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In case you're wondering, a road rash isn't some kind of weirdo disease. It's the marks you get when you slide down the tarmac after coming off a motorbike at over 100mph! And, as you might imagine, it's quite a painful experience. As you'll find out when you play Road Rash.

This motorbike racing game features five different tracks, and the object on each is very straightforward: beat the other 18 riders to the finishing post. Can't be simpler, eh? Well, things are made a little more complex by the fact that there are no rules - riders can crash into or even punch other riders in an attempt to knock them off their bikes. So it's a pretty violent high-speed free-for-all.

Add to that cars (Volvos we reckon) who travel the road driving towards you on the left and in the same direction as you on the right (this is America, don't forget) which can be crashed into all too easily and an highly annoying traffic cop who chases after you and pulls you over for speeding whenever he can, and life suddenly becomes more difficult.

If you manage to finish all five races, you progress to the next level, where cars are more numerous and riders even more maniacal. It's tough out there. But then life as a psychotic rider is never easy...

If the bike has a bad collision with anything, the rider gets knocked off and he and the bike slide down the road (picking up a road rash no doubt!). Once the rider has recovered, he has to run back over to his bike and pick it up.

Depending on how fast the rider was travelling and how far he was thrown down the road, it's sometimes a very long run and much time is wasted as he sprints back up the road to find his bike.

Oh, by the way. When the rider is running for his bike, make sure he doesn't run down the middle of the road or he might just get hit by a car or another rider and injure himself again!

There are five roads to race down, and any one is selectable on the title screen.

1. Sierra Nevada The easiest track. Well, it's the one with the least sharp corners, and has only one hill where it's possible to take off and end up in the hedge. So just stay alert and keep the throttle wide open.

2. Pacific Coast Lots of sweeping bends and rolling hills where you can build up your speed... connected by horrible sharp corners where it's all too easy to stack your bike.

3. Redwood Forest Staying on the tight-twisting track is all-important here! There's no margin for error - one slip and you smash into one of the thousands of trees which line the road.

4. Palm Desert This long and winding track is very hilly and has a lot of long bends which tighten up near their exit, resulting in you ending up on the wrong side of the road. Watch the road signs and be careful out there.

5. Grass Valley Grass Valley has the worst features of all the tracks. Up-and-down hills, twisting corners, ever tightening bends and awkward chicanes. This'll test your riding abilities.

Road Rash combines all the thrills of high-speed racing with a fair does of extreme violence - just my sort of game! The 3D graphics are excellent.

Whizzing over the varied, graphically superb landscapes is made all the more enjoyable by the brilliant sound effects. The scream of the motorbike's engine is superb (as are the other biker's, in glorious stereo!).

Rob Hubbard has provided some great music as well, which almost matches the effects for aural exictement! Its gameplay that counts though, and Road Rash more than delivers. You'll never believe that you just flew through the air at over 100mph landing on the hapless corpse of a very unfortunate fellow rider!

That's another thing that makes Road Rash so good. Everything vaguely unfortunate that can happen to you has an equal chance of happening to other riders! As road racers go, Road Rash is definitely the most action-packed and exciting offering to date.

Wahey! Motorbikes, irresponsible road behaviour and loads of foul play! Ingredients guaranteed to bring a grin to my weathered chops!! And Road Rash combines all them to produce a truly thrilling racing game which really sets your pulse racing!

The utterly convincing 3D graphics are incredibly speedy, and the road twists and turns over the stomach-churningly realistic hills. Razor-sharp reflexes are required to ensure you don't hurtle nose-first into a hedge, fly uncontrollably off the top of a hill and crash into a tree or smash into an oncoming car!

Don't be put off by the fact that there are only five tracks; they're all pretty long and get very tough on later levels, with loads of manic riders and mad drivers.

And don't forget that there are eight new bikes to save up for! If, like me, you're a speed psycho looking for sheer out-and-out adrenalin-surging action, this is the ultimate ride.

Presentation 91%
Superb in-game presentation, with brilliant stills and easy-to-use menus.

Graphics 92%
The 3D update is very fast and totally convincing - make sure you take travel sickness pills before playing!

Sound 92%
There's a choice between excellent heavy metal-style tunes and superb sound effects.

Playability 93%
Getting into this is as easy as riding a bike...

Lastability 87%
...but the riders on the other bikes make this a tough and challenging game for any speed demon.

Overall 91%
A truly thrilling high-speed game which provides the most adrenalin-surging racing action yet seen on the Megadrive.