Split/Second

A 100% arcade racer, explosive and easy to pick up and play. The aim? To trigger traps and destroy the environment to defeat your opponents. Fire rockets at other cars, or bring a building crashing down on top of them. Kids love the action and two-player mode delivers some great moments worthy of the best Hollywood blockbusters.

If you're into specialist sims... this one isn't for you. Here, it's all about speed, fun, intuitive controls (even for kids aged 8+), and pure action. This is an arcade racer, where you can crush your competitors as explosions erupt around you. The concept is a simple one: as a candidate for the TV show Split/Second, you face off against other racers on tracks that are designed to be destroyed.

Our favourite part? The explosions.

Whether its airliners exploding on the tarmac as you speed under their wings, power station cooling towers blowing up, or railway tracks breaking apart, Split/Second will blow you away right off the start line.

And it's so much fun. The explosions and destruction are some of the best ever seen in a racing game. But you don't use your car to destroy the environment, you just press a button when the icon of an enemy car appears next to a trap... The resulting catastrophes are spectacular and superbly portrayed, thanks to the polished, detailed environments with loads of objects on and around the track.

We loved the amazing two-player mode that's just as much fun for kids as it is for adults.

As for single-player, it's structured like a 12-episode TV series. Four tracks are available at the start of the game, and then you'll need to win or finish races to earn credits that unlock new cars and the elite course for each episode.

Super-easy to pick up and play, the handling in Split/Second is all about drifting and drafting.

Our tip to help you on your way? You'll need to skid around every corner, and as you extend your lead over your competitors you'll gain some special abilities. These range from the most basic – like blowing up a car parked by the side of the track – to catastrophic chain reactions that unleash the kind of chaos and destruction that can alter the face of the track itself.

Our advice? Play in first-person view for a more immersive experience.