Extreme G3 (GC)

Extreme G3 (GC) ... of WipEout and introduce the mix to the PlayStation 2, and you have Extreme G3. It's a tried and trusted formula--futuristic motorcycling on gravity-defying circuits with armaments on the cycles and turbo boosts which make everything go blurry--and it's utterly engrossing. There's no attempt at realism here; it's arcade racing at its best. Graphics are incredibly smooth, with no distance pop-up, and the background details are splendid--the cityscapes have a stark reality to them and the 360-degree loops are a joy to behold (if a little stomach turning). With a bike that's boosted to the hilt, hitting the turbo button produces an utterly stunning effect; the screen distorts as you hit high G and the sound goes woozy, waving in and out of phase to simulate the effect of raw speed. It's really very impressive. Add to this the novelty of the side-by-side two player mode and Extreme G3 is great fun and good value for money.