It doesn't get much better when the red lights go out. Cars in the distance look like Lego before dramatically changing into smooth versions of the same chassis, only in different colours. They handle horribly too, the twitchiness of the steering makes overtaking manoeuvres a trial rather than the enjoyable dogfight it should have been.

Why, then, you might ask, is Racing Simulation: Monaco still 'good, short term fun'? Because whether you're playing Sega Rally 2 on Dreamcast or V-Rally on Game Boy Color, racing high performance cars is a blast. And while Racing Simulation: Monaco isn't very good at simulating the particular sport it's based around (ie Formula One Grand Prix racing), it is a good racer.

The tracks don't take any learning because you've seen them all before, either on television or on the other F1 games. The action is fast, without being particularly furious, and the two-player arcade mode is just a laugh - like being at an arcade about five years ago with an endless supply of credits.

And that's the crux of it - we've seen Racing Simulation: Monaco done before, and unfortunately we've seen it done much better than this. F1 fans may appreciate the timely release to coincide with the new season, but the fact remains: F1 '97 is a better game. It might not have the up-to-date team rosters now, but at least it feels like you're taking part in a Formula One season. Racing Simulation: Monaco just feels like you're playing an okay-ish computer game.