IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon had died after a horrific and fiery 15-car crash during Sunday’s Las Vegas Indy 300.

Wheldon, 33, was fatally injured when his car went airborne after hitting another car during Lap 12. He caught a part of a fence just outside the turn. He was taken by helicopter to University Medical Center, where he died.

“IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries,” said IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today.”

The race was canceled, and drivers performed a slow five-lap tribute to Wheldon after the news broke.

Wheldon is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, including this year’s race. He was racing for a $5 million prize in today’s race, which he would have split with a random fan.

Drivers Pippa Mann and J.R. Hildebrand were transported to a hospital for dizziness, and Will Power because of back pain.

The race is the final one of the IndyCar season. There were 34 cars entered in the race.

Drivers were reaching high speeds of 225 mph during practice.

Wheldon was expected to replace Danica Patrick next season in the Go-Daddy Andretti Autosport car. Patrick is moving to NASCAR.

ESPN’s reporting originally included a video of the crash. The video was taken down immediately after it was reported that Wheldon had died.

There are a lot of ways you could describe Turn 10’s Forza Motorsport 4. It’s a racing game, it’s a driving simulator, but the easiest way – it’s simply pure unadulterated car porn.  Gorgeous and deep, the latest in the long running Xbox racing series feels like the genre perfected and while it may not change the way those who don’t like driving games feel about the genre, it’s impossible not to appreciate the level of detail and depth put on display.  Forza 4 is quite simply a car lover’s virtual dream.

The Forza series has always been a visual treat, but nothing that came before it compares to what Forza 4 is packing, and it’s all thanks to the game’s new image-based lighting model.  The locations you’ll be racing in come alive with picturesque scenic vistas and stunning backdrops, and they’re made all the better by the superb lighting model which causes shadows to stretch out to just the right points and interact in just the right ways.  You want a show piece for your new HDTV? Pop-in Forza 4 and show someone its visuals.

Of course, all of this works together to make the game’s main attraction; the cars look downright stunning.  Turn 10 has poured a ton of work into ensuring that each car is perfect down to the smallest detail.  Going through and inspecting the models, especially some of the more exotic and vintage car proves to be an impressive endeavor (especially if you’re able to do so with Kinect). The cars look great in motion as well, as they’re incredibly smooth and weighted just right as they roll down the game’s multitude of tracks.

For true car lovers though, Forza 4’s sweet spot has to be its audio presentation. The game features a wide variety of cars, from classics, to exotic models and each of them sounds incredibly authentic when punching the engine.  Want to get to the heart of a car junkie? Turn the volume up real loud and crank a few engines, it’s stellar, strangely rewarding and almost impossible to resist.

Of course, much like any good car, the true heart of Forza isn’t in its looks, but under its hood, and Turn 10 delivers here as well. Genetically speaking, Forza 4 shares a lot of its core with that of its predecessor Forza 3, but thanks to a generous amount of tweaks and new additions, this is now slight upgrade.  The most noticeable of these updates is how smooth the games monstrous suite of cars handle. Each of the cars handle remarkably true to their real life counterpart, now I may have never driven a Ferrari, but the ones in Forza 4 feel an awful lot like what I’ve always dreamed they would. One of the things I really found myself enjoying about Forza 4 is trying out different cars, how they feel, how they sound – and I’m not even a huge car guy.

One of the most notable features of Forza 4 is just how accessible it can be when compared to other hardcore driving simulators. Sure, the focus here is on sheer driving and skill, but Forza also features a slew of driving aids and tweaks that will allow even the worst driver to enjoy their time with the game. Perhaps that’s the mark of what makes Forza so enjoyable, it’s perfectly fine being one of the most deep racing sims on the market, but it’s also not afraid to turn things down a bit to encourage others to play.

Turn 10 has also made other changes to the Forza formula to better accommodate novice players, but they haven’t necessarily made the game easier, just easier to jump in to. At the easier settings, AI controlled drivers aren’t dumbed down so they’re worse drivers, they’re just not as confident as those found on the higher difficulties. These inexperienced drivers will brake more often and be cautious going in to turns, allowing newer users the ability to learn the finer points of the game, and not just scale by on the easier difficulties.

In previous Forza games, you would only be able to level up cars until they reach level 5, leading to a lot of replayability being lost. That’s fixed in Forza 4 as the game introduces manufacturer specific levels called affinity levels which can be attributed to any vehicle; as long as it’s in the same manufacturer family. In essence, what these levels do is allow players to continue using a car they really like no matter how fine tuned it is while still earning XP and credits you’re able to use throughout the game and adds a ton of replayability.

As robust as the single player experience is, Forza 4 also packs a rather impressive multiplayer suite. The best mode of this suite is easily the rivals mode, which allows you to play against your friends whether they’re online or not thanks to a ghost system. Perhaps most impressive about the multiplayer suite isn’t how robust it is, but how everything works together. Playing online will also give you XP and credits to use throughout the game. In short, that means ultimate bragging rights.

Forza 4 could also be the first game baring the “better with Kinect” branding that I actually believe, as Microsoft’s motion sensing camera actually adds to the experience quite a bit. Using Kinect will allow you to use the cool steering wheel controller as well as the ability to look to your left and right while driving, by simply doing so in real life.  The true allure of Kinect is when you use it to oogle the cars in the auto vista mode…hands off of course.

The Blast Factor: I may never own an Italian sports car or high performance muscle car (unless Guilfoil ups my salary), but thanks to Forza 4, I can know what it’s like. It’s the most detailed, fun and rewarding driving simulator I’ve ever played. Car junkies are going to love that Turn 10 gets it, and even those who don’t get hot under the collar at an engine will love the jaw dropping presentation values. Forza 4 is simply an accomplishment in every sense of the word.

Codemasters has been pumping out rally racers for years, first under the Colin McRae name and more recently the Dirt series. The original Dirt was a superb rally racer. Dirt 2 superseded the original in every way and was easily one of the best racers of the year. Dirt 3, however, builds on those successes and provides one of the finest and most entertaining racing games of the year.

Rally racing focuses largely on off-road competition that varies between standard racing against other cars and traditional rallies, where each driver takes a turn trying to make the best time on a given track. Dirt 3 expands well beyond these two styles of racing and provides an insane variety of challenges across an impressive amount of tracks and locales. The game is one of the most complete racing games on the market—providing an engaging and intense racing experience both on and offline for all skill levels.

Dirt 3 is an incredibly customizable racing. While even hardcore racers like Shift 2 and Gran Turismo offer scaling difficulty levels to accommodate varying skill levels, even on the easier levels they still feel less than welcoming to casual drivers and newcomers. Dirt 3 provides as much assistance as you need, or as little, making the gameplay fun for anyone, without sacrificing the gritty feel of the racing.

