Avatar Grand Prix is a 3D racing game for the Xbox 360 that allows you to race your Avatar across 8 themed tracks against up to 7 other cars, up to 3 of which can be your friends in split screen multiplayer mode. There are two separate tournaments to race in - a Grand Prix which allows racing on all tracks against the best computer cars, or a single-player Time Trial in which you are against the clock. Or there's always Quick Race mode, where you can decide the number of cars, speed, laps, grid positions and power ups for yourself! In Grand Prix mode, each track has a qualifying lap where the fastest times determine the starting order of the cars on the grid.

The game was one of Battenberg Software's best-selling for the Xbox 360, and was praised for its multiplayer and AI. A year and a half after its release, it paved the way for Avatar Grand Prix 2 which featured 12 new tracks and online multiplayer.

There are loads of features to the game, including:

• Test Drive - A tutorial which provides a great way to get used to the controls before you start.
• Multiple Speeds - All races can be raced at 50cc, 100cc or 150cc so you can master the game with slower cars before building up to the fast ones.
• Power-ups - Speed boosts, mines, question marks, rockets, lightning and shields. It's not just about pure speed, it's about taking as many people out as you can! Power ups can be turned on or off, or can be set to "insane" (try it and see!).
• Mirror and Reverse Mode - Once you know all the tracks like the back of your hand, try them in mirror! Then reverse. Then reverse mirror.
• Track Records and Ghost Cars - The fastest time for any given track at any given speed at any given orientation (mirror, etc.) is stored, and with each of these you can race a "ghost" of your fastest lap.

Avatar Grand Prix was released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Indie Games in August 2010, and remained on the marketplace until it closed in October 2017. The game is no longer available, but you can still re-download it if you purchased it previously.

Here are some screenshots from the game. Click on them to view larger versions. You can also download the soundtrack to the game for free here.

Avatar Grand Prix contains 8 tracks of varying length and difficulty. Here is a brief guide to what you can expect from them...

As we all know there's something extremely satisfying about completely taking out an opponent during a race in order to snatch victory from the jaws of otherwise certain defeat. In a similar manner, there's something immensely frustrating about being the other car in that scenario, and seeing your chances of winning the race blow up (sometimes literally) before your eyes as an opponent speeds by. It's not always fair, but it's always huge amounts of fun. Avatar Grand Prix recognises this, and has therefore included these power-ups for your amusement and annoyance...