Wipeout Pure / Pulse

Antigravity machines whistling through a tunnel at a speed that blurs the image, plus a bassline that thunders right into your bones — Wipeout on the PSP was, from the very first moment, clear proof that Sony's handheld could be as stylish as few pieces of hardware. Pure and, after it, Pulse brought frictionless futuristic racing straight into your pocket, with no compromises in atmosphere.

The Wipeout series was born at studio Psygnosis and, from the mid-nineties, was inseparably bound to the visual identity of the collective The Designers Republic and to electronic music. The PSP entries continued in this tradition: sharp graphics, neon tracks, clean typography, and a soundtrack full of dance electronica turned every race into a small audiovisual spectacle.

As a game, it's about racing hovercraft at high speeds, where merely holding the throttle isn't enough. You have to master air brakes into corners, manage your shield energy, collect weapons, and decide whether to fire them at opponents or sacrifice them to top up energy. The tracks are full of jumps, loops, and shortcuts, and at higher speed classes they turn into a test of reflexes on the edge of human ability.

Pure was a launch title that showcased the power of the hardware, while Pulse added more tracks, improved presentation, and online features. Both entries benefited from downloadable content, so you could gradually expand the offering of tracks and music — a pleasantly modern approach to supporting a game for its time.

Wipeout on the PSP remains one of the best calling cards of what the handheld could do: speed, style, and music merged into a hypnotic whole that today holds the mark of a cult classic. For fans of futuristic racing, it's a must.

Why play: Stylish and brutally fast antigravity racing with iconic visuals and an electronic soundtrack that made the PSP a fashion accessory.