Driving games

It may be cold and wet outside, but there's no need to miss out on getting your driving kicks. This Christmas, there's a thrilling line-up of car computer games available to suit all tastes and ages.

So whether you love to tinker with suspension settings to cut your lap times or prefer to smash your way through the competition in a bout of arcade action, there's something to get stuck into over the festive break. And you no longer have to compete against the machine or your mates, as many top games can be played online, giving you a chance to show off your skills to the world.

There are top-quality racing titles on offer for both the Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation2 (PS2) consoles, plus desktop PCs - with some older titles available at bargain prices.

But the big news this Christmas is the arrival of Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP), which takes handheld gaming to a new level with stunning colour-screen clarity and simple-to-set-up wireless networking - to make playing other PSP owners easy. This will liven up those long trips to visit relatives over the holidays for car passengers. Yet whichever format you prefer, there's a game for you in our guide to the top titles.

Verdict

The best driving game will depend on which platform you use. GT Legends is great for playing on a computer when you should really be doing some work. Gaming fans will prefer Forza Motorsport or GT4, depending on the console they own. For long car or train journeys, TOCA Race Driver 2 on a PSP will make the hours fly by.