Racing in to fourth place

- so why would I want to (in fact, how could I) play a game that requires me to tweak the performance of my vehicle? I haven't a clue.

How am I supposed to know whether different tyres will make a difference to my top speed, and what's the benefit of adding new spark plugs? As long as the brakes work, why on earth do I need to change them???

It's for this reason that games like Forza Motorsport or even Gran Turismo - although they look amazing and are good fun - are unlikely to stay on my console for too long. Don't get me wrong, I love racing round a track or two with some mates, but tinkering with a car's inner workings leaves me cold.

However, a racing game has found its way into my list of all-time faves.

When I was putting this list together, my wife told me that two games simply had to get a mention...Puzzle Bobble (see "Bubblin' away at #9") and Namco's Rage Racer! Released in 1996, this was the third in the series of Ridge Racer titles for the PS2.

It looked less cartoony than its predecessors and was certainly grittier. The incredible tyre grip was still present but you could also pull off some amazing power slides around corners. Plenty of cars were available - and they didn't need to be souped up, the soundtrack was great and the tracks were many and varied. Driving along the sea front one minute and then a cobbled village the next was the cause of many a crash as you tried to take in the lushious scenery and lost sight of the next turn (that was my excuse anyway!).

Just talking about this makes me want to get in the loft, dust off my PS2 and have another race. Rage Racer definitely deserves a top four finish. Take a look at the video below from ArcanaKick.

What does a carburettor do anyway!!??!