Brawn GP News

The last official Formula one game was released in 2007.  Codemasters have announced that this Autumn they will release F1 2009 on the Nintendo Wii andPSP.  But in the meantime to help you practice your racing skills here are some of our favourite games.

Mario Kart

Ok I know Mario Kart is not a high quality racing simulation.  But it makes the list as it is unbeaten for fun!

Game Features:

• The Wii Wheel transforms the Wii Remote; controller into a steering wheel that feels natural in anyone’s hands, while the Wii Remote and Nunchuk; controller offer a classic control style for the Mario Kart veteran. In either configuration, players can perform speed-boosting tricks with a shake of the Wii Remote.
• Players can race as their favourite Nintendo character, or even as themselves! Mario Kart Wii lets players race with their personalized Mii; characters. And racers will see other Mii characters they have created cheering from the sidelines on some race courses.
• Players can compete with up to three friends in their living room. Or challenge up to 11 opponents via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in the biggest Mario Kart race yet. All tracks and modes of play are available via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and players can visit the Mario Kart Channel to compete in tournaments, check rankings, see when their friends are playing and download ghost data.
• Cruise new tracks and arenas or tour classic courses from Super Mario Kart;, Mario Kart; 64, Mario Kart;: Super Circuit;, Mario Kart;: Double Dash!!; and Mario Kart; DS. Tired of riding on four wheels? Bust out one of the new motorbikes for special tricks and techniques.

Characters
Nintendo favourites Mario;, Luigi;, Peach;, Yoshi;, Donkey Kong;, Wario;, Bowser; and Toad;, plus a host of new faces-including your own! Get into the game and put your Mii; character behind the wheel.

Special Powers/Weapons/Moves/Features
Whether racing around an obstacle-filled track or battling in an arena, drifting and tossing items are the keys to Mario Kart success. Players can shake the Wii Remote while launching off a ramp to pull off a trick that will temporarily boost their speed. When riding a bike, players can gain additional speed by flicking the Wii Remote up and popping a wheelie

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection:
Keeping in the tradition of Mario Kart, Nintendo has pushed multiplayer racing even further utilizing the Wii’s built in Wi-Fi Connection. There are two options for races and battles over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection: up to 12 people via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or up to 10 people via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection with two people playing locally.

Click here to find out more and buy on the Nintendo Wii

Click here to find out more and buy Mario Kart DS for the Nintendo DS (features may vary from above)

Race Driver Grid

Available both on the PS3 and the Xbox 360.

As the all-new racing experience from Codemasters Studios, creators of Colin McRae: DiRT™, Race Driver: GRID is all about the race. Every moment from the adrenalin rush at the start lights to the elation at the chequered flag – the tension, pressure, noise, and action.  Featuring only the most powerful race cars – current and classic, circuit and drift – players will compete to conquer the most prestigious official race tracks and championships and then go beyond to compete in challenging city-based competitions, through to road events and urban street races.  With races crammed with action and incident, high-impact moments will come at you thick and fast, one right after another: engine blows, tyre blow outs, tight overtaking, accidents, opponent cars flipping, spinning, collisions with other cars and trackside objects.

From humble beginnings, earning a few thousand dollars a season, build a feared and respected racing team with a multi-million dollar income and complete at dramatic race locations and dominate a multi-disciplined world of racing.  In Europe, race prestige Marques, including Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Pagani, on the greatest official race circuits. Enter street competitions and race high-performance V8 muscle cars through iconic U.S. cities including San Francisco, Washington DC and Detroit. In the Far East, Japanese racing culture sets the tone where night races, including Drift racing, take drivers through neon illuminated cities and to outlying mountain roads.  As the antithesis of the box-ticking, plodding single-player race game, Race Driver: GRID delivers a diverse career mode in a persistent world of racing that provides each player with a unique experience as their team writes itself into racing folklore.

