Christmas can be mind-numbingly boring.
After the presents have been unwrapped, the turkey stripped to the skeleton and the mulled wine cracked open, there really is very little to do on Christmas Day except settle down to watch The Great Escape or that episode of Only Fools and Horses where they become millionaires. Snore.
Luckily, if you have a games console or a half-decent PC, you can while away the Christmas tedium with some bare-knuckle pedal-to-the-metal racing and we've picked the ten driving games most likely to brighten your Christmas Day.
Dirt: Showdown
(PC, Xbox, PS3)
Not a game for the racing purist, Dirt: Showdown is a brutal fast-paced arcade-style game. Choose between Racing, Demolition and 'Hoonigan' styles of gameplay and use the game's Party mode for some quality family entertainment which is guaranteed to provide around 1,000,000,000 per cent more fun than a game of charades.
F1 2012
(PC, Xbox, PS3)
At the other end of the spectrum we have the latest ultra-realistic F1 simulator. For added realism get your Nan to play as Narain Karthikeyan.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
(PC, Xbox, PS3, PS Vita, Wii, iOS, Nintendo 3DS)
The sequel to 2010's excellent Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a fantastic kart racer which boasts a variety of Sega characters and a wide range of gameplay modes.
Forza Horizon
(Xbox)
The latest addition to the Forza Motorsport series rewards drivers for driving quickly, winning races and destroying property. Critics have praised the game for its realistic roads and the responsive handling of the cars.
Trials Evolution
(PC, Xbox)
If you prefer two wheels to four, you'll love Trials Evolution. In it you're a motorbike rider who has to traverse an obstacle course as quickly as possible, trying all the time not to crash. The game has already won acclaim for its realistic physics.
WipEout 2048
(PS Vita)
In WipEout 2048 you drive a range of futuristic sci-fi cars through the inaugural three years of the A.G.R.C (Anti-Gravity Racing Championships) in the years 2048, 2049 and 2050. Play normal races, time trials and zone events in which your car constantly accelerates around the track while you fight to keep it under control.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted
(PC, Xbox, PS3, PS Vita, Wii, Android, iOS)
The nineteenth title in the legendary Need for Speed franchise is an open-world racing game in which you race against other cars in one of three types of event: Circuit, Sprint and Speed. The multiplayer mode is particularly impressive.
Gran Turismo 5 Academy Edition
(PS3)
It's been around for a couple of years now, but the latest Gran Turismo is still one of the best racing games out there. The new Academy Edition not only gives you 1,000 ultra-realistic cars to choose from, but also includes both the Nurburgring and the Top Gear test track as featured circuits.
Grand Theft Auto IV
(PC, Xbox, PS3)
You'll have to wait until next year for Grand Theft Auto V, but GTA IV is still a thoroughly entertaining way to while away the Christmas boredom. Put it this way: would you rather go on a rampage of brutal murder and dangerous driving around the streets of Liberty City, or watch the hour-long EastEnders Christmas special? We thought so.
F1 Race Stars
(PC, Xbox, PS3)
Although it doesn't offer quite the realism you'd get from F1 2012, F1 Race Stars is arguably the more enjoyable game to play. Play as one of twenty-four caricatured drivers racing a car equipped with a range of weapons for a fast and fun end to your Christmas Day.
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