by Natalie M. Wolverson

Created on: November 03, 2009

Choosing a racing game is a hard choice in itself, let alone choosing one as a gift for someone else! There are so many good games out at the moment and each one has its own individual style and feel. Styles range from arcade racers such as Mario Kart to a more serious simulation style deployed in Forza Motorsport 3. Whatever the style there is a game that will suit!

First of all we have a new addition to the Need For Speed franchise with Need For Speed Shift. This game is a mixture between arcade and simulation however it tends to lean more towards the arcade style. Need For Speed was well known for the street racing and car customization, however it has now tried to move forward into the more professional style of track racing. This game is great if you want to race authentic cars and tracks but still ram people off the road or drift around corners. Whilst driving in the cockpit view you can see the G-force affecting your drivers head and body position and the screen will also grey out if you crash. You earn stars for winning races, leading the whole race, beating a lap time and so on - these stars can then be used to unlock vehicles. You are encouraged to play the game your way throughout and are rewarded for either driving carefully and not crashing into other cars, or being an aggressive driver and drifting around corners or trading paint. Various difficulty levels can be set if you are struggling, or if you need more of a challenge. The game is available on the Xbox 360, PC, PS3 and PSP.

Cars Race-O-Rama is aimed at the younger generation, but that's not to say that it isn't an enjoyable game to play. The game immerses players into a racing adventure through unique locations which have never been seen in the world of Cars. Players will race with their own customized Lightening and compete against other players from all over the continent in an attempt to win the Race-O-Rama trophy. This game is based on the movie cars (in case you hadn't already figured) and uses a very cartoony/arcade graphics style. The game is available on PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, DS and the Wii.

Dirt 2 is the sequel to the widely known Colin McRae's Dirt. The game features off road racing using a variety of different off road vehicles such as land buggies and rally cars. You will race in different countries and each will have a unique look - a Malaysian jungle, Utah desert or inside an L.A stadium. Each car can be customized and every track that is available in single player can be

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>