We all love a bit of destruction every now and then. Burnout has satisfied these needs perfectly over the years, with enough high-speed crashes to satisfy the most masochistic of minds. It bodes well, then, that the series is taking a detour down the downloadable route. I spent some time with Burnout Crash recently, and it's shaping up to be surprisingly good fun.
 

There's no denying it, Crash would be suited to the iPhone too...

I say surprisingly, as when it was announced, Crash was quite a shock to the system. Many moaned that it looked like a mobile game, and while I can certainly see it appearing on hand-held devices, there's plenty to get excited about on your console. There's little point in comparing this game to the mode we have experienced in full Burnout releases, as it's intentionally very different. Crash introduces a retro style that manages to feel fresh, with vibrant colours adding a sense of drama to the bonnet smashing that takes place.

Various modes are on offer, but they all amount to the same objective: creating as much chaos as possible. Crash introduces a top-down view that harks back to Micro Machines, although precision driving is not needed here. Most levels are built on a crossroads, providing multiple entrance points for cars to enter. As the level begins, it's a good idea to plough through as many lamp-posts, signs and immobile vehicles as possible, as it generates a useful points boost. Once into the centre of the screen, cars will begin to arrive from every angle.
 

Kinect compatibility is available and will have players performing some odd moves

This may seem mindless at first, but Crash throws up a number of tactical elements that provide the 'one more go' factor. Your vehicle will stop after its initial run into the road, and every few seconds you'll be able to blow it up, thus getting it to move again. All your damage must be collected or set up while moving, as for a few seconds, vehicles may be able to escape your grasp. Clever players will instantly realise that building a roadblock of wreckage will cut down the difficulty, and will also rack up points as vehicles from that entry point continue to blow out their air bags. Each auto-mobile is pretty much destroyed after one hit, so just making contact with cars will get the points flowing nicely.

To mix things up, Crash also utilises plenty of bonuses. Hidden throughout each level there's buildings to obliterate, many of which have a super-shiny sports car sitting outside. These are worth making the journey for, creating a massive bonus if you can get them to breaking point. After enough combos have been gathered, a wheel of fortune will arrive on screen. Depending on your luck, you may receive the chance to take down a speeding pizza truck, a 3x multiplier for your score, or a host of other aids that'll boost the cost of damage towards astronomical amounts.
 

Roadblocks are the way to go, providing easy points

There's no doubt about it, Burnout Crash is shaping up to be an absolute blast. It's instantly accessible and rewarding, as well as addictive. It's going to be vital to see how much the game will sell for, as the price point could make or break its success. Over 800 Microsoft points would be obscene, while 400 MSP would be impossible to miss. Although the latter sum seems unlikely, it'd be great to see EA release this as a cheap stopgap for fans of the main series.

Top Gaming Moment: Creating a huge roadblock, sitting back, and watching the destruction.