F1 Race Stars - PS3

F1 isn't the most humorous of sports. Then again, most sports aren't particularly amusing. (With the possible exception of synchronised swimming, that's just plain hilarious.) Despite the po-faced attitude of many athletes towards sports, there have been attempts in the past to bring some levity to the proceedings via the medium of video games.

F1 Race Stars is the latest title to try and capture the essence of a sport while trying to raise a chuckle with its player base. Based on the F1 2012 racing license, this cartoony racer puts players in a miniature F1 car that resembles a go-kart. All of the drivers are represented with bobble-head-like versions of themselves to reflect the cartoon-like styling of the game.

Along with Championships, Free Play, Time Trials and various multiplayer modes, F1 Race Stars includes several gameplay features that aim to keep it ahead of the pack. KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) allows the player to pump the accelerator around certain highlighted corners and thus energise their KERS. This results in them catapulting out of the corner at great speed in a manner similar to how KERS is used in F1.

DRS (Drag Reduction System) is used as a power-up that is somewhat like a temporary shield that prevents your car from being subjected to any of the negative power-ups the other drivers have littered the course with. For yes, there is indeed the power-up mechanic in play here with large spheres acting as traps for unsuspecting drivers to become trapped in for a short period.

Featuring the likenesses of drivers such as Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, along with many licensed brands and vehicles, F1 Race Stars is a title that will appeal to petrolheads as well as their family members.