The career mode is the main meat of the game, and serves up over 100 different events to conquer. Dirt 3 offers a great array of locations to blast through, providing extremes at every turn. Races take place everywhere from African deserts and snowy roads in Aspen to LA and all over Europe. Some tracks are lap-based circuits, while others are just long stretches of road. Brand new to the series is the gymkhana mode. This is a trick-focused event where players are tasked with stringing together slick driving moves to earn big points.

The gymkhana mode is strangely reminiscent of skate boarding games like Tony Hawk, and adds a great new dimension to the otherwise more straight-laced racing action. More importantly, conquering this mode ensures that you’ll have the driving skills to ace any other track. No matter what type of event you’re racing, the controls are always spot on and, as with Dirt 2, if you really get into trouble, you can rewind time and try again without having to start the whole race over.

Perform well enough and you’ll earn new sponsors, which unlocks new vehicles and greater challenge. Of course, even a great single-player game can only get you so far, and Dirt 3 has pumped up its multiplayer game immensely. Beyond multiplayer versions of the various single-player modes, the game throws out some crazy game styles usually seen in first-person shooters. The Outbreak mode, for instance, is a game of vehicular tag where one player is “infected” and must spread the disease to the other cars. Transporter is a capture the flag-style game and Invasion focuses on smashing through alien robot cutouts while trying not to cause collateral damage to the movie-set-like buildings.

Dirt 3 brings all its racing greatness together thanks to a gorgeous presentation. The visuals are stunning, and easily on par with the competition. Cars are detailed with full damage modeling. The tracks and backdrops are varied, sharp, and realistic as well. The soundtrack is powerful, with great sound effects and voice work.

There’s very little to complain about in Dirt 3. For racing fans, this is a no-brainer. This is a great sequel, which improves on the previous game in every direction. The career mode is massive and the multiplayer is terrific. When it comes to rally racing, this series has always been the leader of the pack, and Dirt 3 is the best yet.

Mower Ride is a fun way to tilt your off hours away with your iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

The game, released today by Vivid Games is a top-down hybrid racing and combat game, entirely motion controlled.

It is a casual game, in the spirit of a SkiFree, where you don’t need a story or elaborate point system. Just move and try not to die.

You take your turbocharged riding lawnmower through back yards, clipping lines of grass, dodging swimming pools, and trying to take out other mowers before they kill you. All while, you are trying to collect energy icons before you run out of power.

The game scores your personal best depending on how much distance you can cover before you run out of power or get taken out by an enemy.

There’s not much skill involved, and that’s the beauty of Mower Ride. It has nice cartoon graphics, catchy music, and provides just enough entertainment value to make it 99 cents worth spending.

If you get really hooked on racing a lawn mower, you can challenge your friends and spend some more cash to pimp and primp your vehicle.

For the most part, I think I kind of hate most racing games nowadays. I feel like ever since the very first Gran Turismo for the PS1, most games in the genre require FAR too many tedious and boring objectives that need to be completed for one to even make a dent of progress in whatever racing game you’re playing. Now, you couldchalk this up to my world class laziness, but the best way for me to explain why I feel this way about racing games is for me to just tell you: “Me want racing game to be fun! And me want racing game to be fast and easy to play!” I guess that’s why the Burnout series and Daytona U.S.A. come to mind as about the only racing games I’ve ever really enjoyed.

Well now, I can add Bizarre Creations Blur to that very short list. Blur, much like it’s hilarious commercial insinuates, is pretty much like bringing Mario Kart onto the city streets, sans all of the cuteness. It’s quite simply, a dumb, fun racing game.

Blur delivers all the speed that its name implies. It moves crazy fast, and looks beautiful, and gamers will have the opportunity to select nearly 60 real cars and race their way around numerous tracks. Along the the way, you’ll be able to collect some pretty bad ass power-ups-mines, homing missiles,nitro, etc.- and use them to house your opponents, whether real or A.I. And much like Mario Kart, you’ve got to use these power-ups strategically, which adds to the fun and palm sweating paranoia of playing this game.

For proof of this, all one needs to do is take this game online. When I was playing some random (and competitive) strangers, I found myself not just enjoying the blasting of the poor fools who happened to be in front of me, but also constantly checking my rear view mirror for who was about to ruin my proverbial shit. Again, just a very Mario Kart-esque kind of feeling, and I absolutely loved playing Blur online.

Offline, Blur’s one player campaign offers the usual fare one would expect, such as checkpoint challenges, one-on-one races, and the incredibly fun “Destruction” in which you shoot the hell out of your opponents, and that’s about it.

To progress through Blur’s one player campaign, you’ve got to fulfill requirements, and more importantly, earn yourself some fans. Fans are earned by performing tricks and completing challenges, which then allows one to unlock new cars, and will raise your RPG-like level. Does Blur break any new ground with any of this? Hell no. Remember, this IS a racing game we’re talking about. No matter what, it’s pretty much always going to be “keep racin’ to be able to do more stuff”. No big deal though, as Blur’s multiplayer is where it’s at anyway.

Like any game, racing or otherwise, Blur isn’t perfect. I could have done without a lot of the Need for Speed Underground type neon glow to much of the H.U.D., and I was surprised with the lack of ingenuity that went into the tracks themselves, considering how nuts the races are. I know that probably sounds nit-picky, but I guess I just expected a few more surprising twists n’ turns is all.

The Blast Factor: This is the most fun I’ve had with a racing game in years. The multiplayer modes, both online and off are an absolute blast to play, and you can even link the game to your Facebook or Twitter account to taunt all of your pals after you’ve beat them. The controls are tight and responsive, the graphics (again despite a bit too much neon for my taste) are fantastic, and there’s enough here to keep even the most jaded gamer (hey, that’s me!) busy for months. It’s an absolute must buy.

Note: A copy was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Have an Xbox 360 and an incessant urge to race around zany tracks with a hedghehog?

If those odd circumstances describe you, you’re in luck, as a demo for Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing came to Xbox Live today, just waiting for you to download it.

Here’s the goofy product description for the game. 

“Dodge weapons, perform tricks and drifts, seek short cuts and look out for that elusive all-star move pick-up as you blast past your rivals in to pole position. Winning has never tasted so sweet!”

We’re not going to tell you to go download it, but it is free and these cart racers are pretty much completely fun, so you might miss out if you don’t download it.

Start your download for the demo, even if you’re at work or school, right here.

