Wheelspin

Battle mode is the most obvious example of this philosophy in action; scurrying around arenas collecting sci-fi weaponry to blast away instantly re-spawning opponents has no relation to real-world racing. It's pure escapism, and all the better for it.

The default control system makes use of the Wii remote (although classic, GameCube and Logitech Wheel control options are available). Turns are implemented by tilting the controller while acceleration, braking and weapon control are button activated. Initially, it's easy to be cynical about how this will work - there's not MotionPlus support and floaty, inaccurate vehicle control can be a problem with Wii racers.

It doesn't help that I am a haptic numpty with the motor control of an rheumatic hippo, which means I often struggle to fine-tune my motions when using the remote. As hilarious as this might be for my Wii Bowling opponents it results in a frustrating game experience when subtle control is required.

However, Wheelspin's control system seemed somehow compensate for this innate lack of ability. I soon found myself scooting around hairpin bends and swooping across ramped intersections in a decidedly non-Pearsonian style, and even staying on the track 75 per cent of the time.

Whether this is indicative of simplicity or accuracy was hard to tell during the short playtesting session, especially as I only experienced early courses in basic cars. All the same, even the least of co-ordinated Wii owners should be able to master the handling in Wheelspin thanks to the well-designed controls.

The game also features an impressive range of multiplayer options. By utilising the nunchuck as a separate controller with a similar tilting action, Wheelspin enables full local eight-player games. In this mode, individual screens are spaced around a central map.

On anything less than a relatively large screen it'll be a little fiddly to ascertain what's happening, but those who boast a 50-incher should have no problems at all. Obviously. This is where Wheelspin looks set to shine brightest - as a sofa-based competitive multiplayer game where victory is only a well-aimed dead arm away.

That's an experience which has all but disappeared on the other consoles in the age of online gaming - they're often striving so hard to win prizes for prettiness that multiple iterations of environments aren't possible. Many us who cut our teeth on Goldeneye and Super Mario Kart feel the absence; the difference in banter when the person you're thrashing is 500 miles away is often marked, and sometimes grates. Here's hoping that Wheelspin will present us with opportunities for more sofa-based multiplayer fun.