Supercar Challenge (PS3)

If you like your car games with a huge dollop of realism then Supercar Challenge is right up your alley.

And if you enjoy fast cars that you could only ever dream of owning then you’ll probably already be sat on the bus en route to your nearest game store to pick up a copy.

Supercar Challenge blends together a number of obscenely expensive motors and a number – although not as many as I’d like – of tracks and let’s you put your pedal to the metal, burn rubber and explore all manner of car-related cliches.

But while the realism will tick the boxes of some, if you’re used to a ‘pick-up-and-play’ racer then this game is going to frustrate you in ways you can’t imagine. Because of the realism that this game has strived to achieve, gamers will not be able to throw their top of the range Ferrari around bends and make the brake button redundant.

Car geeks will love the lovingly recreated curves of some of these monsters on four wheels and the way the slightest mistake at top speed pulling out of a slipstream can leave you in a world of trouble on the track.

Although there’s the usual championship-based career mode to tackle, like so many racing titles, it’s the online play which is really the element of the game that gives this title longevity. And with the opportunity to take part in 16-car battles, you’ll really need to know your particular choice of supercar inside out to get the very best from it.

And talking about getting the very best from it, if you’re looking to really take this game to even greater levels of realism then it’s worth considering treating yourself to a half-decent PS3 steering wheel and pedals set.

Supercar Challenge isn’t the sort of game you’ll be fancying much of if you’re a casual gamer and someone who isn’t a massive car nut. But if you like fast cars and realistic action then it’s one you’ll be itching to get hold of.