One of the ironies of the craze over sport-utility vehicles is that nine out of ten people who own one never take advantage of what they're made for - traversing rugged terrain that would shred sedans, coupes, and vans in a matter of minutes. When you see a Mercedes-Benz SUV heading down the highway, you can't help but think that the only jostling the driver will ever experience in it is hitting speed bumps at the mall. It's the SUV paradox: Who wants to take a chance on smashing up an off-road vehicle that costs $40,000 by taking it... off road? Now, there's a fun way to experience cross-country SUV racing without worrying about destroying the vehicle it took a second mortgage to buy.

Thanks to Terminal Reality - the same developer responsible for the exciting Monster Truck Madness games - SUV lovers (and haters) now have the chance to strap themselves into 4-wheel-drive vehicles and explore some of the best-looking terrain ever created for a racing simulation. Actually, "simulation" might not be the right word to describe a game where you can sail 20 feet above the ground and land with hardly a scratch or nick to show for it. But while 4x4 Evolution opts for fun over realism, it's a trade-off that you'll probably appreciate as soon as you take the game for a spin.