NASCAR had their 2010 overview today which means it’s just about that time of year. The abundance of fresh air, sunshine and our beaches attract NASCAR fans from all over as they converge on Central Florida to watch the season opener, The Daytona 500 that falls on Valentine weekend this year. A true lover’s paradise, I’m sure. Now, I’ve never been one to actually enjoy NASCAR because the idea of driving 500 laps in a circle is ridiculous and somewhat asinine to me but a majority of people beg to differ. Add to the manual of rules that are placed on each team and the point is driven home that everyone really is driving the same car. I hear it’s about the car, no, it’s about the driver that wins the race but how does one actually win in NASCAR? Luck, I would think and drafting. It’s all about drafting….and rubbin’. No wait that was only in allowed in Days of Thunder or was it? NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said today that “NASCAR is a contact sport — our history is based on banging fenders.” So it really is then about rubbin’, right Harry?

The new list of improvements for the sport lacked the most import thing; lack of any serious fun being placed into the sport of racing once again. The 2010 season should include these new rules to reintroduce the love of NASCAR to every possible fan including myself. With the help of my dear old Dad we compiled these:

1. One Grandstand at every track must be reserved exclusively for alcoholics and persons wearing electronic ankle monitors. Do not take offense to this but if you have ever attended a NASCAR function you know EXACTLY what is being referred to.
2. All cars will be required to have ABS.
3. No speed limits on Pit Road just hope the ABS works.
4. Speed sells so there is no limit on engine size and nitrous oxide will be permitted.

Brian France said fans want excitement so with the elimination of restrictor plates at Daytona and Talladega by God they will have excitement. With unlimited cubic inches and nitrous oxide the speed limit would exceed 250 mph. So who needs the new spoiler or roof flaps? That was so last season.

What am I implying? Maybe NASCAR needs to allow one to two races a year that are without all these ridiculous rules that have overtaken the actual process of racing and made this too much of a business and less of a sport. Those few races would generate new interest and exceed revenue expectations wherever the races were held. Hell, have everyone sign a waiver and I bet they would sell even more tickets!

"Rubbin’ is racing Harry, so let’s go racing!"

The Diva prefers NHRA but cannot resist making NASCAR joke when given the chance.

Full disclosure: I’ve never been behind the wheel of anything more powerful than a bicycle, let alone one of the high-speed, high-performance beasts featured in Need for Sheed: Shift (unless you count the times when I was sitting on someone’s lap because my feet didn’t reach the pedals). So, suffice it to say that I wasn’t exactly the best representative of EA’s target demographic at the NFS Shift NYC Event which took place in downtown Manhattan late last week.

NFS Shift represents a conscious effort on EA’s part to cater to hardcore fans of the sim-based racing genre. Which doesn’t mean that the mega-developer/publisher has decided to neglect the arcade junkies who used to compose the franchise’s core audience”"EA’s also putting out Need for Speed: Nitro for Wii later this year, with Need for Speed: World Online to follow. EA’s Andrew Meakin represented this new direction for the series to me as an initiative akin to the foundation of EA Sports, a large umbrella under which gamers of all tastes and persuasions have been invited to shelter.

As Andrew explained, “The idea behind the game is all about the true driver’s experience”"it’s all about the g-forces, it’s about the crashes, it’s about the cockpit, it’s about being the driver. When you are at speed, you feel the speed. When you crash, you feel the concussion.”

My driving naivetƒ© prevents me from distinguishing between true and false driver’s experiences, and I can’t tell you whether the cars handled like they should (though the fact that I was more or less able to handle them after a brief period of smashing into every available obstacle bodes well). However, I can report that Andrew wasn’t kidding about feeling the concussion. Granted, I was standing mere inches away from a very large screen, so your mileage, as they say, may vary. But EA has done an excellent job at depicting a crash as something very much to be avoided”"and, perhaps, to be secretly and guiltily enjoyed.

The psychological impact of the faux-physical impact begins with the level of detail presented on-screen. Andrew assured me that in the unlikely event that I ever do find myself steering one of the game’s 67 playable vehicles (including the ’09 BMW M3 GT2 featured on the cover) in real life, I’d recognize every curve of the cockpit and light on the dashboard, since every detail has been painstakingly modeled in-game. Swiveling the joystick while playing from the in-car view doesn’t just move some disembodied camera; it shifts the driver’s head and perspective. Side and rear-view mirrors perform the functions for which they were intended, and various readouts alert the player to overheating engines and other motor-vehicle minutia.

When your inherent lack of coordination conquers these assorted aids (and the color-coded guide paths superimposed on the road’s surface) and you hurtle head-on into a thoughtfully placed barrier, another set of visual effects takes over. The screen assumes a reddish tinge, followed by a black-and-white vista drained of all color, and a blurry haze and careening camera make you want to rub your neck and blink a few times in sympathy.

The attention to detail apparent in the visuals also extends outside of the vehicles. Each course has been meticulously researched and rendered. Again, I can’t tell you how well they resemble their real-world counterparts, but they sure are pretty. Windmills turn, balloons float by, barely glimpsed spectators snap pictures, and very convincing clouds of dust accompany the squeal of tires. Velocity changes aren’t only reflected on the speedometer”"the motion blur and tunnel vision employed to suggest the effect of g-forces make glancing at your instruments only partially necessary.

As you drive through NFS Shift’s scenic environments, regardless of mode, race type, or success level, the game will constantly update your driver profile in response to your tendencies and achievements. The points you earn will allow you to fan the flames of your car fetish with abandon, but the game also classifies your style as “precision” or “aggression” depending on how you drive. Cutting corners cleanly is considered precise, while ramming opponents and knocking them off the track will result in your being labeled an aggressive driver. Fortunately, the game won’t force you to enroll in a remedial driving program if its sorting hat places you in the racing equivalent of Slytherin; these classifications are made purely for online matchmaking purposes, so you can always race how you want, and against whom you want. Even when you’re racing offline, your adversaries will show some personality; 20 different driver personalities have been included as an alternative to rubberband AI and a pack of opponents racing in unison.

Of course, every aspect of every car can be micromanaged, but EA has also included more simplistic sliders for the less seasoned automobilistas among us. In addition, the devs have inserted the option to take a test drive at the start of your experience, during which the game’s AI will determine, Left-4-Dead-director style, exactly how far it can push you before you break. Nice to know that EA’s still looking out for those of us who wouldn’t know a carburetor from a camshaft.

Be sure to check out the latest trailer and screens. Need for Speed Shift will be released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PSP, PC, and a smartphone near you on September 15.

Blast recently interviewed Clark Campbell, the Motorsport Manager of Volkswagen of America about the Jetta TDI Cup, which is making stops in Boston later this summer and in the fall.

We also asked him about a local racer, Theresa Condict, of Lexington, who’s taking part in the series.

BLAST: So what brings VW to Boston? When are the events in the Boston area?

