F1 World Grand Prix 2000

Far too many F1 games are aimed purely at the simulation market. Of course some of them are more anal than others, while some do try to combine simulation and arcade elements into one package - EA's F1 Championship: Season 2000 springs instantly to mind. However, not a single one has attempted to cater for the arcade lover, until now. F1 World Grand Prix 2000 is somewhat of a mixed bag. Your first reaction is likely to be one of horror, as you come face to face with the blocky, fuzzy and badly rendered graphics. But things do improve somewhat from this rather inauspicious start.

You're presented with a choice of two options: Arcade or Grand Prix. The first is a straightforward mindless racing mode, which proves to be more fun than you might imagine. The action is fast and furious with breaks virtually unnecessary. The soundtrack is top notch and adds excitement to proceedings. Even though there are three difficulty levels to test yourself against, it's still highly unlikely you'll spend more than the odd half hour playing this way.

The second option is geared towards simulation fans, although it's still heavily influenced by arcade elements, especially when it comes to your car's handling. Before you can join a team and try your hand at a full season, you have to pass your Super Licence Test, which is fun for about two minutes, annoying for about 20 and then, unless you're a rubbish driver, done and dusted. It does go some way to teaching you the subtleties of F1 driving, but it's hardly the best tutorial we've seen. And racing in this mode, is no more than passable.

If you fancy a nice easy F1 racer then there's plenty of fun to be had with F1 World Grand Prix 2000. However, if you're the anally retentive type who loves tweaking rear wings and gear ratios, then choose one of the myriad of other F1 sim based games instead.