RideLust

Pole Position… that was the game that started me down the golden path of automotive video games. As a kid I used to play it on my Atari 2600 for hours on end dreaming that one day I’d become a race car driver. I think the game had a total of six colors and it pioneered the 3rd party view for players. That however was 30 years ago and since then the games have not only advanced, but gone through the roof as far as technology goes. The graphics, game play, online connectivity and levels of realism are simply outstanding and truly engulf the player in an out of body automotive experience. The Need for Speed franchise first reared its head 17 years ago and since then has become one of the most popular automotive games in history. The newest version, “Need For Speed: The Run” is set to debut on November 18th and promises to bring forth some of the coolest limited edition vehicles on the planet. Click through for the new trailer.
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We recently brought you a little snippet about Ubisoft Reflections Studios new high octane thrill ride, “Driver: San Francisco”, that’s due out in September. The games seeks to offer not only cutting edge graphics and a stellar physics engine, but the option of shifting from one car to another at a moments notice to foster further game play. What caught my eye though were the amazing power-slides and the oodles and oodles of tire smoke that one is able to create at a moments notice. This my friends is simply bad-ass. Combine that with the fact that one can get a 1969 Dodge Charger, a late 80′s IROC Camaro and a 1977 Trans Am and well, I’m sold before this sucker even hits the shelves. Click through for the new trailer.
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If you’re a fan of movies like the Cannonball Run or The Gumball Rally, then you’ll no doubt be stoked that the guys over at Electronic Arts have developed something just for you. You see they’ve not only taken the best parts of road rallying and put it in a gaming form, but they’ve also thrown in a little Grand Theft Auto for good measure. In Need for Speed: The Run, you play Jack, a guy whose run-in with the mob has forced to make a mad dash across the country and take part in an outlaw road race that will either help him or spell his doom. The game does not possess open world environments but it does incorporate new elements, as you are now able to leave your vehicle at certain points during game play. From the looks of it Need for Speed: The Run, promises to give gamers a new twist on an old franchise. Need for Speed: The Run, is due out this November.
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Back in 1999 a game came out for the original Sony Playstation called “Driver” by Reflection Studios. It took place in San Francisco and put you behind the wheel of a high horsepower muscle car with your job being to out run the police at every turn. Back then the graphics were a bit crude, but the physics engine used was actually pretty damn good. Fast forward now 12 years and 3 generations of console games later and there is a new version of the game called “Driver San Francisco” that’s due out September 1st 2011. The game includes cars that run from a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am to a 2010 McLaren MP4-12C and promises to be one of the highlights of the 2011 gaming year. If Ubisoft Reflections Studios can capture the original essence of the game, while at the same time upping the ante’, well then, we’re going to have one helluva game on our hands come September.
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Sure, this video is nothing more than a shameless plug for the Dirt 3 videos game, but it’s filmed with a tilt shift lens which makes it cool in our book. Seriously, we can’t get enough of tilt shift footage, since it reminds us of playing with slot cars or RC cars in our younger days, except that we were never this coordinated behind the wheel (or behind the rheostat, in the case of slot cars). Do yourself a favor and mute the music, which has no place in the video as far as we can tell. Instead, dig out the recording that made London’s Battersea Power Station famous: Pink Floyd’s Animals. Queue up “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” and turn the volume up until just before the neighbors complain, then watch the video until the song ends. Trust me on this. Read More…

If you’re and automotive video game nut like I am then you’ve no doubt played everything from the Twisted Metal franchise. First released in 1995 for the original Playstation, Twisted Metal was part Mad Max, part post apocalyptic vehicular warfare and part horror movie. It also gave a generation of crazed little car junkies a place to work out their most bizarre four-wheeled fantasies. It’s now 16 years later and Twisted Metal is back with Twisted Metal Broken, the newest game in the series. The premise is simple; strap on your vehicular weaponry, roll into the arena and blow up as many foes as you can. Win and you will be granted one wish by the evil Calypso Corporation, the organization behind the Twisted Metal Tournament. Players will be able to battle online with up to 16 players by utilizing the PlayStation Network in a variety of gaming modes. So, if you’ve always wanted to take your aggression out on other drivers, but didn’t want to face any legal repercussions, then I would highly recommend checking out Twisted Metal Broken when it debuts later this year on October 4th, 2011.
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Over the weekend we brought you a quick promo that Ken Block did for the new release of Codemaster’s DiRT3. It showed Block barreling through boxes, in and out of warehouses and through his typical gymkhana obstacles. His antics in the video however only showcase a fraction of what this game has to offer. I was finally able to get an advanced copy of the game and I can tell you that after two cups of coffee, a big sandwich and 4 hours of continuous game play that this game flippin’ rocks. Now for those of you who are unaware, DiRT3 combines rally driving, arena racing, competitive off-road racing and the sport of gymkhana into one fun filled console player that will keep you busy for hours on end. It also provides a great online multiplayer experience, while at the same time allowing you to upload and share your greatest DiRT3 moments on Youtube. In all seriousness… this game is pretty trick.
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Gymkhana master Ken Block is at it again, but this time he’s not pimping out DC Shoes, or the WRC. You see Block was heavily involved in the development of DiRT 3, Codemaster’s new adrenaline filled platform racer. To celebrate this Block decided to do what he does best – have a shitload of fun in a rally car. Shot at London’s iconic Battersea Power Station, Block wasted no time in setting up a course filled with obstacles that include a few chain link fences, dumpsters and a whole crap load of cardboard boxes. DiRT 3 will be released on May 24th and features a new gymkhana mode where you can jump, power-slide and spin your way through specially designed courses. The game will be available for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 and will retail for $59.00. Check back in next week because I’m getting an advanced copy and will have a full review posted by the time DiRT 3 hits the stores.
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It seems like only yesterday when people were going bonkers for the release of Gran Turismo 5 (GT5) for the Playstation 3. It promised stellar game play, stunning visuals, advanced physics and yes… even damage. However when released, the reviews of GT5 were lukewarm at best which soured the experience for many gamers. Back in the XBOX 360 camp however fans of Forza Motorsports 3 were kicking ass and taking names. You see while Sony was dicking around with revision after revision to GT5, Forza fans where busy building one of the greatest online racing experiences that one could possibly hope for. Combine that with fabulous game play, fully customizable cars, online shops and racing, and it wasn’t hard to see how FM3 was silently moving ahead of Gran Turismo. It’s now 2011 and XBOX 360 fans are silently awaiting the release of Forza Motorsports 4, a game that seeks to become the premier name in console racing.
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Just recently I posted a tribute video to the insane Group-B Rally cars that ran from 1982-1986. These cars were unbridled monsters of engineering with the sole purpose of being the biggest and baddest machines ever to have competed in the sport. Now it seems that the video game world has taken notice and is now paying homage to these warriors of the woods by including them in their newest releases. Codemasters is seeking to recreate some of that good old Group-B insanity right in our homes with the release of DiRT 3. Cars from Audi, Lancia, Ford, Renault and others have all been duplicated in amazing detail in the hopes of replicating an authentic look and feel. DiRT 3 is scheduled for release on May 24th for the XBOX 360, PS3 and PC Games For Windows LIVE. Read More…