CLARK CAMPBELL: We’re partnering with Boston’s F1 Outdoors to host a karting qualifier competition that will serve as a method of entry to the series for 2010. There will be six events: Aug. 3 & 17; Sept. 21 and another September date TBD; and October 12 and another October date TBD. The standouts from this competition will qualify for our 2010 driver selection event, and one competitor from the karting events will even have his or her ride funded for 2010, which is a value of $45,000.

BLAST: Why Boston?

CC: The F1 Outdoor facility is one of the best karting locations anywhere, and their leaders have been very supportive of our program. They want to help us grow and also have a place to have their talented drivers to advance to. Fortunately, we’re able to help each other accomplish our goals.

BLAST: Tell us about local girl Theresa Condict! What kind of a racer is she? Are you starting to see more and more women in the sport?

CC: Theresa is quite the competitor. She doesn’t have the racing experience that some of our drivers do, but you wouldn’t know that by talking to her. She’s really jumped in with two feet this year, and tried to learn everything she can, and I think that’s showing each weekend at the race track. It’s been fun to watch her progress.

I think we’re definitely starting to see more women in all forms of motorsports. The gender barriers have definitely been broken, and racing is something that’s being thought of as a women’s activity, even in the karting ranks today. A series like the SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup is a perfect stepping stone for a young female driver to move from karting into full bodied race cars, and gain some valuable exposure with a focus aimed towards a professional driving career.

BLAST: What is the goal of the VW TDI Cup Series?

CC: There are two main goals of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series. One is to showcase the power and benefits of Volkswagen’s clean diesel engine technology. Our race cars are achieving more than 20 mpg on the racetrack, and that’s unheard of in motorsports. Plus, these cars can get up and go because of the high torque characteristics of diesel engines. Our lap speeds generally average between 70-80 mph. Secondly, we’re hoping to advance the careers of young drivers. When drivers enter our series, they’re amateurs, but at the end of one season, they earn their pro license. This definitely allows the drivers to start looking more into the professional arena. Our top two drivers from the 2008 season both found professional-level rides in more advanced series, and we’re really proud of that. Our Champion, Josh Hurley is racing in the Grand-Am Koni Challenge series, and our runner up, Liam Kenney is racing in the ADAC Formula Masters Series in Europe.

BLAST: Has publicity and media coverage grown with the series?

CC: Yes, the amount of attention we receive when in a race market has definitely grown as we’re able to race at new tracks and expose new markets to the unique qualities of our racing. People can’t believe that we’re racing mostly stock Jettas and that we’re able to run an entire race weekend on only four gallons of fuel.

BLAST: A few years ago you made the move into the racing division of VW full time. So this series is like your baby? Are you happy with its development so far?

CC: Well, the series is still in it’s infancy really, so I guess you could say that. It has taken a tremendous effort from a very dedicated crew to get it where is it today in less then 2 years. But when we get to the race track and get to witness the excitement of the competition, it’s definitely worth it. Plus, our ultimate goal is to sell cars, and Volkswagen’s diesel sales in June were the best that they’ve ever been since we reintroduced diesel cars into the market. So, when you can see that there’s a direct connection between your work and the company achieving its goals, that’s always a good thing. We are very happy so far, but looking for even better things in the coming seasons.

Theresa Condict, 22, began racing on the local and regional autocross scene in 2004. Since then, she’s continued to compete in these events and won an SCCA solo national championships in her class in 2008. Last year, she also began competing in local karting events. She graduated from McGill University in 2008 with a degree in physics, which she believes helps her better understand vehicle dynamics. In the future, Condict hopes to follow in the footsteps of her racing hero, Lyn St. James, and compete in the IndyCar Series.

While the Las Vegas Motor Speedway was being created before his very eyes, NASCAR Sprint Cup and Vegas native Kyle Busch was cutting his racing teeth at the half-mile short track right next door.

The younger brother of 2004 Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch‚ won two track championships at the “Bullring” in Legends cars before he moved up to late models in 2001. He had continued success in that class, winning 10 times that season.

But despite his talent, he never did win the facility’s biggest event.

“We had a chance to win the “Fall Classic,” it’s our big race out here,” Kyle recollected after today’s Shelby 427 at LVMS’ 1.5-mile superspeedway. “It’s called the Open Comp. I think it was 2001…It was the last race of the year and we knew were moving on and going [to the American Speed Association] next year.

“I think I‚ qualified on the pole, led the most laps. It’s 140 laps long, I led 130 laps and got wrecked with‚ 10 to go. I wasn’t able to win that one. I remember it quite vividly.”

Chances are he’ll remember Sunday vividly as well, but for much happier reasons.

Despite being forced to give up his pole position after changing an engine during Friday’s practice session, Busch went on a methodical march through the field. He capped it off by taking the lead with 17 laps remaining and held on through two late cautions to win the Shelby 427 at LVMS.

Busch made the race-winning pass by way of nudging Clint Bowyer up the race track in Turn 2 and going past him on the inside. As he cleared Bowyer, his spotter Jeff Dickerson muttered, “Say goodnight, Gracie,” over the radio.

Two late cautions in the final 15 laps would not stop‚ Busch from saying “Good night” to the field; he simply sped away from the field on both restarts.

Now he’s got a better prize from Vegas than that “regular old late model win” he said was the biggest win he’d had at his home track before Sunday.

“This is pretty awesome,” he said. “It’s very special. You never know how special they can be until you can get it done…The last 25-30 laps, I was just as nervous as could be.

“I don’t know if it’s set in yet‚ or not, but it feels pretty damn good right now.”

It was a wild race that saw a race-record 14 caution period mar the proceedings.

Multiple drivers in the top-10 of the points standings, such as Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards, suffered engine failures. Edwards’ instance was more painful as the power plant in his No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing car blew up as he was running fourth with two laps to go.

Several other contenders also found themselves caught in wrecks. But through it all, Busch made the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing machine fly.

Despite starting at the back, he found himself in the top ten by the race’s halfway point. From there, it was all about staying in striking distance up to the time he passed Bowyer for the lead, and ultimately, the victory.

“Bowyer slipped up off the bottom just a little bit, so I‚ had my [left-side tires] right on the white line there and got a good drive through the center of the corner because it gripped good,” said Busch.

“I got right up to him. He started coming back down a little bit. I like, ‘Oh, don’t do that,’ and then he got loose and I got by him…We‚ were able‚ to just have a little bit better grip than he did and pass him.”

It served as a perfect ending to what Busch’s crew chief Steve Addington called “a crazy weekend” for the entire No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team.

“Sometimes, you just have to scratch and claw and kick and spit and fight for a win, and that’s what this race team did along with Kyle today,” he said. “I think they took advantage of an opportunity when it came.”

