Gran Turismo 5 Product Details

Released on 24/11/2010

• Gran Turismo 5 gets even more new content

  Gran Turismo 5 gets even more new content

  We're still no closer to getting a confirmed release date for Gran Turismo 5, but creator Kazunori Yamauchi has confirmed to the official Playstation blog that the game will feature three tracks from the legendary Nurburgring race course.

  Yamauchi claimed he was "excited" to announce that the much-delayed game will feature three courses from the famous German track: the Grand Prix course, the racing staple that is the Nordschleife, and the daunting Nurburgring 24 Hours course.

  The announcement comes with said endurance race due to take place this weekend, and a brand new demo of the game will be in Germany for any racing fans to recreate the real-world action - presumably not for the full duration, mind.

  "There is that special allure about it that you just can't explain in words," enthused Yamauchi, whose renowned perfectionism has led to the track being recreated in astonishing detail - probably another factor contributing to the game's delay.

  Yet it seems we won't have to wait too much longer to find out when PlayStation 3 owners can finally put pedal to metal; Sony suggests that as "we're getting close to E3" more news is imminent on the latest iteration of gaming's most popular racing franchise.

• Gran Turismo 5 Preview

  Start your engines

  In development for over five years and delayed almost as many times, the latest entry in Sony's flagship racing series has been a long time coming, but Gran Turismo 5 has finally been given a solid November release date. So will the wait have been worth it? That won't be totally clear until closer to launch, but the game promises much and there are plenty of reasons to believe this could be PS3's biggest racer to date.

  The car's the star - all of them!

  What we can be sure of is Gran Turismo 5's good looks. Of the game's 1000 cars - which include NASCAR ones for the first time - 200 are beautifully detailed new models supporting vehicle interior camera views built specifically for PS3, while the remainder are HD-updated models from previous series entries. You'll have to be careful not to ruin your chosen street car or custom racing machine though, as the game features three different levels of vehicle damage that affect not only the look of the cars but how they perform, providing a sense of danger when driving on the edge.

  The beauty of the cars is matched in visual splendour by the circuits you'll get to speed around.

  The beauty of the cars is matched in visual splendour by the circuits you'll get to speed around. The title features 20 racing locations with over 70 track variations, including Rome, Tokyo Route 246, Madrid, the Top Gear Test Track and Nürburgring with a full day/night cycle. Gran Turismo 5 is an attractive package on a standard definition TV and a sensational one on an HD or 3D set.

  Gran Turismo 5 will offer two single-player career modes. A-Spec lets you play as the driver across a wealth of racing events and challenges which you need to win or complete to move up the ranks, while B-Spec puts you in the shoes of a director of a racing team. Here it's your job to train and develop a computer controlled racer to perform and win, studying the competition and playing to your driver's strengths.

  Create, share and race!

  Just as much time will be spent on multiplayer racing. The game's My Lounge area is a community-focused room where you can organise voice chat parties with up to 32 people, set up 16-player races to compete in, or view in-progress ones as a spectator. It will also let you hold private custom racing events with friends, as well as access leaderboards, the latest community and online news, and watch race replays and motorsport-related content.

  GT5 boasts a track editor that lets you choose the environment and terrain, adjust parameters, and share/race on with friends online.

  Gran Turismo 5 offers a strong customisation element, boasting a track editor that lets you choose the environment and terrain before adjusting a variety of parameters such as course length and corner sharpness. These original tracks can then be shared with and raced on with friends online. Of course, you'll also be able to edit and modify vehicles.

  On top of this the game will feature a go-karting mode, which should be perfect for novices to brush up on racing theory and build their driving skills, alongside purpose-built stunt tracks.

  Showcase release

  Gran Turismo 5 is clearly feature-packed and a technical showcase for PS3. Should Polyphony Digital be able to successfully merge its various elements then it's likely that the game will end up somewhere near the top of the podium when it faces up against rival console racers.

  Preview by: Tom 'Fastest Lap' Ivan
  Version Tested: PS3
  Preview Published: 01.09.10

  Published: 01/09/2010

• Gran Turismo 5 - Preview

  Sony's flagship driving simulator was once the throbbing engine that drove the whole racing genre, but it's been stuck in the garage since 2005 while creator Kazunori Yamauchi tinkered with his infamous perfectionist tendencies to get the fifth game just how he wanted it.

