Spirit of Speed - Sega Dreamcast

Spirit of Speed 1937 is a racing game set, unsurprisingly, in the 1930s, when the racing of cars was really on the rise. The detail lavished on the game is impressive; obviously the cars are from the period (including classics such as the early Alfa Romeos, and a couple of Bugattis--one of which corners like a house-brick), but there are also things like the design (all shiny Art Deco), and even the soundtrack will have you doing the Charleston round your living room.

The game itself accomplishes perfectly what it sets out to do by simulating what it was like to be racing one of these noisy beasts back in the heady, legendary days of the burgeoning sport.

It's certainly fun to play, but it does take an awful lot of practice before you're comfortable with the cars. Let's face it, we're all used to the sleek, sensitive vehicles found in contemporary racing games like Gran Turismo 2, not these mini Sherman tanks.

There are plenty of modes to play through, with lots of chances to limber up before you take on the big league. The only criticism to make of the game, really, is that it offers nothing new apart from a well-handled recreation of a different era. That said, if you've grown bored with today's racing games then this is certainly a nice change.--David Bailey