As a result of that, it was Kyle who took the checkered flag, did his burnouts, and made his customary post-win bow to the delight of a happy hometown crowd and members of his family, who waited for him in Victory Lane.

That contingent included proud mother Gaye and brother Kurt (who finished 23rd). After embracing Kyle, he reminded him of how they watched Las Vegas Motor Speedway created before their very eyes when they were younger.

“He said, ‘We watched this place be built and you were the first one to conquer it,’” Kyle recalled.

Now, he’s got a memory that will last him a lifetime.

After nine years of waiting, Isopod Labs and Activision have come to bring us a fully-loaded remake of the original “Vigilante 8″ with online functions.

For those new to the series: an important note to mention is that Vigilante 8: Arcade is not the‚  eighth incarnation of the series. The number “8″ in the title refers to the number of drivers in the game. There four good guys called “Vigilantes” and four bad guys called “Coyotes,” with one addition character to add to the mix. The numbers do not add up, but this game is about vehicle carnage, not math, so I think we will be alright.

As the name suggests, Vigilante 8: Arcade is exclusively for Xbox LIVE Arcade.

There is a story somewhere in this game but it is of little importance since your primary objective is to destroy any vehicle that is not you, unless you are playing co-op. The game is influenced heavily on “That 70s Show” motif, so expect modified vehicles with heavy weaponry from that era and the occasional thick mustache.

Vigilante 8: Arcade is not going to be pushing your Xbox 360 graphics to its limits. Everything does look clean but you can clearly tell apart every object in the scene like props in elementary school play. There are five newly designed environments, each with a lot of open plain areas to drive about in and there is plenty to destroy in these arenas but most of your time will spent driving around restocking your weapon inventory and finding your foes.

There are assortments of weapons to pick up for your vehicle turning it from useless peashooter to death incarnate on wheels. The game will automatically aim any forward weapons for you as long as your target is in front of you, back weapons will be dropped and mortars will attack the nearest enemy. You will be constantly acquiring and shifting between three additional weapons such as cannons, missiles and rockets to blow away your enemies. Your generic machine gun is mapped to the “A” button with the remaining three buttons activating whichever three weapons you pick up.

A great weapon feature that is new to me is that you can hold down any of the additional weapon buttons to charge it to three levels changing it feature to a more devastating blow. A great example is the cannon. With one quick button press, one single cannon shot will fire but if you charge it to level three, it becomes a buckshot causing serious damage to anyone in immediate range of you. You just have to be careful not to overcharge the shot otherwise it will not work as planned. This additional weapon use adds more strategy to combat by making you choose whether you want to go gun crazy or hoard your weapons so you can charge for a more powerful strike.

This is one game made for the Ferrari enthusiasts out there. Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is an in depth racing simulation game that you can experience in the comfort of your own living room.

Based heavily upon the real world Ferrari Challenge single-marque motor sport championship, this Ferrari simulation attempts to give you all the experiences of actually driving a Ferrari on these famous world tracks without having to go through the effort of actually acquiring a Ferrari.

All of the 3D car modeling has been overseen and approved by Ferrari, and they look gorgeous.

To place emphasis and prove the amount of detail placed in these cars, the entire menu system within the game is a full 360 dramatic viewing of a select Ferrari’s surface from all angles. All this is while navigating a small horizontal bar 1/8 the size of the screen for play options. This menu truly is designed for the Ferrari fans that can not go a second without being in the presence of these famous cars.

With so much effort placed on the cars, it makes sense that there was slight design problem that was a bothersome confusion when using the Wii remote to navigate. The onscreen button layout differs from the actual remote. The 1 button is to the right of the 2 button on screen, when on the remote it is opposite. I found myself canceling actions when trying to select. This is not a big of a problem, but just a slight annoyance.

You can find Ferrari Challenge for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and Wii home consoles. This version developed for the Nintendo Wii has the benefit of the Wii remote’s motion sensing for simulation steering instead of online racing offering in the PS3 version. There is no option to drive with a friend in the same room either. Driving your Ferrari here will be a solo affair, and that hurts the game.

Moreover, after the initial wow factor wears off, you will encounter the first major problems with this game. The loading times are horrendous. Having so much work placed in these cars has become a double edged sword to this game. The long loading times between just selecting which Ferrari to drive, I found myself giving up and using which ever default Ferrari was given when starting a race.

There is a lot of decent content, however, and unlike other simulation games like Gran Turismo, you have the ability to jump straight into races and tournaments. There is no requirement to have to get a license forcing you through many tutorial levels. You get to start driving your Ferrari right away.

There is the option of using the Wii remote and nunchuck control scheme or just the remote’s motion sensing steering. Either control scheme works very well. With the real world tracks to race on, the majority of this game is spent on understanding your car — learning how your Ferrari handles, how long it takes for brakes, understanding the ins and outs is what it is all about. Remember, this is a simulation, not an arcade game.

Any mistakes you make driving can be unforgiving. On the easy difficulty tracks, if I got off road once I found it very difficult to make it to the front of the race. That is why there is so much emphasis on all the practice races. The game gives you a visible recommended racing line indicating points of accelerations and braking which are very helpful on your road to Ferrari driving perfection. After a while of driving you start getting an understanding for each Ferrari and can feel the improvement on your driving thanks to the racing line itself.

The game does give you accomplishments to help move you forward on objectives that can be achieved to further your game play. You can buy cars and customize your Ferrari with decals but without online racing to show off your car, it seems like a left over feature from the PS3 version.

There is another side mode called Challenge Cards. It involves a deck of cards with images of a type of Ferrari with info of year model, top speed, weight, engine size and value. You basically pick a statistic on the card about the Ferrari that you think is better than the unknown Ferrari card the computer has. When you win, you get the opponents card. The game continues until one has collected all the cards. It makes a nice distraction from the racing but only just serves as perfecting your knowledge of Ferrari cars.

If you own a PS3, I would recommend the PS3 version because of the benefit of being able to race other people. Otherwise, if you are heavy into racing simulations would I recommend this game for Wii

Hey all you wicked street racers.

Blast is giving away a Midnight Club: Los Angeles prize pack that includes a Rockstar Games/Midnight Club license plate frame, a bunch of video game stickers and a “Speed Limit 245″ sticker to any reader who writes the most decent review of any other video game!

Reviews should be of a game that has been released in the past 60 days and be 400-800 words in length.

Send them over directly to me!

Thanks for reading!

Capcom’s MotoGP 08 will be released this week.

Shipping for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Windows, this is the first MotoGP title released under a 5-year dela with Camcom. The game looked sick at all the trade shows this year.

