Forza 3 Vs Gran Turismo 5

There’s nothing like a racing game to benchmark the power of a gaming system. For years publishers have held up their racing mascots as shining examples of their console’s superiority. Ridge Racer, Sega Rally, F-Zero and WipEout have all been used in this fashion – there’s something about the genre that lends itself to this kind of benchmarking: it demonstrates a console’s ability to push detailed graphics and physics around at speed. The better it can do these basics of gaming, the more powerful the console, right?

So what are we to make of the latest round of car wars with the 360′s Forza 3 taking on Gran Turismo 5?

Well, this competition has certainly brought out the best in the 360 and PS3 in this regard. Forza 3 runs at a smooth 60fps, while GT5 is glorious in its native 1080p. Forza 3 boasts ‘communication’ between the wheel and the road every eight in-game meters to offer the best-possible simulation of driving surface, while GT5’s creators have finally seen fit to include car damage and realistic crash physics for the first time. Forza 3 sets a new standard in online racing, car customisation and trading options, while Gran Turismo 5 is set to showcase Sony’s new head-tracking technology that, reportedly, will convincingly simulate 3D graphics.

Both games are terrific adverts for their respective consoles but which offers the best racing experience? The simple answer is that I haven’t a clue. They both have areas where one is better than the other and that, for me, is telling. In this latest console car battle it’s a dead heat between two great games.

Below: one of these Ferrari 458s is from Gran Turismo 5, the other from Forza 3 – can you tell which is which? Answers on a postcard or in the comments box below.