Extreme G-3, Nintendo GameCube, £39.99 -- Out now
EVERY games console needs a title with enough speed and intensity to reduce the player to an entranced, gibbering wreck. The PlayStation had WipEout and the GameCube gets Extreme G-3.
It's a futuristic motorcycle racer with bikes capable of 750mph on tracks that loop, twist, climb and plunge their way through 10 different landscapes.
The single-player mode is centred on a league competition where you must do well enough in each race to unlock the next track.
As usual, unlocked tracks can then be used in the game's arcade, time trial and multi-player modes.
Winning races earns you prize money, which can be spent on weapons upgrades and better engines.
Like WipEout, executing a perfect race in Extreme G-3 needs practise and razor-sharp reactions. Each bike is equipped with an energy reservoir that powers both your protective shields and turbo boost.
That means you need to balance tactical use of your boost, while taking care not to hit the trackside walls or other competitors.
Extreme G-3 is blisteringly fast yet full of environmental detail. The water effects on the Oceana level work overtime as you rocket to the surface at the speed of sound, and above sea level your stomach will loop in unison with the gravity-defying racetrack.
All this action is heavy on the eyes, to the point where you'll need a break every 15 minutes. But that says a lot for the pace Extreme G-3 is capable of setting.
It's yet another showcase for great gameplay and even better graphics on Nintendo's fledgling console.
Rating: 89%
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