Virtual Skipper 2
Format: PC

Virtual Skipper 2 is a thoroughly enjoyable 3D regatta online simulation.

You take the helm of some of yachting’s most famous boats, such as the Class America; the Open 60 (the Formula One racer of the seas); the Offshore Racer; and the Melges 24.

As skipper, you watch your virtual crew carry out your orders after you have evaluated the weather, checked that the right sails are in place, and devised tactics to gain advantage over your competitors and beat them to the finish line.

You get a chance to race on some of the best courses in the world, in regattas off the shores of Cowes, San Francisco, Porto Cervo and Auckland.

Good visuals, backed by highly detailed physics modelling, give the game an authentic feel.

The races themselves become quite gripping as you encounter violent squalls or capsize for the first time.

There are options of a two-player split screen mode or well devised online multiplayer mode which allows races for up to eight boats.

Sailing novices will welcome the user-friendly aids, such as a colour-coded arrow indicating your relation to the wind.

Far West
Format: PC

If you have ever dreamt of being a cowboy, Red Ant offers a PC simulation game to give you a taste of gun-slinging, Wild West action.

In this game, you can choose to be a rancher or outlaw.

As a rancher, you start out with a handful of cattle and a few good men to help out. Your main objective is to expand your ranch and herds by trading cattle and generating profits.

Players need to create a team that can work together. The cowboys (and cowgirls, of course) work hard to protect the herds from marauding bandits and “redskins”.

Your job is to keep your team happy, awake and alert with stimulants such as coffee and, of course, a bottle of good Ol’ Redeye for their travels.

Between shoot-outs and bouts of action, the gameplay moves at quite an easy pace as you micromanage your ranch, feed your livestock and trade with your neighbours.

Game features include:

• Multiplayer mode for up to four players.
• The choice to play a rancher or bandit.
• High-end 3D graphics for authenticity.
• Mixture of trading and Wild West shoot-outs.
• Vivid and stylishly animated characters.

Virtua Cop: Elite Edition
Format: PS2

This third new installment to the Virtua Cop series is a combination of the popular earlier Virtua Cop 1 and 2 titles. This latest game brings a huge amount of firepower and fun to Playstation 2.

You play one of the three main cops – Rage, Smarty or Janet – and make your way through various areas of the city, blasting criminals who get in your way and trying not to shoot innocent people.

Bad guys pop up all over the place, while civilians seem constantly to get between you and your targets while shouting: “Help me!”

The game has excellent graphics and offers lightning-quick gameplay in an interactive environment, in which you can blast lighting fixtures, bottles or windows.

Virtua Cop: Elite Edition features:

• Fifteen stages through six different levels.
• Two-player co-operative mode and training mode.
• Gallery.
• High score ranking table.

V8 Supercars Race Driver
Format: Xbox

In this exciting racing game you can race Ford and Holden V8 racing vehicles around Australian circuits at Adelaide, Canberra, Bathurst and Philip Island Eastern Creek Raceway.

More than that, you have a total of 10 different racing series you can enter across the globe on 38 officially licensed tracks including Catalunya, Silverstone, A1 Ring, Hockenheim, Monza and Brands Hatch.

In campaign mode, you take the role of Ryan McKane, a rookie driver who climbs through the ranks of professional formulas until he can prove himself on the professional world circuit.

You can hook up to a network or to the internet for 8-player head-to-head racing or try out the awesome 4-player mode in split screen racing action.

The Xbox version of the game can feature 20 cars on the screen at once (as opposed to 14 cars in the PS2 version). If your PC has decent speakers, the mighty roar of the engines that erupts when you and a full field of cars take off from the starting line is unforgettable.

With all the cars frantically jostling for position, the race feels suitably crowded and authentic.

The incredibly high resolution of the Xbox version of V8 Supercars Race Driver makes the game feel like a live telecast.

Distant objects no longer have any rough edges or “jaggies”. Codemasters have also eliminated the old bugbear of scenery “popping up” in the distance, which can detract from the realism of the game.

The car models are intricately detailed and have full damage support (eg. when losing one’s wheels or having one’s fender smashed).