FEELING the itch to ditch the slow drivers and the urge to splurge on super performance cars?

The cheapest way is to pick up a racing game or two for your favourite console. In these games, driving well and earning enough virtual money to buy and upgrade to high-performance cars is the winning formula.

Here are some of this year's notable games:

Need For Speed: Shift
$64.90 (Xbox 360), $71.90 (PS3)

This is a turbo-charged return to form for the venerable racing series from Electronic Arts.

Gone are the underground races in the city and heart-stopping police chases.

Instead, expect competitive racing with a career mode, with some 72 cars - such as the sporty Honda S2000 - to collect along the way.

Cool touches, such as gaining experience points for driving aggressively, mean even reckless folk will get ahead.

Yes, you get rewarded for smashing into a rival car or tailgating dangerously, although you can also gain points by driving with precision.

The sound effects are explosive enough to wake the neighbours, so watch the volume if you are racing at night.

Supercar Challenge
$80.90 (PS3)

A serious title, this game eschews the fun elements of the other titles for an 'I just want to focus on racing' approach.

Offering just a sprinkling of high-end supercars, with Ferraris dominating the 40 odd models, this game lets you race on high-octane wheels from the get-go.

The key rewards in this PS3-exclusive game come from your being on the podium after every race and from mastering the intricacies of driving supercharged cars that demand lots of masterful steering.

Great for folks who dream of test driving and upgrading to million-dollar cars like the Pagani Zonda and the Ferraris

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