MotoGP 08 is the official game of the 2008 season and features all of the official riders, bikes and tracks from the event along with the all new Indianapolis track and night racing at the Qatar circuit. For the first time in MotoGP, users will create their own rider, compete alongside their sporting heroes and develop racing skills for up to 5 seasons. If they’re successful, they have a shot at becoming the ultimate MotoGP champion.

After choosing a team and bike class, players can customize their riders’ helmet design. As races are won, the stronger teams will look for recruits for the following season, enabling players to race better performing bikes. Users will finally have all three racing classes at their disposal “" 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP. Including all three classes gives the game new depth and accessibility as both the beginning player and the hardcore fan will be able to jump right in for a full and satisfying MotoGP 08 experience with the game’s competitive AI adjusting to match any skill level.

The all-new tutorial mode helps new players decide what motorcycle and racing style works best for them as they practice on arcade-style tracks. In Championship Race mode, players can select any class, rider and team and recreate the entire 2008 season from start to finish. Players can shape their own season by deciding weather conditions, difficulty setting, number of laps and handling model. Before each race, players can tweak the set-up of their bike, including which tires to use, suspension settings and gear ratios. There are 50 unique challenges that offer tons of hidden content. Up to 12 users can play online together.

It looks like everyone was saving the E3 news for Leipzig this year.

Electronic Arts and tis Black Box studio released some new details on Need for Speed: Undercover, which comes out November 18 in the U.S. for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 2 with PSP, DS and mobile versions available.

“Need for Speed Undercover has players racing through speedways, dodging cops and chasing rivals as they go deep undercover to take down an International crime syndicate,” the companies said Wednesday in a statement. “The new game heralds the return of high-intensity police chases and introduces the all-new ‘Heroic Driving Engine’ — a unique technology that generates incredible high-performance moves at 180 miles per hour during breathtaking highway battles.”

“Need for Speed Undercover puts you at the center of a big-budget Hollywood movie with all of the drama, action and dazzling chase scenes, right on your gaming console. The unique Heroic Driving Engine will give you ultimate control over the hottest cars and push you to use every ounce of skill to outrun the law and take down criminal adversaries,” said Executive Producer Bill Harrison.

The game will mix graphics/CGI with live-action movies with 80 miles of open-world to explore, to get the gamer to really feel the “Tri-City Bay Area” experience. It looks like GTA without all the guns.

“Need for Speed Undercover features more aggressive and intelligent cops whose sole purpose is to take down the player quickly and by any means necessary,” the statement read.

Cars featured in the game include the Audi R8, BMW M6 and Lexus IS-F.

EA is also unveiling information on the Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince game and Godfather 2.

Russian developer Akella is showing off an impressive-looking driving title called Moscow Racer at E3 this year.

“Moscow Racer is the only game in the world that gives you a chance to drive on absolutely realistic streets of Moscow city at 200 mph and not be arrested!” said Boris Tolkachev, spokesman for Akella.

“Created in cooperation with Moscow underground street racing clubs, Moscow Racer combines features of a car simulator and absolutely accurate models of the most famous Moscow streets. It is so exciting when you play a game with trucks, which are so similar to real ones,” Tolkachev said. “It is even more impressive when you know that the game gives you the experience you could feel in real life… but in a more dangerous way.”

Moscow Racer will be published in Russia in Q3. No word on the US date yet.

The ultimate goal of Boss Rally is to play through several seasons of racing, earning points and unlocking faster cars and harder tracks to become the ultimate rally champion. You can play against the computer or via modem, LAN or serial cable to play with a friend. You can control your game with either a gamepad, joystick, mouse, or keyboard.

There are several ways to play. The championship game is the primary game mode, pitting you against 19 other computer controlled cars, looking to win the for the season. There are 6 seasons per year, and this game does include weather to ruin your year. There is also Time Attack, which is a single player game, for bettering your time by racing against a previous race or recording a new race; or Quick Race, which pits you against a single computer controlled opponent, and allows you to practice and/or get used to the different options you have available.

There are 3 driving perspectives, cockpit view, chase and first person. You can also select an automatic or manual transmission, change your tires and shocks to better control, steer and ‘grip’ the road, depending on conditions. You need to pay attention to that, cause at some point you will be racing in the snow! You also have a lap counter, a lap speedometer, a regular speedometer and more on your screen while you are racing, and if these things bother you-you can shut them off.

The game suffers from serious control issues, however. The cars and courses are fake too. You’re also limited to two cars and courses when you first start out. This is supposed to be an arcade racer, but you have to spend hours unlocking all of the arcade game features.

If you really like racing games and have the right touch to get past the control issues, you might want to give it a try.

Quick hits:

Publisher: Southpeak Interactive
Developer: Boss Game Studios
Platform: Nintendo 64
Genre: Racing
Players: 1
Launch Date: April 30, 1999

Playability: 3.5 out of 5 stars
User friendly: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Sound: 3 out of 5 stars
Graphics: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Ratings were determined in 1999

Ye Olde System Requirements

• P2-233MHz
• 32 MB RAM
• DirectX 6.0
• 60MB hard drive space
• 16-bit sound card
• 4 MB video memory

“The Gran Turismo 5 Prologue soundtrack gives fans the perfect audio accompaniment to high-octane racing from Daytona to Eiger Nordwand,” said Jeff Reese, director of software marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America. “The edgy variety of music complements the pure adrenaline rush fans experience as they eclipse 200 miles-per-hour in the most authentic driving simulator around.”

Indeed, the heavily anticipated and banked on fifth chapter in the Gran Turismo racing series has a stacked soundtrack with some of the world’s top bands. Here’s a look:

Exclusive Tracks to North America:

• Weezer – “Automatic” (LA Riots remix)
• The Mars Volta – “Goliath” (EL-P remix)
• Justice – “Let There Be Light”
• SebastiAn – “Dolami”
• Kavinsky – “Testarossa Autodrive” (SebastiAn remix)
• DJ Shadow – “LOVE LOVE”
• Does it Offend You, Yeah? – “With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You)”
• The Earaches – “Not the Kind of Man I Am”
• Thin Lizzy – “The Rocker (Richard Evans Mix)”
• The Klaxons – “Golden Skans”
• Friendly Fires – “On Board”
• Pride Tiger – “Let ‘Em Go”

International Tracks also on the North American Soundtrack:

• Masahiro Andoh – “Moon Over The Castle” (Gran Turismo 5 Prologue version)
• Nittoku Inoue – “Road Star”
• Nittoku Inoue – “100,000 R.P.M.”
• Nittoku Inoue – “Get Away”
• Nittoku Inoue – “V12″
• Nittoku Inoue – “Kill Switch”
• naomee – “Vanish From Angel”
• naomee – “Sky High Mountain Breeze”
• naomee – “Twieky 4″
• Daiki Kasho – “Surv1v3″
• Daiki Kasho – “Edge of the World”
• Daiki Kasho – “Flow”
• Goose – “Check”
• Goose – “3T4″
• Goose – “Everybody”
• Backdraft ft Tor – “Off The Wall”
• Alloy Mental – “We have Control”
• Reverend & The Makers – “The Machine”

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be available in April for $39.99.

