With the Formula One championship over for another season and Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve on a well-deserved break from the hotbed of motorsport, you may well find yourself craving for more.
If so, you won't be short on choice. There are a host of motor racing games available and every console has its own speedster. The PC, not to be outdone, also has a vast selection of racing games.
But the Blue Riband of the motor sport world is Formula One and again there is a selection of FIA-endorsed products on the market. Recently we had the pleasure of taking PlayStation's Formula 1 97 for a spin and it proved a real treat. It had it all, including the irrepressible Murray Walker and Martin Brundle commenting on proceedings.
Therefore, Nintendo's offering on their 64-bit machine was eagerly anticipated. But, the enthusiasm was ill-founded. It's not that F1 Pole Position 64 is a bad game, indeed it is quite good. But when you pit it against PlayStation's offering it fails to make the grade.
For a start, there is no commentary. Secondly, the teams and their drivers are from the 1996 season, with Damon Hill driving a Williams. There is no multi-player mode either and the lack of Tag Heuer timing just makes the game all the less authentic.
If you own a Nintendo 64 and are a Formula One fan, then this is a game you must buy, but your Playstation-owning friends will have a far better time with Formula 1 97.
Graphics: 85% Sound: 70% Gameplay: 86%
Address any correspondence to Game Zone, The Irish Times, 13- 15 D'Olier St, Dublin 2 or alterna- tively by E-mail to GAMES@IRISH-TIMES.IE