ModNation Racers
Move over, Mario Kart - there's another crazy speed racer on the track with more unusual modifications than you can shake a stick at.
ModNation Racers, developed for the Sony Playstation Portable, is a game that redefines the genre, and you could soon be addicted to it.
Speed-loving fans can use the game's 25-plus tracks or race on their own custom-made ones or those of their friends.
Like Little Big Planet, ModNation Racers allows gamers to unleash their creativity - they can design and make their unique karts, tracks and drivers.
The game's standout feature is the track design mode that allows you to create your own course with all sorts of twists and turns. The obstacles can range from buildings to cardboard cutouts of donkeys.
You can try out a design which features booster patches along the entire track. This enables you to turbo boost from beginning to end, and should be great fun.
The game features a story/career mode that has a character for you to pit your racing skills against. You begin as a rookie driver who has to climb up the leader board to reach 'pole position'. Along the way, you have to complete a number of challenges that will unlock new items and bonuses.
The multi-player mode allows six gamers to play online or with six other PSP owners in the same room.
The online function doesn't just stop at racing with your friends - you can also share your custom-made tracks and karts with them. Players can even post their creations online for other gamers to download.
The graphics are spectacular, and although the pop music soundtrack may be forgettable, it does add energy to your racing experience.
Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong will release a bilingual English/Cantonese version for both the PS3 and PSP on Thursday. The PS3 version will cost HK$248, while the PSP is HK$168.
If you enjoyed Mario Kart, then ModNation Racers will blow your mind and have you asking for more.