  Now several years past its original planned launch date, it seems that we might just see the damn thing on shop shelves this year. November 2nd was the date boldly displayed at the end of Sony's presentation, which seems pretty definitive. If it slips again, there might be a bloody uprising in the streets.
  

  
  Playing the game behind closed doors at E3, you quickly realise just what has taken so long. This is the driving game polished to an unimaginable degree. Gran Turismo was always at the forefront of photorealism in racing, but what they've achieved here is nothing short of phenomenal. Race replays are virtually indistinguishable from filmed footage, while the car models themselves gleam with showroom glamour. Well, at least until you start hurling them around dusty bends and banging the bodywork.

  Yes, vehicle damage is in the game, finally shaking off the stiff unyielding shackles that have held previous GT games back. Nobody is going to mistake this for scrappy young pups like Burnout or Split/Second, but there's a surprising amount of grit and carnage for a series that has always presented itself as pristine and prestige.

  Nowhere is this more evident than in the discovery that both NASCAR and World Rally Championship are now part of the Gran Turismo package. These rough and ready racing styles help to showcase a game that almost wants you to flip out, so you can better appreciate the detail on your car as it spirals to its doom. Where cars were previously glued to the track, now crashes can lead to spectacular mayhem, more Michael Bay bombast than arty car porn.

  One of the most recently announced additions seals the deal: Gran Turismo 5 is crossing over with BBC's Top Gear, hardly the partner you choose for serious chin-stroking automotive debate. The show's famous Dunsfold Park test track will be drivable and - yes - The Stig also puts in an appearance. Gran Turismo has been many things, but it's never been quite so shamelessly fun.

  That's not to say that the Gran Turismo of old has been completely devoured by lairy boy racers and whooping hillbilly track damage. With some twenty real world locations, and around seventy track layouts shared between them, this is just the start of a suitably generous content buffet from a game famous for swamping the player with unlockables. Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Nburgring Nordschleife and Tsukuba Circuit are all present and correct, while custom made tracks include two new city courses through stunningly rendered copies of Rome and Madrid. Tuscany, on the other hand, offers winding rural roads to show off the painstaking particle effects as clouds of dust billow from roaring tyres.

  It's the cars that count, though, and the sheer amount available is staggering. 800 standard cars is the headline figure, the number that slaps in you in the face and makes you do a double take. Among this mind boggling selection are muscle cars, F1 concept racers and souped up versions of familiar models. Then there are 200 premium cars, which have been rendered in even more exhaustive detail, including luxurious interiors. Lamborghini, McLaren and Bugatti all join the roster of official manufacturers, and electric cars will make their debut Gran Turismo appearance with the Tesla Roadster. Hot off the production line, supercars like the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and Ferrari 458 Italia have been added.

  It's been a long wait, and many lost faith along the way, but come November it seems clear that most will find their way back. The racing genre may have evolved since 2005, but Gran Turismo's place at the top of the leaderboard seems assured.
  

• Gran Turismo 5 delayed once more

  Gran Turismo 5 delayed once more

  It's happened so often now it shouldn't come as a surprise any more, but with a concrete release date apparently locked down, no-one expected another Gran Turismo 5 delay. Yet that's exactly what's happened, with Sony announcing late yesterday that the game "will not be available on the previously announced release date."

  That said, there's some good news: the publisher also confirmed that it would arrive "before Christmas." Series creator Kazunori Yamauchi explained on Twitter that the delay was down to the game's "complex systems" and that Polyphony Digital was trying to fix any remaining problems.

  "It's because time and labour were spent ironing the kinks out of [the game's] complex system" he apologised. "I'm really sorry. Everyone, it's inexcusable?Wait a little longer."

  Sony, meanwhile, stated that it was "confident that this ambitious game will exceed expectations when it launches later this year." It went on to say that more information would be forthcoming "in the near future".

  While it's a shame we have to wait even longer for the game, especially given its five-year development, Yamauchi's legendary perfectionism will no doubt ensure GT5 is polished to a fine sheen by the time it eventually hits shelves. With Criterion's exhilarating Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit arriving on 19th November, it's likely to be a happy Christmas for petrolheads.

• Gran Turismo 5 discs "are being stamped"

  Gran Turismo 5 discs "are being stamped"

  We were supposed to have learned the new release date for the much-delayed Gran Turismo 5 by now, but the deadline for the announcement has been and gone and still we're none the wiser. Or we wouldn't be had website Jalopnik not spoken to series creator Kazunori Yamauchi, who confirmed late yesterday that "the discs are being stamped as we speak?.