Click to shop Race Driver Grid on Xbox 360

Click to shop Race Driver Grid on Playstation 3

Gran Turismo Prologue is a preview to Gran Turismo 5 which will not be released until mid 2010.  Prologue is now part of the Playstation’s Platinum titles so now is a great time to buy.

The award-winning Gran Turismo franchise returns with its 5th installment, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, exclusively for PlayStation 3. With its signature realism and unrivaled physics, this highly anticipated precursor to Gran Turismo 5 continues to blur the line between simulation and reality.

“Prologue” is defined as an introductory or preceding event or development, and true to every letter, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue treats both long-time fans of the Gran Turismo franchise as well as those coming to it new, with a generous sampling of what they can expect to see in Gran Turismo 5 later in the year and further releases on the PS3.

Take Your Cars and Tracks Online and Off
Gran Turismo 5: Prologue features over 60 stunning cars – including vehicles by Lotus, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Ferrari for you to race on seriously realistic, real-life tracks: including the Eiger Nordwand, the London City Track and Suzuka – all rendered in incredible High Definition graphics. There’s also all-new driving physics for the most lifelike driving experience ever and new, improved opponent artificial intelligence for the toughest race challenge yet.

But that’s not all – for the first time ever in the history of Gran Turismo, players will now be able to race online. Up to 16 players will be able to go head-to-head on some of the world’s best racetracks on PlayStation Network. All you need to get racing is a broadband connection and PS3. Once you’re up and revving, Global Online Rankings and the My Garage homepage feature will leave the world in n o doubt as to just who is the best at Gran Turismo.

And then there’s the Online Dealership, providing a wealth of information on cars and manufacturers and also Gran Turismo TV – a dedicated online channel available exclusively from PSN and packed with some of the greatest content that Motorsport, car manufacturers and TV has to offer.

Key Features:

• Race over 60 cars from worldwide automotive manufacturers, precisely modelled both inside and out.
• All-new interior dash view, featuring full driver animation and working gauges.
• Compete on 6 tracks with 12 total layouts, including Fuji Speedway, Suzuka Circuit, and for the first time ever, Daytona International Speedway.
• Online racing with up to 16 players, complete with detailed rankings, plus downloadable ghost cars and race replays of top racers.
• New online community features including Gran Turismo TV, featuring worldwide automotive and motorsport programming.
• Tune vehicle performance, from suspension and tires to gear ratio and engine modifications.
• Rendered in stunning 1080p at 60 frames per second with crisp, realistic lighting and camera effects (replays rendered in 1080p 30fps).

Click to Shop Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

Forza Motorsport 2

Forza Motorsport 2 is my personal favourite.  If you don’t have Xbox 360, Forza 2 is the Gran Tursimo of the Xbox.

Coming out towards the end of the original Xbox’s life, the first Forza Motorsport was a sadly overlooked gem that was as realistic as Gran Turismo but far more exciting and accessible to the average player. Despite being close to release, surprisingly little is known about the sequel, although it has been confirmed that it will include over 300 licensed cars with everyone from Nissan and Volkswagen to Lamborghini and Chevrolet having a presence on the track. All of the cars feature realistic damage; this can range from tiny scratches on the paintwork to almost splitting your car in two during a particularly devastating crash. If you’re the type of driver that likes their car damage-free, you can set the realism of the modelling to whatever you want.

The final game is expected to include over 70 different real world tracks, including Suzuka Circuit in Japan and Sebring International Raceway in Florida. There are also many fictional tracks, some inspired by real world locations. The game also supports multiplayer via Xbox Live, split-screen and system link. Every vehicle is customizable via the in-built decal editor, and you can trade cars and liveries with other players via Xbox Live. If you fancy the ultimate driving experience, then grab the official Xbox 360 Wireless Steering Wheel that has been developed specifically for the game. And to really impress your mates, you can setup multiple TV screens for an almost 360 degree view of the game. Any more realistic and you’d need a driving license to play.

Click here to shop Forza Motorsport 2 for the Xbox 360