Trick-based gymkhana events and mini-games were largely a sideshow to the rally racing in last year's Dirt 3 , but that germ of an idea - to lightly pull the franchise away from its simulation roots - becomes a full-blown carnival of driving delights in Dirt Showdown .

+ Huge array of exciting race and battle types; + Challenges and online play are a total blast

? Will

All in all, DiRT Showdown is a great playing arcade-style racing and destruction derby game that fans who enjoyed the lighter side of DiRT 2 and 3 will really enjoy. Lets make this clear - it isn't a rally game - so if you didn't like the X-Games and Gymkhana stuff in past games you won't like this.

Mark gets behind the wheel of Codemasters' latest entry in the Dirt series. But how does the new arcade livery fare on the race track?

Varied deformation models make for satisfying destruction; Sharp presentation and smooth visuals; Wide range of event types; Online racing is masses of fun; Easy-to-master arcade handling

Single-player campaign lacks a proper career to nurture or narrative to follow; Cheesy commentary wears thin quickly

UK REVIEW: There's a spectacle to Dirt Showdown that flies in the face of racing tradition: the jumps, the drifts, the squealing doughnuts, and the blinding flash of fireworks. With each crumpled bumper and shattered windscreen, a vast arena crowd roars, eager to be wowed not with the shaving of...

Varied deformation models make for satisfying destruction; Sharp presentation and smooth visuals; Wide range of event types; Online racing is masses of fun; Easy-to-master arcade handling

Single-player campaign lacks a proper career to nurture or narrative to follow; Cheesy commentary wears thin quickly

Codemasters delivers a spin-off of the DiRT franchise, but does it live up to it's namesake?

+ Slick handling; + Presentation is fantastic; + Nice array of modes

Modes wear out quickly; AI can be a bear; Just feels shallow at times

Since its debut five years ago, the DiRT series has become one of my favorite racing franchises on the market. Its slick menu system immediately helped it stand out, and its rock-solid rally racing carried the torch laid down to it by the defunct Rallisport Challenge series from the previous gen.

Parents need to know that DiRT Showdown is a racing game that has some vehicular violence and mild lyrics. The core elements of the game include crashing into other vehicles as well as racing on a variety of tracks.

Ah, another DiRT game, how I was excited by you. When Dirt: Showdown was released I specifically requested the assignment to review it. I was a massive fan of Dirt 2, completing it fully, and somewhat enjoyed Dirt 3, despite some missteps.

Player(s): 1-2 Extra Features: Local Multiplayer (2 players), Online Multiplayer (2-8 players), Leaderboards, Download Content Dirt Showdown is a racing game developed and published by Codemasters. Like other Codemasters racers, the game looks gorgeous.

Miss; Annoying narrator/commentator, and the little customisation available is hard to find. Career might be too short for some players. Need; Customisation, especially vinyls and car setups. Customisation, especially vinyls and car setups.