Dirt 3
A really good port of a rally good racing game
£22.99 Developer Codemasters/Feral Interactive, feralinteractive.com
Requires OS X 10.9.5, 2GHz processor, 4GB RAM, see website for graphics cards
Dirt 3 confidently dispenses with finicky conceits such as contract negotiations or vehicle upgrades, instead splitting a career mode into four sections of increasingly difficult and exotic off-road events with the focus very much on racing.
Sophisticated options exist for skilled players, but Dirt 3 operates in a comfortable space between simulation and representation, where the steering and braking are tight and responsive. Players are tested on how well they navigate different vehicles and terrain types, and Dirt 3 is at its best when players are barrelling through the muck or knifing along the Col de Turini in the middle of the night, learning and improvising as they go.
Career mode is awkwardly punctuated by ‘gymkhana’ events in which drivers are awarded points for the grace and control of their drifts, spins and doughnuts. There’s little in the way of direction, and these events feel haphazard as a result.
Frustratingly, the version of Dirt 3
Clumsy gymkhana notwithstanding, Dirt 3 is a deft and accomplished racing game with a honed career mode.
on the Mac App Store doesn’t include any online multiplayer options. While basic races are available in split-screen, you’ll need to be on a LAN for access to the Invasion, Outbreak and Transporter modes. For online racing, you’ll need the Steam version. Joseph Leray
Approachable racing
Distinct vehicles and terrain
Gymkhana feels out of place
No online play from App Store