Video games

The Pagani Huayra, like the Zonda before it, is polarizing in design: some love it, some can't wrap their heads around it. We're huge fans of the engine, the overall profile, and the performance--but not sold on many of the details yet. Whichever camp you belong to, you'll enjoy this footage and...

Driving sims have come light years since the original Test Drive hit the scene in 1987 and other progenitors of the genre. But what's the next step? Apparently, driving a real car in front of a giant screen...at 150 mph. Perched atop a dynamometer, the simulator, engineered by TAG Systems, features...

Racing video games: we all play them, many of us love them. They give us an outlet for the days when we can't get to an actual track, and, for the better simulations, can even help us hone our edge in the off-season. But do they really make us better drivers, or do they make us more dangerous on...

For the driving simulator fan, the Need for Speed series holds a certain nostalgia as one of the first really fun and engaging car games. For nearly the past two decades the franchise has expanded on that theme, evolving to a level of realistic graphics and fun-focused gameplay that everyone can...

Why can't Suzuki build cars as well as it does motorcyles? This is a question you'll hear often in the automotive journalist's universe, and it's a fair question. The answer? They do, it's called the Kizashi. To help get the word out on their slick mid-size sedan, Suzuki today released a free...

Getting in some hardcore wheel time while stuck in line at the bank always sounds like a good idea, but it's unfortunately difficult given the lack of good racing games. Once you wear out the few worth playing, you're left repeating the same thing over and over. So it's with some interest that we...

If you don't know Gymkhana by now, you might want to consider rethinking your outlook on life. If, on the other hand, you're familiar but not completely in love with it, we're with you there. But if you'd like to try your hand at some of those automotive gymnastics--for the thrill or to prove how...

We've professed our love for Forza Motorsport 3. We've gabbed about its beauty and how the graphics look true to life. And now, we have news of an even better version, Forza Motorsport 4. Due in the fall of 2011, the new game will sport even better graphics, more cars and new gameplay modes...

For the driving simulator fan, the Need for Speed series holds a certain nostalgia as one of the first really fun and engaging car games. For the past 16 years the franchise has expanded on that theme, evolving to a level of realistic graphics and fun-focused gameplay that everyone can get on board...

Yes, we know Gran Turismo 5 was already officially announced for release on November 2. Yes, we know it was delayed (again). But this time we hope the official release date sticks: get your PS3s ready for November 24. If you're not up to speed on what GT5 offers, imagine everything in the world...

The Need For Speed series of video games/driving simulators was one of the first to bring the thrill you get behind the wheel to the PC and console arena. I remember playing the original game on an ancient IBM as a kid. But the latest generation takes it to a whole new level--and beyond, in this...

Formula One is often touted as the pinnacle of what is possible in racing and performance car technology, but that's only true within the constraints of the FIA's regulations. If there were no regulations limiting performance, nothing to keep engineers from putting together the ultimate car for...

For those serious about racing, iRacing, with its digitally-mapped tracks and hyper-realistic vehicle setups and physics, has become a go-to for practicing and previewing tracks before running them in real life, both for amateurs and professionals. Now iRacing fans can climb into the virtual...

The Jeep name is deeply tied to the go-anywhere, barebones machines of World War II. Though the vehicles themselves have come a long way since then, the association with war--or at least war games--continues with the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops edition. Announced today, the vehicle...

Ferrari's Virtual Academy online racing sim was just released in early September, but Ferrari is already upgrading the experience with a new track in Mugello and more ways to control the setup and handling of the virtual Ferrari F10 Formula 1 car. The addition of Mugello brings the current total to...

Not only are video games good for your brain, playing action video games improves your ability to make the right decision, and to do so faster, according to a new study at the University of Rochester. Take that, Jack Thompson (and legions of "they'll rot your brain" parents). The study didn't...

Always wished you could slip behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula One car? Well, now you can--virtually, of course, courtesy of Ferrari's official Virtual Academy simulator. Launched today, the simulator offers a run in the F10 simulator cockpit around Fiorano, Mugello and the Nurburgring. And for...

Fresh off its debut at the X Games this weekend, the Dirt 3 is ready to blow up your monitor with incredibly realistic snow, dirt, and gravel action. Whether you like it rally style or gymkhana, Dirt 3 has you covered. Featuring Ken Block's Ford Fiesta gymkhana/rally car, the new trailer features...

The next iteration of the Gran Turismo series will feature 3D gameplay.

The meta-ness is overwhelming.