Speedway 2010
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| Speedway 2010

Ovals in motor racing instinctively make me reach for the remote control whenever I see them on TV.

For a faraway observer, they’re possibly the hardest part of motorsport to understand, in that there just doesn’t appear to be any skill involved. Hell, I can’t drive, but I’m pretty sure I can turn the steering wheel left for a while.

Yet in reality oval racing isn’t just about turning left (or right, depending on the track). It’s about angles, the quality and slope of the ground, the tyres, and the other drivers all competing for the best line and ideal speed.

One mistake and it’s the rude awakening of a rock-solid barrier, not a mile of gravel traps.

In 200 yards, turn left

Despite the very real possibility of getting bored to death by pressing ‘4’ on the keypad, Speedway 2010 overcomes the restricted oval template of the sport and keeps things interesting to play.

The key to this is the bike’s handling and the way the game simulates the vital kick-start at the beginning of the race.

The bikes drift in and out of the oval, kicking up mud and dirt as they hurtle around the track, swerving out further on worn tires and slipping on the wetter, muddier tracks.

The kick-start, at least until you’ve upgraded the clutch a few times, is vicious, requiring nerves of steel to get the timing exactly right without breaking the tape before the race is officially underway.

World champion

The tournament structure that makes up the Career mode, with real-life teams from Poland and the UK, a large cup competition, and the Speedway Grand Prix, is incredibly moreish.

A minor, but welcome, feature is that you can rename every other driver in the game – great for putting in friends or keeping the title up to date with the latest Speedway developments.

Which leads on to the biggest negative about Speedway 2010 – it’s not really that much different from the last game, Speedway 2009.

The graphics have been improved, and the English league is always a plus for UK players, but at the same time the loss of collisions and race re-starts for AI opponents make the events less colourful than before.

Still, if you haven’t played last year’s edition, I can’t think of a better mobile game that simulates the act of turning left.

Speedway 2010

Though a tad similar to last year's effort, Speedway 2010 is a great and visually improved interpretation of a niche sport
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Will Wilson
Will Wilson
Will's obsession with gaming started off with sketching Laser Squad levels on pads of paper, but recently grew into violently shouting "Tango Down!" at random strangers on the street. He now directs that positive energy into his writing (due in no small part to a binding court order).