  This flies in the face of recent rumours from industry sources which suggested the game may slip to 2011, and we've heard from another source that Sony is set to send out review code to specialist press very soon - which would certainly suggest a pre-Christmas launch.

  The long-awaited racer has been in development for five years, and was originally set for a November release. Indeed, this year's E3 conference trailer got a huge cheer when the apparently concrete launch date appeared at the end. The delay is almost certainly down to Yamauchi's perfectionism, not to mention the astonishing wealth of content on the disc. Gran Turismo 5 is set to feature over 1000 vehicles, with 800 taken from previous titles and 200 ?premium' models reproduced in the finest of detail, right down to the interior stitching.

  It's probably best to be a little cautious until Sony officially announces a release date, but car lovers looking forward to receiving a gaming treat in their Christmas stocking can perhaps start dreaming that their Yuletide wish may come true.
  

• Gran Turismo 5 finally dated

  Gran Turismo 5 finally dated

  We've been waiting forever, but Sony has finally announced a release date for Gran Turismo 5. It turns out that the whole world will be getting the sim racing masterpiece on 24th November.

  That's soon! Brilliant news! It should be worth the wait, too, with the game having been in development for well over five years.

  With over 1000 cars to race around in, however, we're not going to be bearing a grudge. There will also be 71 tracks to try them out on, and the developer, Polyphony Digital, has been taking this side of things very seriously, visiting racing spots around the world and taking all kinds of measurements and photographs to ensure Gran Turismo 5 delivers the most accurate racing experience a fan could want.

  So whether you're into testing out the best cars in the world, or just fancy racing around some of the greatest tracks ever designed in an old banger, Gran Turismo 5 should have you covered.

  Gran Turismo 5 hits the PlayStation 3 on November 24. We're saying it again because we can't wait.
  

• History of Gran Turismo Series

  Its long been a reason to own a PlayStation console and is considered by many to be the pinnacle of its genre, but Gran Turismo has also caused controversy and met with its fair share of criticism over the years. In anticipation of Gran Turismo's next-gen debut with GT5 Prologue, we take a look at the franchise's highs and lows, in this full in-depth retrospective on gaming's greatest driving sim. Ladies and gentlemen, casual and hardcore gamers, race fans and car fanatics... start your engines!
  

  History of Gran Turismo

  Automotive Heaven

  Gran Turismo is one of the most divisive series in gaming. For car aficionados it's automotive heaven. Fuelled by a vehicular love that borders on obsessive, it has consistently raised the bar for racers, delighting digital drivers with realism, detail, handling prowess and visual polish. For many players, Polyphony Digital's hardcore driving template has been oft imitated, but never bettered.

  To others, Gran Turismo is just a great racer. For them, tons of tuning options and a succession of increasingly obscure, exotic car models mean less to than the sheer triumph of passing a license test or making it first to the finish line by mastering gaming's greatest handling and most painstakingly detailed car models.

  There are those, of course, who altogether don't 'get' Gran Turismo - don't go for its lifelike physics and sophisticated seriousness - while others still seem bemused by the lack of vehicle damage. But even amongst these gamers you'd be hard-pushed to find one that disputes the overall quality and value-for money packed in each edition of this seminal series.

  The Real Driving Simulator - Gran Turismo (1997)

  There really was nothing like it, and it's difficult to imagine the gaming landscape had GT not hit when it did. Released in 1997, Gran Turismo followed Sony's award-winning 'double life' PlayStation marketing, waving lifelike visuals and a commercial licensed soundtrack in the collective faces of a 90's culture still pigeonholing videogames as hi-tech children's toys.

  A symbol of gaming's growing mainstream acceptance, GT soon became the poster plaything for a new generation of teen and twenty-something lifestyle gamers. Where WipeOut and Ridge Racer piqued interest, GT did away with the fantasy and made driving games at once ultra accessible, and completely cool.

  Predicated on the type of tinker-happy, wideboy-pleasing authenticity found in Max Power magazine, Gran Turismo's 178 cars, 11 tracks and myriad modification options set a new standard. The feeling of accomplishment at collecting a garage of world-beating beasts was similar to that in developing a character in today's MMORPGs. The seemingly mundane license tests, meanwhile, ingeniously drip-fed the intricacies of GT's handling mechanic, gleaning a new appreciation for the subtleties of each individual auto.

