Monster 4x4 World Circuit

Most racing titles have you go around a variety of tracks, fending off other vehicles in an attempt to come first, but many of Monster 4x4 World Circuit's tracks look almost identical and you'd have to be Alan Partridge to come anything other than first. This is a sequel of sorts to the old PS2 game Monster 4x4: Masters of Metal and was ported from the Xbox in 2006 to cash in on the new Nintendo Wii console at launch.

Playing Monster 4x4 World Circuit reminds you a lot of Excite Truck - another early truck racing game for the Wii - and feels like the trial run for that game. The difference being that Excite Truck (released three months later) is far more fun, has better graphics and more to do, while World Circuit has dull graphics, samey tracks and worst of all, it's so easy that you'll complete everything within a few hours.

That's not to say it's the worst game ever. While you're on your first world circuit and getting to grips with the controls, it's actually quite fun. The basic outline is this: steer your truck by tilting the Wii remote like a steering wheel and perform tricks (such as somersaults) as you go over ramps, by moving the remote in circles. Make a Saturn ring with your hand and your truck turns 360 degrees, forwards, backwards and sideways in the air. The more precise your turn, the more turbo boost you get and the longer it lasts.

Collect blue nitro barrels on your route for more boosts, and look out for other coloured barrels that can be hit and launched at other trucks in front of you (although you'll probably be in first place anyway, rendering these items mostly useless). If you get hit by a barrel, it'll slow you down for a few seconds, as will going over fire traps. The way to get through these is to make sure you collect a shield just before you reach the fire, so you'll be protected. If you're really good, of course, you can simply do handbrake turns around the flames.