Electronic Arts Inc announced Wednesday that legendary NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon of Du Pont 24 car fame, will be the cover athlete for EA Sports NASCAR 09.

NASCAR 09 promises to offer an authentic stock car driving experience for racing fans of all ages.

“It’s exciting being on the cover of NASCAR 09,” said Gordon in a statement released by Electronic Arts. “The game is as real as it gets and it’s been great being involved with it on this level. I look forward to helping gamers in NASCAR 09.”

NASCAR 09 will feature a career mode, called “Sprint for the Cup.” Gordon acts as a mentor players help build your reputation and hopefully win the Sprint Cup Series Championship.

“With a completely rebuilt handling model, the game will be more accessible to newcomers while continuing to offer options that will challenge even the most experienced virtual driver,” EA said Wednesday. “NASCAR 09 is an authentic NASCAR experience that will appeal to every type of NASCAR enthusiast.”

The EA Tiburon-developed title will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 in North America June 10.

From Electronic Arts:

Redwood City, CA — January 22 — Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that Burnout Paradise for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game system is now on store shelves in North America and will be available in Europe on January 28. The much anticipated Burnout Paradise is critically acclaimed as the Best Racing Game by the 2007 Game Critics Awards.

Burnout Paradise is built with an all-new open world design to provide the ultimate in freedom and discovery online and offline. Players will be able to create their own personal driving experience, as you decide when and where the action begins. It is a totally seamless experience, as Burnout Paradise sets the new standard in online social gameplay. See your friends online with the EasyDrive Friends List and connect with them instantly without having to wait or exit your game. You can battle up to seven of your friends and grab their Mugshots, or join forces to complete more than 300 online challenges.

“Burnout Paradise is the natural evolution of the franchise as we wanted to give the player full control to create their own personal Burnout experience,” says Alex Ward, Creative Director at EA Criterion. “The city really comes alive when players get together with their friends online, aggressively blasting through the streets at insane speeds to see who is king of the road. The team at EA Criterion couldn’t be more happy and excited to be delivering a truly next generation Burnout title.”

Burnout Paradise has been rated E10+ by the ESRB and 3+ by PEGI. For more information about Burnout Paradise, please visit http://burnout.ea.com.

In every gamer nerd’s fantasy, they’ll get to compete not only against a game’s developers, but also against some of the girl gamer gods who will probably kick their asses.

Electronic Arts is encouraging gamers to register now and “to put your competitive mettle to the pedal.”

Starting Friday, January 11 on Xbox Live, the Need for Speed ProStreet Live Race Weekend will feature a live leaderboard tournament to crown a champion on the Portland International Raceway, a 72-hour contest with prizes every hour, EA said Wednesday.

“[This is] a multiplayer showdown that pits gamers against the developers of ProStreet, an opportunity to challenge the PMS clan and a chance at even more exclusive content,” EA said. The PMS clan is an all-girl gamer team.

For details on the Live Race Weekend visit http://www.xbox.com/prostreetlive. Registration is open now.

Live Race Weekend schedule:

• Play & Win Sweepstakes: January 11, 12:01 a.m. PST through January 13, 11:59 p.m. PST (All Weekend)
  • Just register your gamertag, play a multiplayer match online, and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of 72 hourly prizes, plus a sweet grand prize package!
• Game with the ProStreet Dev Team: January 11, 2-6 p.m. PST
  • This is your opportunity to compete against the developers of Need for Speed ProStreet. Can you beat them at their own game? Keep an eye out for these gamertags and give it a shot: NFSMrkt1, NFSMrkt2, NFSCommMgr, NFSProdu1, NFSProdu2, NFSProdu3, NFSProdu4, NFSCreatDir.
• Play with the PMS Clan: January 12, 6-8 p.m. PST
  • The fierce faction of female gamers will be lighting up the streets for “Girl’s Night In” during the Need for Speed ProStreet LIVE Weekend. Be on the lookout for these gamertags: Agent PMS, Jumper PMS, PMS Epidemic, PMS Genevieve, PMS Harlequin, PMS Jacked Up, OneBad PMS, X Reaper PMS x, PMS Kitty.
• Leaderboard tournament: January 13, 12:01 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. PST
  • Go up against the best drivers in the world during the leaderboard tournament for a shot at winning a grand prize package including a limited-edition Need for Speed ProStreet Xbox 360 console, VIP Accessories Kit, Wireless Racing Wheel, and more.

This is the official Blast Magazine preview for the upcoming Electronic Arts game Burnout: Paradise coming soon for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Gamers can be a fickle bunch. Change too much in a well-established series, and watch the flames arise, but rest on your laurels too much and you’ll be hearing cries of the series becoming stagnant (Madden).

Burnout Paradise, the latest in EA’s high-octane, crash and smash racing simulation series seems to be destined for controversy. On the surface, Paradise, which releases in mid-January for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 looks like a sharp departure from the series roots. Gone is the one race at a time linear gameplay in favor of a new, wide-open sandbox style gameplay. Gamers can now tool around the massive Paradise City, wrecking what they want – when they want and taking place in events at their own leisure.

While some might cry foul at the developers for taking such a large step away from the formula that made the series so popular — it must be noted that at its core — Paradise plays and feels just like the older games, only with much, much more freedom.

In most open-world games, parts of the world are locked until you complete certain missions or chapters. Not so in Paradise City. Right from the start, the entire city is yours to explore, and it is massive. While you will be able to take part in any of Paradise City’s events in any order you please, you will have to wait to unlock the nicer cars. It’s alright though, even your junker-cars can be given high-class looks by visiting one of the game’s many gas stations or body shops, which get added to your map every time you visit one.

Anyone familiar with The Burnout series knows that it’s not so much about racing as it is causing destruction and crashes — which Paradise looks to take to the next level. I’m no masochist or anything — but crashes look and sound amazing. When you wreck, a grainy, black and white filter slows down the action, allowing you to hear and see your ride bite the dust. I found myself purposely crashing to see how many different ways I could find to see new animations.

Burnout Paradise is different, but a lot of fun so far. Anyone familiar with the series should give it a look when it launches in early 2008. Stay with Blast Magazine for the review.

Need for Speed: ProStreet is the epitome of a solid racing game. Electronic Arts made some changes to the game from the a growing dried up style of racing game we’re starting to see.

