WRC 6

Though it does a good job of bringing rally racing to game consoles and computers, not all gamers will appreciate this real sport's unique approach. Like real rally racing, WRC 6 doesn't have you competing against other drivers at the same time. Instead, you drive these point-to-point races on your own and later compare your times with your fellow drivers' to see who finished quickest. Races are also held on narrow, curvy tracks that include both closed roads and dusty trails, and you're told which way they curve by your helpful navigator. In deference to those who aren't professional rally drivers, the game does allow you to adjust the settings so it can be played as a simulation or as something a bit more forgiving, though never to the point where it feels like an arcade game.

Of course, it's because of rally racing's unique style that many fans of racing video games won't enjoy this as much as one where you beat someone else to the finish line in real time. Others might wonder why you sometimes drive on dirt roads but don't ever go off high jumps or why you have a navigator telling you what to do. Still others may not be amused that you have to be mindful of your car's condition; blowing a tire, for instance, adds 30 seconds to your time. But if you enjoy racing games more as a test of your driving skills than real-time competition, WRC 6 really does a good job capturing this unique motorsport.