Driving Games

Very often, those for the XBox, such as Project Gotham Racing 2 are the best as the Microsoft console has amazing graphics capabilities and the picture can be formatted for a regular or wide screen television of any size.  

The Sony PS2 has more titles available than the Microsoft console does, and its graphics abilities are only slightly less powerful than those of the XBox.  Increasingly the major titles tend to be released for both of these major consoles, and often for the GameCube and PC too.  Though a major exception to this is the excellent Project Gotham Racing 2 which is produced by Microsoft and released only on XBox.  Others include anything produced by Sony which of course appear only on the PS2 platform.

PC games tend to be slightly less involving than their console equivalents, simply because they're normally viewed on your computer monitor rather than on the television; though this depends on your setup, and the quality of your TV relative to that of your monitor.  The quality of PC Games can vary according to the power of your system whereas consoles are of a fixed standard.  The power of the very latest PCs however, exceeds that of both the PS2 and XBox providing the PC is fitted with a decent graphics card.

The Nintendo GameCube tends to have fewer driving titles available than PC, PS2 or XBox;  In general the GameCube has been aimed at a younger age group, so you're more likely to find the arcade games such as "The Simpsons Hit and Run", and less likely to get games like "Colin McRae Rally 04".

 Cheap consoles and games can be picked up easily on eBay.  Click on any of the eBay links to the right of this article to find out more.

Driving Game News

GT4 delays give XBox the lead
When it comes to driving games, Microsoft's Xbox entered the Christmas sales rush with Project Gotham Racing 2 under the hood, giving it the racing line for the first corner of 2004. And it doesn't look like Sony will be overtaking as we head up the main straight because the much anticipated GT4 is still nowhere to be seen. Make no mistake, GT4 will be a great game when it gets here, but it could arrive too late to be the driving game of 2004. Meanwhile, the XBox will soon get another power boost with the arrival of another XBox exclusive in the shape of Codemaster's Race Driver 2. PGR2 concentrates on production cars (from the Mini to the Ferrari Enzo and Porsche Carrera GT), racing on street tracks. Race Driver 2 will be much more track orientated, and will feature the muscle of Ford GT cars and supercars like the Aston Martin DB9. Race Driver 2 also has a host other vehicles that will blow our minds such as the new GT40 and big truck racers. So (for now) Xbox can set off on its lap of honor, with the real racing action being between Race Driver 2 and Project Gotham Racing 2. Serious fans of driving games will simply buy both and enjoy.

Ford Racing Evolution (Ford Racing 2)
If you fancy a quick blast in a whole range of Ford cars, then Ford Racing Evolution could be just what you're looking for; that's all you get Fords, and more Fords. Don't expect it to be the greatest driving game ever (unless you really love Fords), but it's priced at a very reasonable level - less than half the cost of the typical top 20 games. And at that price it's well worth a look.

Project Gotham Racing 3
With PGR2 hailed by many as the best XBox game, and the best ever racing sim on any console, it looks as if Creative are already working on the next incarnation of their awesome driving game. Suggestions are that the graphics power of the rumored XBox 2 Console will be ideal for the rendering of cars and environments in even greater detail. Creative are sure to be at the front of the queue to release the most realistic racer ever at the end of 2004 or early in 2005. And you thought that Project Gotham Racing 2 was realistic!

Gran Turismo 4 Prologue
Sony are reported to have shown a taster for the eagerly anticipated GT4 at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show. Kanzunori Yamauchi's Gran Turismo 4 is expected to be the greatests driving game ever, featuring hundreds of accurately modelled cars and over 50 circuits. It's believed the full game will hit the shelves some time in 2004, hopefully in the first half of the year. We're waiting!

Ford Racing Revolution
If you fancy a quick blast in a whole range of Ford cars, then Ford Racing Revolution could be just what you're looking for; that's all you get Fords, and more Fords. Don't expect it to be the greatest driving game ever (unless you really love Fords), but it's priced at a very reasonable level - less than half the cost of the typical top 20 games. And at that price it's well worth a look.

Gran Turismo 4 Prologue
Sony are reported to have shown a taster for the eagerly anticipated GT4 at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show. Kanzunori Yamauchi's Gran Turismo 4 is expected to be the greatests driving game ever, featuring hundreds of accurately modelled cars and over 50 circuits. It's believed the full game will hit the shelves some time in 2004, hopefully in the first half of the year. We're waiting!

Project Gotham Racing 3
With PGR2 hailed by many as the best XBox game, and the best ever racing sim on any console, it looks as if Creative are already working on the next incarnation of their awesome driving game. Suggestions are that the graphics power of the rumored XBox 2 Console will be ideal for the rendering of cars and environments in even greater detail. Creative are sure to be at the front of the queue to release the most realistic racer ever at the end of 2004 or early in 2005. And you thought that Project Gotham Racing 2 was realistic!

Midnight Club 2 for XBox
The XBox version of Rockstar's brilliant Midnight Club 2 will be in stores across the USA by early June and we recommend that you look out for it because it's going to be one of the big hits of the year. Brilliant graphics and sound make this game superb, but the added excitement of playing any of the 5 online modes against real competitors will really spice things up. Our verdict is that you should buy MC2 as soon as you can; you'll be able to get some laps in before you hit the streets. The PS2 guys have stolen a lead on this one, but the XBox version promises to be at least as good, if not better thanks to the XBox's superior graphics capabilities. That said, either version is a must buy for all driving enthusiasts.