My favourite games have always been racing games and I remember the days when racing against a friend involved being in the same room and even sometimes using the same keyboard. Nowadays, however, distance is no issue. You can race against buddies in any part of the globe as long as they've got a fairly decent internet connection. The only question is, which game do you choose? There are so many great racing games out there that's it's not easy to choose but these 5 must surely rank as a selection of the best ever made that can also be enjoyed against online opponents:

Need For Speed Carbon - Amazing graphics, blistering circuits and superb gameplay

KartRider - Fun cartoon style karting game that you can play against up to 8 players

Drag Racer - Pimp your car for a super-smashing ride

Drift City - Take to the streets of San Francisco in a world without oil

Street Challenge - Impressive free street racing game with lots of depth and levels