Flatout: Head On - preview and exclusive video

The physics can detract from the racing, however. At one point, we launched into a barrel roll while driving steadily down a straight. Nope, we didn't see anything on the track, it just flipped out. While it's not as difficult to drive as the original V-Rally on PSone (which we still hate with venom), even when you get it right, it can feel unresponsive compared to other racers, especially the rather brilliant PSP version of Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights.

Apart from the floaty handling, which you will get used to, the game is looking very good indeed. The multiple viewpoints, monetary rewards for flipping your rivals and the 3D explosions from smashing a petrol pump all push the right gaming buttons for us. About the only thing we can see missing at this time is full online play, although Wifi's in, so multiplayer fun is just a friend away. Look out for a review soon, and in the meantime, check out this exclusive video from the game's crashtastic Derby mode.

Above: The game's crashes are definitely its trump card. Kersmash!

Justin Towell

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.