The real benefit from all this, though, was the fact that when I tried TOCA 2 on getting home I could put all that I had learned in the real world to marvellous effect. I immediately knocked about three seconds off my lap record and stayed on the track much more often. Quite a result! My brother says that doing the rally equivalent is handy for playing Colin McRae Rally as well, so I may have to give that a go one day, too.
Game enhancing points: 93%

Flying Lesson
Most local airfields have someone who, for the exchange of a few games tokens, will let you have a go in a real plane. When tried, you'll find out very quickly why the Spitfire is such a git to fly and constantly wants to fall out of the sky in Combat Flight Simulator (on 100% reality, anyway). In fact, it's a wonder any of them ever made it back, as anything more adventurous than flying straight and level brings home to you the tendency of all heavy objects to like being on the ground. Unfortunately, you won't be allowed to try any of the more useful combat manoeuvres - flight instructors invariably being of the dull and methodical persuasion - and anyway, the wings would probably fall off.

Also, civilian aeroplanes have a distressing lack of weapons so there's no chance of strafing your local town hall as a demonstrative form of social comment. They're only really useful if you just like flying around and not much use if you want to fly Jumbo Jets on Microsoft Flight Simulator. However, the instructors do actually speak English, which is more than can be said for most flight sim manuals, so you might glean some jargon-busting from it, if nothing else.
Game enhancing points: 65%

Going to the Pub/Getting Some Cans In
This isn't specific to one genre, but goes right across the board. Whenever a game has got too easy it's usually the job of tedious games cheats to up the ante. After a few beers, however, the simplest game becomes rock hard and multiplayer games become even more hilarious than before. Particular games that can be enhanced are Bust A Move, any driving game, any football game, Quake Deathmatch (players actually look pissed on screen as they weave and bang into walls - no, really), Combat Flight Simulator (extra turbulence) and Tetris.
Game enhancing points: 88%