While there are some dramatic changes made in the game, what really sells it, are the little things — the soundtrack, the comfort of the controls and the natural storyline.

The storyline puts us right in the life of Ryan Cooper, a former street racer who is trying to “go legit.” The plot isn’t the selling point of this game, which could be expected since this is a racing game. You have a rival named Ryo, who gets quite annoying with his messages about how much better he is than you, and how he could beat you in a race anytime.

The storyline is where we see the classic Need for Speed game where you start of with the crummy car, race against other people and make enough money to either improve your current car, or purchase a whole new one. Customizing your car is fun to do, whether adding a new paint job, or a new engine.

The Artificial Intelligence is realistic and much better than in previous Need for Speed games. In this game, if you fall behind, nobody is going to slow down for you so you can catch up. It’s now your responsibility to catch up. Likewise if you take the lead, the computer doesn’t speed up. This flies in the face of past games where the computer would always try and make it a close race.

One thing that gets rather annoying is the announcer guy who always repeats himself and has a bunch of cheesy lines, but that’s what volume control is for.

The different racing and gameplay styles deliver in their own ways. The tracks are challenging and well done graphically. There is also a drag racing mode which is getting popular with the online crowd.

The graphics are fantastic. The cars, the people and the environments all seem real. There are also tons advertisements on the track like in every Need for Speed game, but you learn to ignore them after awhile. Need for Speed Pro Street is a graphic dream come true, and a huge step forward from the previous Need for Speed games.

The audio is good. Not as much for the sound of the cars, but the soundtrack that Need for Speed is known for. The songs are like what you could expect to hear in racing movies, such as “The Fast and the Furious” series. Even if you don’t like the genre of music that the soundtrack includes, it just feels right with the game.

The multiplayer needs no explanation really. It’s good. You can race with your friends over Xbox Live, or you can find people at your personal level and compete against them. Drag Racing is a popular choice because it’s quick, fun, and competitive. Everyone tries to claim #1 Drag Racer on Live.

Overall, Need for Speed is a solid addition to the franchise. EA does an excellent job keeping it fresh and fun to play. The changes that needed to be made, were made, and Need for Speed: Pro Street is the best one to date.

Quick hits:

Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: EA Games
Platform: Xbox 360 (reviewed), Playstation 3, Wii, Playstation 2, Nintendo DS, PSP
Genre: Racing
Players: 1-2 (local) up to 8 online
Release date: November 15, 2007

Playability: 4 out of 5 stars
Learning Curve: 4 out of 5 stars
Sound: 5 out of 5 stars
Graphics: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Electronic Arts released today “a fully explorable slice” of the award-winning and highly anticipated racing game, Burnout Paradise.

The demo is available now on the Playstation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace. It allows players to check out a portion of Paradise City before the game hits shelves in North America on January 22.

Discover jumps, billboards and smashable targets all over Motor City, Big Surf Beach and Ocean View in search of the fastest Burnout Route in the Hunter Cavalry car. Also, attempt your shot at a race and check out the all-new Stunt Run mode. If you’re online, invite up to three friends into your game and connect with them instantly using the EasyDrive online system. Once online, players can work cooperatively to complete three FreeBurn challenges or simply smash each other up and grab their Burnout Mugshots with the Playstation Eye and Xbox Live Vision cameras.

According to the game’s designer, Criterion , said recently that Burnout Paradise has been designed for speed, freedom, social online play and spectacular crashing, “but now with all new modes, a completely open world and events at every intersection,” they said.

Download it now — Paradise is the best looking racing game we’ve heard of this year.

Electronic Arts has released the box art and screenshots for the next chapter in the classic Burnout racing franchise. Burnout Paradise is out January 8 for PS3 and xbox 360.

Tear through the streets of Paradise City, filled with insane super jumps and hundreds of smashable targets, looking for shortcuts to give you that competitive edge! The action begins with you but it may not end, just pull up to a stoplight and spin your wheels to enter one of five types of high speed action challenges or jump online instantly with your friends. Burnout Paradise sets a new standard for online social gameplay with its EasyDrive online system.All the cars in Burnout Paradise have been engineered from the ground up to look beautiful, whether they’re fresh out of the showroom or smashed into scrap. From exotics and muscle cars to hot rods and even supercharged SUVs, get ready to experience spectacular bone-crushing crashes and an unparalleled sense of speed! Welcome to Paradise: one city with infinite possibilities.

Features:

• Explore Paradise — From big-surf beach, to downtown gridlock, there’s over 30 square kilometers of the ultimate driving playground to explore from the get-go. Nothing is blocked off.
• Burnout Your Way — Just pull up to over 120 stoplights and spin your wheels to start one of five different events — the classic Race, Road Rage and Burning Route, and the all-new Stunt Run and Marked Man games.
• Instant Online — Burnout Paradise sets the new standard in online social gameplay. See your friends online with the EasyDrive Friends List and connect with them instantly without having to wait or exit your game.
• Team up or Takedown — Join forces with up to seven of your buddies to beat hundreds of online FreeBurn Challenges together or heat up the competition and go head-to-head in user created race routes.
• Road Rules — Make and break the rules of each road by setting speed and destruction records all over town. Track how many you own against your friends!
• Mugshots — Track the length and breadth of up to 2,500 online rivalries. In your moments of victory, grab mugshots of opponents who have connected Playstation Eye and Xbox Live Vision cameras. Gloat over them even more in your trophy room or export them for ultimate bragging rights!
• Speed, Speed and Even More Speed — The rebuilt, race-tuned Burnout game engine delivers intense speed boost gameplay at a super-smooth and super-fast 60 frames-per-second.
• Showtime: Crash Anywhere, Any Time — Feel like bringing chaos to the streets of Paradise? Set your car wrecking, spinning and scraping down the road, smashing through traffic and leaving a trail of expensive wreckage in your wake.
• Crash Deformation — Burnout Paradise features an all-new deformation technology that gives players an astounding close-up and slow-motion view of super-real destruction.
• Cars — Muscle cars, exotics, hot rods and even supercharged SUVs, engineered to look beautiful whether they’re brand new or mashed into scrap. Choose from stunt, speed or aggression car classes, each built with their own unique boost ability to give you the upper hand for specific challenges. Shut down roaming rivals and rack up wins on your licence to strut the streets in a wide selection of unique rides.
• Take it Aerial — Go airborne and pull boost-earning barrel rolls and spectacular mid-air spins. Find the hidden jumps to reach secret rooftop routes and 120 smashable Burnout Billboards.
• Driver’s License — Start with a Learner’s Permit then rack up wins to progress all the way up to a Burnout Elite Driver’s License — the ultimate accolade for any safety-unconscious motorist.

This stunning looking racer will be available for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.