  And controlling them was a masterstroke. Gran Turismo's release coincided with the launch of Sony's first Dual Shock Controller, giving gamers total mobility and a new appreciation for the bumps, twists and collisions of racing real-life cars.

  That reality-check shows why GT endures. The goal may be to amass a garage of juggernaut autos, but you began in Gran Turismo with the kind of ride ran by many a fresh-faced 17 year-old boy racer. A GT career was a slow, believable rags-to-riches tale of hard gameplay graft, meticulous motor tuning, real racing skill and hours of watching replays and committing tracks to memory. Revolutionary at the time, Gran Turismo remains today a how-to dossier for driving game design.

  The Real Driving Sequel Gran Turismo 2 (1999)

  Inevitably, Gran Turismo's follow-up soon saw the light of day. Rushed to retail, it arrived shortly after Christmas, helping draw attention away from Sega's impending Dreamcast console. Due to this, GT2 was found to have some notable bugs, and despite receiving universal critical acclaim, didn't sell quite as well as its fantastic forebear.

  Nonetheless, Gran Turismo 2 went on to be another huge smash-hit for Sony's market-conquering console. Offering a bigger, better, enhanced take on the template, Gran Turismo 2 was enormous by PSone standards, delivered on two discs and boasting over 600 fully licensed cars, a grand total of 49 tracks, and six license tests of which the first three could be instantly bypassed by upgrading old GT1 save data.

  Despite the short development time, the term 'fan service' comes to mind with Gran Turismo 2; in which Polyphony encapsulated the game's schizophrenic appeal and tailored its offering to GT's two core audiences.

  The first disc of Gran Turismo 2 delivered arcade and multiplayer modes, replete with unlockable cars, aimed squarely at the casual gamer. The second gave hardcore car nuts a refined, fleshed-out Simulation mode, with cleaner menus and all-new off road rally racing amongst the biggest draws.

  Where GT had polarised opinion, GT2 delivered far-reaching racing nirvana. With handling still spot-on and visuals pushing the PlayStation to its limit, Gran Turismo 2 is regarded as arguably the finest technical tour-de-force on Sony's original system.

  The Third Place Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (2001)

  Two steps back, three giant leaps forwards; Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec hit PS2 with less cars and tracks than its predecessor, but realised jaw-dropping visuals, a focus on the world's most exotic motors (hence the subtitle), and a few notable brand new features.

  A-Spec's 185 car selection allowed Polyphony to present their most polished Gran Turismo yet. Gone were most of the everyday vehicles, meaning this GT lost some of its real-life feel but it turned out to be a triumphant decision, delivering the freshness the franchise needed and with it branching out to offer new and exciting challenges.

  In came a selection of speedy retro F1 cars. In came multi-hour endurance races. There was another reworking of the famous front-end, now categorised by country and manufacturer. Driver A.I. was criticised for hugging the racing line, however, meaning Arcade Mode's later stages were more of challenge than Gran Turismo mode itself. A lack of online play, meanwhile, was only partially made up for by a six-console system link option. In all though, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec was a sensational shift onto Sony's second hardware, and a must-have for the fledgling console that is second only to Grand Theft Auto 3 in the system's all-time best sellers list.

  Bright Ideas Gran Turismo Concept (2002)

  Polyphony then turned the GT3 engine to making a racer based around concept cars. Following releases in Japan and South Korea than contained cars from the from the 2001 and 2002 Tokyo and Seoul Motor Shows, 2002's European release was the most complete version, adding a further 30 cars from the Geneva Motor Show and going on to sell a million units.

   

  4-Play - Gran Turismo 4: Prologue (2004)

  With Gran Turismo 4 failing to make its original Christmas 2003 release, GT4: Prologue was issued as a budget-price stop-gap taster for hardcore fans. Putting together 50 cars, five courses and including cut-down version of GT stalwarts like license tests, a Free Run mode and early renditions of GT4's courses, GT4 Prologue whetted appetites, but ended up being less representative of the final Gran Turismo 4 driving experience.

  4 To the Floor - Gran Turismo 4 (2005)

  After an agonising year and a half wait, Gran Turismo 4 finally arrived and was instantly hailed as hands-down the most comprehensive title of its type.

  Not even GT2 had been this big or well-polished. 50 tracks, including real-life circuits like the famous Nburgring, and over 700 cars from 80 different manufacturers, made GT4 the most good-looking, well-balanced, finely-tuned, minutely detailed, compulsively authentic and accomplished driving simulation of them all.

