Trackmania: Sunrise - PC

Released in 2003, Trackmania on PC received nods of approval from many discerning online gamers. Published by the Britsoft house of Digital Jesters and developed by Nadeo, it was a breath of fresh air in a market often dominated by fiddly and demanding race simulation games. As well as 50 taxing driving challenges, the game’s real selling point was the track editor, which with over 300 construction blocks was very versatile, and included loop-the-loop sections, jumps and outrageously steep banking. Using compression technology, tracks could be sent over email in small files, and up to eight players could play over internet or LAN. The game set a bench mark for smooth-running high-speed racing, and its graphical engine was commended by none other than nVidia, combining as it did high performance for users of top-end cards and excellent frame rates on lower spec PCs. And even players with 56k modems found they could enjoy races online.

Last year saw the follow up release of Trackmania: Power Up! More of an upgrade than a sequel, the game contained more missions, construction blocks and game modes, and was equally accessible in terms of gameplay, hardware compatibility and price.

Another year, and another iteration sees Nadeo consolidating its reputation with Trackmania: Sunrise. The philosophy is still the same: outrageous high speed racing, edge-of-the-seat multiplayer races and accessible track design tools. New cars can be raced at speeds of up to 400kph round tracks in new environments more gorgeous than ever before. Yet more construction blocks mean more insane bends, tunnels, jumps and ramps. There’s two more multiplayer modes, Platform and Crazy, and the game is just as low-spec friendly as ever. Online play gets another twist as car skins and player avatars are fully customisable. Trackmania looks set to please old and new fans alike with its no-nonsense, though high octane brand of racing. more