In the game, the player is taken through 42 highly detailed stages in five countries – Russia, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Kenya – which cover several road surfaces including gravel, mud and tarmac. Stages take place in all weather conditions such as rain in both the day and night. Damage is accurately re-created, even down to broken headlights which the player must of course preserve to see during night stages. Rally Trophy was considered by many people to be the Grand Prix Legends of rally driving, due to its focus on historic cars, and the physics models of the cars (with no traction control or driver aids) being relatively realistic and challenging for its time.