  In realism stakes, GT4 was a stellar success. Indeed, Sony even invited auto journos to try real life vs GT4; same track, same car. Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson commented that Gran Turismo 4 'would only be more real if a big spike shot out of the screen and skewered your head every time you crashed'.

  As a racer, however, GT4 met with criticism. Polyphony's obsession with the minutiae of car technology granted Gran Turismo 4 a far less forgiving edge; this was less an exhilarating race experience, and more about tinkering for maximum track performance. With GT4 the divide became even more pronounced; car nuts adored it, but casual gamers were left a little alienated.

  A more sophisticated arcade mode provided some relief, extending GT3's three speed variants to a whopping 21. But the real draw of GT4 was that the career could be played in two modes, with A-Spec your usual progression, and B-Spec letting players speed up races by three times (reducing endurance races to a manageable playtime) and step out of the car to give direction to an A.I. driver. In effect, this meant the game played itself, players allowing the game to simply achieve wins on its own, earning them prize money for parts and cars with little of the original GT's invested grind.

  Lacking the planned online mode (apart from in Asia, where an online test version was released), retaining computer A.I. that blindly followed the racing line, and boasting a novel but superficial Photo Mode, GT4 is considered the apex of videogame driving, yet fixed few of the franchise's existing problems, and felt to fans like an Nth-degree refinement of what had gone before instead of the revolution begun nearly nine years prior.

  GT Goes Next-Gen - Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Beyond (2008 - ???)

  Having whetted PS3 player appetites with the free-to-download Gran Turismo HD demo (20 vehicles, Time Trial and Drift Trial modes, one course also playable mirrored, and online leaderboards), Polyphony's first retail PS3 GT presents a succession of three's.

  Three years; three home PlayStation consoles; and three promises of online play later, and we finally get Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, delivering long-awaited 16-player head-to-head races, as well as two-person split-screen play, to a console capable of eye-bulging HD visuals and more sophisticated driver intelligence.

  Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is a low-cost precursor to the first full next-gen GT. 71 cars are present, playable on six courses, with mirrored versions taking the total tracks to ten. A new high-detail in-cockpit view, Quick Tune facility and Dual Shock 3 compatibility make it more realistic than ever, boding well for a final version of GT5 that promises the Top Gear test track amongst its course quota.

  Community events, online leaderboards, and the automotive program-providing GT TV channel give Gran Turismo 5 Prologue a sizeable amount of content for a budget release, really giving gamers a flavour for the upcoming final version of Gran Turismo 5.

  One thing is an absolute certainty; With existing and prospective PS3 owners all eagerly awaiting a triple-A system-seller, fans demanding a sequel that exceeds GT's own high standards, and seemingly everyone expecting GT's next-gen debut to have a massive impact on mainstream lifestyle culture, Sony and Polyphony Digital are pulling out all the stops to ensure Gran Turismo 5 redefines the term 'The Real Driving Simulator'.

  Article by: Mark Scott
  Published: 07.03.08

• Gamescom 2010: GT5 on the grid from 5th November with THREE new modes!

  One of gamescom's biggest announcements for the army of PS3 petrolheads is the solid, unshifting launch date of the long-awaited racing masterclass Gran Turismo 5.

  The series dubbed 'The Real Driving Simulator' will get its full HD debut on 5th November, and will come complete with never-before-seen modes that let you make tracks, race karts, and manage a GT career without getting behind the wheel.

  Perhaps the most enticing is Track Creation, which will lend Gran Turismo 5 something of a play, create, share element seen in LittleBigPlanet and recent kart racer ModNation Racers. You won't be able to physically build full tracks to spec, though instead you'll be able to decide on a set of parameters like the number and angle of curves in the track, which you'll be able to share with your PSN friends online.
  Gran Turismo 5 Signature Edition

  Speaking of ModNation Racers, GT5's Kart Racing could be taking its cue from United Fron't game. We'd expect GT's usually-hardcore sim-style racing experience to be a bit different when you're behind the wheel of something so nippy and low to the ground, and we think it should make it great for some light-hearted multiplayer laughs.

  Last of all, B-Spec Mode will let you pick a driver and 'nurture' them across a GT career including giving commands mid-race to help steer them to glory. If you've ever found yourself immensely frustrated by F1 races being decided on team orders, this is your chance to do things differently outside of the F1 circuit.

