Toon Car: The Great Race

We all know the immense multiplayer pleasures of Counter-Strike and Quake III, but there is one game that rivals them which can only be played on an N64 (or an emulator): Super Mario Kart. It may sound implausible to someone who hasn't played it, but the Nintendo classic still ranks as one of the most fun games ever made when played with friends. Toon Cars doesn't quite come close to that standard, but among all the Mario Kart wannabees that have been released over the years, it definitely stands out as an enjoyable piece of software.

Developed by Spanish outfit Revistronic, Toon Cars eschews all realism in favour of physics and handling that just feel right, while piling on humorous touches, cartoony graphics and all sorts of power-ups. Progress is made through the time-honoured method of unlocking tracks while the races themselves are made unpredictable by track obstacles and the power-ups. You do sometimes spend too much time out of sight of other cars almost as if it were a rally simulation before a rocket hits you from behind and everyone overtakes you right at the end, but splitscreen mode is a good laugh. This Is as close as we're ever going to get to Mario Kart on the PC.