.EXE and Dakar104.EXE. The archived 2002 description identifies version 1.04 as an update for European and US PC releases, including versions 1.00 through 1.03.
Our Paris-Dakar Rally patch catalogue separates the evidence for each filename from the availability of a working download. It also explains why an old reference to Windows XP does not establish support for a modern Windows installation. These PC patches do not apply to the PlayStation 2 version.
What the original website contained
The site organised its English content into game information, screenshots, downloads, news and background about the rally. It also offered localized sections. The downloads area included promotional music, desktop wallpaper and, in a later capture, movie clips and a PC update.
Explore our restored PC and PlayStation 2 screenshot gallery: five original promotional images, each with a scene description and an archived source. The gallery distinguishes surviving original files from newly recorded gameplay and includes a link to the original 2001 gallery page.
Paris-Dakar Rally, Dakar 18 and Dakar Desert Rally
These titles are separate games. A patch, screenshot or troubleshooting note for one should not be assumed to work for another. Use the exact title and platform when looking for installation help or comparing an old review with a game you own.
For the later titles, see our Dakar 18 guide and Dakar Desert Rally guide. If you want a game that runs in a browser, the rally games collection is a separate selection; it is not a browser port of Paris-Dakar Rally (2001).
Is the full game available here?
No. This historical section provides information and archival references, not a full-game download. A patch updates an existing installation; it is not a replacement for the game. We also have not verified a current digital purchase option for this original title.
If you are identifying an old disc, begin with the title, platform and edition printed on its packaging or documentation. Match those details to any update instructions before treating a filename as the right patch.
Sources and corrections
The principal sources are the original homepage, game information and 2002 downloads page. These links open historical captures, not current publisher support pages.
Have a correction or original documentation that identifies a different edition? Use our contact page and include the source so the historical record can be checked.