  You can be at the front of the grid for November 5th by preordering Gran Turismo 5 now; including the collectible Signature Edition with a raft of extras for diehard fans.

• Christmas Round-Up - 24th December 2010

  Was there ever any doubt that Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Black Ops would be this year's Christmas number one? Especially considering it's the sequel to last years Xmas best seller, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2...

  Well actually, for a few weeks, there was - because this year has seen the release of some real gaming crackers! Want to know which ones are the stars this Christmas? Here's the full top 10 - and not a turkey in sight...

   

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops is an awe-inspiring package, featuring a single-player campaign packed with stunning set-pieces at every new corner. The intriguing plot masterfully strings together the globe trotting missions, each of which will blow you away. As if that wasn't enough it also features a refined multiplayer with unbeatable value.

   

  2. FIFA 11 is the definitive football video game experience. Just when we thought EA couldn't improve on FIFA 10 they introduce new nuanced animations and intricate touches of realism to a game that is already a visual marvel. The mechanics in FIFA 11 have received small tweaks that go a long way in providing added depth to the game, there are countless ways to score a goal and thanks to the introduction of playable goalkeepers, just as many ways to save a few.

   

  3. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit is a blisteringlyfast, endlessly fun, finely polished arcade racing game with no equal. Hot Pursuit has a racing model that feels weighty but still loose enough to provide that unique arcade feel. However, where it truly shines is in its online component. The Need for Speed Autolog is a fresh and effective take on online community that keeps racers coming back; hoping beat a few friends and perhaps make a few enemies.

   

  4. Just Dance 2 builds on the winning formula from the first game. The simple controls and fantastic selection of music make is easy for everyone to get involved, making it the social game of choice in households around the world this Christmas. Just Dance 2 comes packed with new gameplay modes such as duet mode, co-op and competitive play, making it the ideal Wii dance game.

   

  5. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is the definitive open-world action game, Ubisoft's third console Assassin's Creed game has enough new content to take out the competition this Christmas. Picking up moments after the events of AC2, Brotherhood sees you take control of Ezio once again, and features a huge variety of side-quests, an intuitive new combat mechanic, sublime platforming and a fantastic new multiplayer mode that is unlike any other game on the market.

   

  6. Gran Turismo 5 sees the return of Sony's legendary simulation racing series to the most powerful video game console on the market, and it doesn't disappoint. GT5 builds on the success of the series by sticking close to the tried and true formula. However, the amount of content in the latest game is through the roof. With over one thousand cars available to drive, dozens of racetracks, special events and online multiplayer Gran Turismo 5 is one of the most feature-packed racing games of the year.

   

  7. Donkey Kong Country Returns is not only a worthy successor to the classic Donkey Kong platforming franchise, but also one worthy of the Nintendo seal of quality. Donkey Kong Country Returns is overflowing with impressively creative and imaginative worlds that constantly provide new and inventive gameplay experiences that demand the kind of quick reflexes and platforming precision that are a trademark of Nintendo platformers. If you thought New Super Mario Bros. was fun, wait until you play this.

   

  8. Medal of Honor faced danger head on by attempting to break into a market dominated by Call of Duty, and manages to do a good job of carving out its own fanbase. The game has tight shooting mechanics, takes place in an unusual but interesting setting and features characters that have unique personalities. Medal of Honor delivers in the multiplayer department too, since it's developed by DICE, the guys behind Battlefield: Bad Company 2, it's not one you can afford to miss.

   

  9. Wii Fit Plus encourages players to maintain a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise. The game makes getting fit fun by providing a variety of exercises with set goals for the player to achieve using its innovative balance board. With over 15 new balance games, six new strength training and a number of yoga activities you'll not only get fit but you'll also have fun doing it.

   

  10. Professor Layton and the Lost Future is easily one of the best games in the popular puzzle series. It wastes no time in getting to the good bits and immediately throws a series of creative puzzles at the player. Make no mistake, this game will require you to get your brain into gear but that won't take much convincing since the puzzles are masterfully woven into an intriguing time-travelling adventure that you'll want to see to the end.

  Published: 24/12/2010

• Gran Turismo creator tries his hand at some real racing

  Kazunori Yamauchi is one of the greatest game designers in the world. He the man behind the Gran Turismo series for one thing, and he been proving he as good at racing real cars as crafting videogames about them. How? He been racing around the Nburgring. In real life.

