SPORTS/DRIVING

Sports games and racers are probably one of the most stale genres out there. Each year brings only minimal innovations and usually just rehashes old ideas. Despite that 2008 managed to be a very strong sports year, with EA finally retaking the throne it lost back around 2000. And as far as racing games are concerned, there was plenty of fuel for both arcade fans and people who enjoy a more realistic experience.

BURNOUT: PARADISE	Few games manage to match Burnout’s ability to get the adrenaline flowing. Couple that with an open city and tons of extra downloadable content and you have a winner.
GRID	After last year’s DIRT Codemasters decided to return to tarmac roads for their latest racer. Gorgeous looks, high speeds and excellent handling – the perfect combination.
GRAN TURISMO 5: PROLOGUE	The name prologue might leave a bitter aftertaste, but this game is no slacker when it comes to content. And despite objections from the 360 crowd, its cars are without doubt the most realistic looking ones yet.
PURE	Mile high jumps and tricks that defy the laws of physics, all packed in a nice next-gen package. Highly entertaining.
NHL 09	After a few rough years NHL 09 is finally a return to form for this long-standing series of hockey games.
FIFA SOCCER 09	The switch to next gen was rough for FIFA, but after what it seems like an eternity the series has retaken the throne of football games.
MARIOKART	Mario Kart games are never among the most advanced games in terms of technology used. But they deliver something many games miss – pure old fashioned and unadulterated fun!