Driving games tested

The closest most of us will ever get to testing our driving skills in a supercar is on a video games console. Developers have really upped the ante of late, and now provide even more realistic racing simulations.

The best titles bring big thrills to your living room, with top-notch graphics, a range of exotic cars and challenging, real-life tracks. There are games for children and others with a storyline, too.

We tested nine top sellers for the Microsoft Xbox 360 (X360), Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Nintendo Wii to see which offers the most driving fun this Christmas.

The test
While entertainment is the name of the game, we also wanted realism. That meant testing the handling and rating the quality of graphics, inside and outside the car. A game you can pick up and play often is crucial – those that keep luring you back for more represent the best value.

We wanted split-screen multiplayer and online gaming options, while licensed cars also scored points. Cost was the final factor; all prices are from retailer game.co.uk on the day of our test.

Verdict

It was a close-fought battle between the driving simulators, with F1 2011, Gran Turismo 5 and Forza 4 front-runners from early on in our test.

In the end, Forza came out on top – this latest version moves the game on more than the software update to GT5.

Last year’s winner has to settle for second this time round, while the final place on our podium was between Cars 2 and our favourite arcade title, DiRT 3. The latter had the edge, as it’s a realistic racer with online play.