Oh boy. There may not be any blue shells or banana peels lying around, but Gran Turismo 5's kart mode still looks like a lot of fun. And that could be crucial to the game's success.
Over the past few iterations, some people - and I find myself among them - have begun to criticise the series for focusing too much on the simulation of driving and not the thrill. That in building a shrine to the automobile developers Polyphony Digital have forgotten what makes them fun.
This, though? This doesn't look technical. Doesn't look dry, or sterile. This looks like kart racing without those bastard blue shells, and if it plays half as fun as it looks, this might be the most enduring aspect of Gran Turismo 5, at least in terms of multiplayer.
PS - Sorry about the video quality, but for some reason, that's as high quality as Sony was willing to provide.