Extreme G III on GameCube (2002)

Brief synopsis of Extreme G III

Psygnosis release of wipEout on PlayStation in 1995 spawned a whole new genre of 3D futuristic racers. After a couple more sequels from the Psygnosis development studio, Nintendo tried to snatch wipEouts trophy with F-zero, but wasnt quite successful, despite being a fantastic game. Acclaims Extreme G, however, was very popular. Inevitably, Extreme G2 hit the shelves and was a welcome second edition. And now, Extreme G3 has arrived on GameCube, and its absolutely stunning.

Extreme G3 pits you against 11 other racers on circuits where you can achieve speeds of thousands of kilometres per hour. Its like taking a jet-propelled ride at ground level, only on a bike. The sense of speed, it has to be said, is frighteningly realistic, and the mid-circuit loops, corkscrews, barrel rolls and banked turns just make it all the more intense.

But competitive racing is only half the fun in Extreme G3. If you want to boost your chances of winning, you must equip your two-wheeled mechanical beast with a variety of state-of-the-art energy weapons. Forget sportsmanship, taking out the lead racer on the last corner is what Extreme G3 is all about its very satisfying. Your bike is also capable of performing a turbo boost, but it is advised that you use them with caution. At high speed, extremely smooth control is essential.

If youve had the privilege of playing the two previous EG games on Nintendo 64, youll pretty much know what to expect from the third instalment. Now add new tracks and spanking GameCube visuals and you have another futuristic winner on your hands.