  Yamauchi was part of a four-man team that recently competed in the Nburgring 24-hour race, according to DualShockers. He drove a Nissan GT-R and capped a time of nearly seven-and-three-quarter hours. Not bad!

  "The Nurburgring 24 hour race was dramatic and a lot happened during the last leg," Yamauchi wrote on Twitter. "Class victory goes to the GT-R. Thanks a lot for the congratulatory messages. Time for the awards ceremony now."

  If you want to see what Yamauchi like when he at his day job, of course, you can check out Gran Turismo 5. The game a PlayStation 3 exclusive, and will probably go down in history as one of the greatest sim racers ever made.

• PlayStation 3 - The Essential Games

  
  

  So, you've got yourself a shiny new PlayStation 3. You know all about its fantastic online features, like PlayStation Network, BBC iPlayer, 4OD and more. You know about its awesome graphics and Blu-Ray player. What you really need to know is - what games should I get?

  Well, help is here! We've taken on the hard work and come up with our PS3 Essentials List - the 'hot half-dozen' you really need to get your game collection going.

  

  Action/Adventure

  SONY's flagship console needs SONY's flagship title - the Uncharted series. Since 2007 we've seen three adventures for Nathan Drake, the everyman hero whose treasure hunting escapades take him all over the world - and into all kinds of trouble. Featuring visually stunning locations and traditional action adventure gameplay like running, shooting and jumping, the Uncharted games are ideal for just getting stuck in and having fun while playing. Grab Uncharted: Drakes Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves in a special double pack, or jump straight into the latest instalment Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.

  

  Shooter

  Killzone 3 is the latest chapter in PlayStation's signature shooter series. Putting a sci-fi twist on the traditional first-person shooter, Killzone 3 takes place across a range of locations from alien jungles, to nuclear wastelands, to outer space, marking a strong visual change to the usual combat zones found in FPS games. There's the usual single-player campaign and a host of multiplayer maps and mission-types to keep things interesting. Plus there's a choice of classes to play as and the use of things like jet-packs which put a new slant on the genre. And if you really want to, you can grab the first two chapters too!

  

  Sport

  Sports on the PS3 are taken to the extreme in SSX. A revival of the classic snowboarding series that helped launch the PS2, SSX presents players with an assortment of mountain slopes to conquer, and whole heap of tricks, moves and skills to learn, and playing modes that reward speed, skill and survival. While the single-player mode is fun enough, the online multiplayer works in such a way that you don't actually have to be playing at the same time to challenge your friends, with a league-like system that makes every race very competitive. If you're looking for a new sporting challenge, SSX is the game to beat!

  

  Sci-Fi/Fantasy

  The Resistance series was a bit of old-school sci-fi, an alternative history where alien race the Chimera had invaded and overrun the planet, thanks to a virus that turns humans into, well, more Chimera. Your job is to stop the Chimera take over Europe (in the first game) and North America (in the second and third), using a combination of contemporary and futuristic weapons. The alt-history setting makes for an interesting storyline with some fun 'what-if' scenarios, while the multiplayer options expand not only the world of the game, but also the fun you can have within it. Grab the first two games in a Platinum Double Pack and start fighting those aliens!

  

  Party

  If you really want to get the party going, you want to get the party singing, and what better way to do that than the SingStar series. The gameplay is simple - two people competing to out-sing the other... or at least trying to score higher than the other while singing, as actual singing ability is far from required to make this game enjoyable! With a range of games and songs to suit almost any age and taste, SingStar has proven to be one of the most inclusive and easy to play franchises to hit any console. For the ultimate in friendly competition, SingStar is the winning choice.

  

  Racing

  The Gran Turismo series has been a stalwart of the PlayStation brand for more than a decade, and Gran Turismo 5 continues the fine tradition of ultra-realistic driving simulation that leaves other racers in the dust. Like the earlier games in the series, GT5 is a showcase of the PS3's lifelike graphics and gameplay physics, this time incorporating realistic damage to your car as you compete. There's an enviable range of locations (26), tracks (71) and cars (over 1000!), and combined with the gameplay choices of career mode, arcade mode and online multiplayer, Gran Turismo 5 is the racing game that puts you on the right track.

  Of course, this list is far from definitive, but it does showcase some top games in each of the major categories of modern gaming. If you think you have a better champion for any category, or can think of a key title we've missed, please feel free to share your advice below!

  Published: 10/04/2012

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