"It's a little on the easy side at the start, but at the same time, the game is extremely entertaining and can provide a great many hours of quality gameplay despite that. It controls damn well with the analog nub, and the compilation of great race tracks in Ridge Racer’s storied history will thrill fans of the franchise."

"Despite the absolute lack of a hockey season, and the possibility of another looming if players and owners can't get their act straight, the NHL videogames are safe for now. According to the May issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, not only are the games still a go, but they are currently in development with nothing looking to halt the process."

FileFront: "For those readers who haven’t heard of Live For Speed S2, could you give a basic overview of the game?"

Victor: "S1 and S2 are both about serious racing for the PC platform (Windows, although some get it to run on Linux too). No helps are at your disposal to help you get around the bends - In our sim, you must do the driving and our aim is to recreate real life handling as good as possible, so that you will have the sense that you are indeed driving a real car (as far as that is possible without actual g-force simulation of course . Using a steering wheel is strongly recommended as such."

"Team6 game studios sends along a playable demo for Taxi 3: eXtreme Rush, allowing you to take their urban arcade racing sequel for a spin. This demo contains a brief street race track and a very short drag race level, drivable in a choice of two cars, as well as multiplayer options."

"Out of the most exciting prospects for any gamer at heart is to develop his or hers very own game. Start to finish, in their image, the profits going solely to their pockets and to that of their friends. Tailored to their liking and vision, this game would go so far as to be their mark on the world. A mark that in this day an age could be seen and played by anyone, anywhere. Sound's exciting don't it?"

"While the competition in the racing genre on the PSP is stiff, Wipeout Pure stands alone. Aside from the futuristic setting, the smooth gameplay and amazing graphical prowess really make Wipeout Pure a game to check out, both for racing fans and for lovers of vehicular combat. Even racing newbies will find a lot to love in Wipeout Pure."

"Overall, Gran Turismo 4 offers exactly what players have come to expect from the series: a highly-tuned precision driving simulator that’s demanding and deep. The gameplay is standard GT with hundreds of vehicles, many driving types and the extensive GT mode that offers the typically deep RPG-like racing experience. The sheer number of cars, vehicles and courses can be overwhelming, so its best to take this on in small chunks. While there are a few interesting twists such as the new direction mode, GT4 stays largely true to the series’ formula to date. Some players will find the experience frustrating and too technical, those who really want a deep driving simulator have come to the right place."

• ESPN NFL 2K5 Review (Xbox - 82.3%)

  "Sport simulations pop up year after year and developers often act like desperate bachelors with corny pick-up lines when it comes to reinventing yourself year after year. They simply adjust the rosters, add some more polygons to the player models and freshen up the menus. Visual Concepts however is a real Don Juan compared to those losers. They even made a Crib mode which will please fans of MTV Cribs. You can already guess the correct answer; yes, you’ll be able to decorate your own house from sealing to floor and from couches to plants. Everything can be adapted to your lovely wishes."

• Street Racing Syndicate Withdrawn (GameCube)

  "Namco's Street Racing Syndicate, which was recently released for Nintendo's Gamecube, will be withdrawn from European retail."

• MX vs. ATV Inleashed Review (Xbox - 7.7/10)
• MX vs. ATV Inleashed Review (PS2 - 7.7/10)
• Taxi 3: eXtreme Rush Demo (PC - 81.3mb)
• Taxi 3: eXtreme Rush Screenshots (PC)

"Tony Hawk fans who want to take their game on the go will find this to be the best handheld interpretation the series has ever seen, everyone else will probably be better off with the PS2 games"

"Team6 game studios has released a playable demo of TAXI 3 Extreme Rush, giving you the chance to try out this racing title which will be distributed by Atari in some territories later this year. In TAXI 3 Extreme Rush First, players can select one of the 10 exotic sportscars (ranging from american musclecars to hot Japanese streetracers to classic italian avant-garde designs) and agressively race against competitors meanwhile surviving the chasing copcars (equiped with loads of heavy weapons) and even a police helicopter."

" The wireless play contains a truck load of events, which includes combo mambo, king of the hill, capture the flag, trick attack, firefight, score challenge and graffiti among others. In this mode, you can have up to four local players participating in any of the mentioned events."

"MLB 2006 represents a significant step forward for the series, putting in right near the top of the genre. It's tweaked controls offer much more depth, realism and flexibility than previous titles. The intuitive menu system and indicators along with the controls, give it an excellent, intuitive feel. MLB 2006's fast pacing, and excellent gameplay work well and the game effectively recreates the flow and strategy of professional baseball."

"Overall, Need For Speed Underground Rivals is a nice addition to the PSP library, but it is not the best racer available. After all of gaming sessions with NFSU Rivals, I always found myself going back to Ridge Racers. Rivals’ controls could use a little bit of work along with how the cars look."