13:00 (BST), 08/05/2008

Following its critically-acclaimed home console launch in May, returns in portable form this week as Codemasters today announced that the Nintendo DS™ edition of the game is now shipping and will launch this Friday, 8th August. An all-new video of the Nintendo DS edition in action is now showing online at http://community.racedrivergrid.com/.

The Nintendo DS edition of the game that Top Gear magazine called “the racing game of the year” has been specifically designed for the handheld and offers the most complete pick-up-and-play pocket racing package. Players can take inspiration from competing in the world’s most exciting racing cars on legendary circuits and iconic city streets and then get creative with the most powerful track editor in portable gaming.

delivers intense, incident-packed wheel-to-wheel racing against aggressive AI opponents to create a breathtaking race experience. Accessible handling enables gamers to jump straight into the action, while a huge career mode includes championship and race events. Quick fire Challenges offer a fast fix of racing for gamers on-the-go and include Time Trials, Speed Tests and Chase events.

Bringing a new world of motor sport to life, players race at beautifully realised and diverse locations across three continents. In Europe, race prestige marques on the world’s most famous circuits including Spa and the Nurburgring. In America, compete in powerful muscle cars through the streets of San Francisco to Washington DC. Taking the race to Japan, experience the unique exhilaration of drift racing on the neon lit streets of Shibuya and then compete in Touge events, downhill races that operate on the fringe of legality.

Exclusively for the Nintendo DS edition, features a multi faceted track editor, enabling gamers to create their own dream race track. With over 60 individual pieces, the creation system offers near-limitless design options, including the ability to personalise trackside hoardings and billboards. Players can craft complete championship circuits in detail or, using the simple Free-Draw tool, create and race within minutes.

Extensive online and multiplayer options has players competing in four-player races, climbing to the top of global online leader boards for every race event, or sharing up to four individually created tracks with up to four players in the ultimate custom race series.

With a stunning selection of real-world settings, outstanding racing cars, a powerful track editor and incredible graphics, is the most exciting, fun and feature packed racer you can fit in your pocket. Developed by Firebrand Games, the team responsible for the award-winning Race Driver: Create and Race, the Nintendo DS edition of launches this Friday, 8th August. See the new video and for all the action from the track visit http://community.racedrivergrid.com/

Codemasters is a leading developer and publisher of best-selling interactive entertainment products for a global audience across multiple gaming platforms and channels. Established in 1986, the company’s dominant brands include and ; the company recently secured the exclusive worldwide video game rights to FORMULA 1. Codemasters is headquartered in Warwickshire UK, with North American operations based in Universal City, Calif. The company also maintains operations in Germany, France, Spain, Benelux and Malaysia. Codemasters receives over two million visitors to its web site every month, discover why at www.codemasters.com

Firebrand Games has studios in Glasgow, UK and Florida, USA and specialise in the production of racing games that are developed using the company's proprietary technology; "Octane" which maximises efficiency and ensures consistent quality across products. The company was founded and is run by Mark Greenshields who has been in the games industry since 1981. Mark started off as an author of computer books teaching others how to write games and program in assembly language, before progressing to games programming, running development studios and working in the UK, France and Canada. Mark is a bone-fide petrol-head. The company website is located at: www.firebrandgames.com

Codemasters supports askaboutgames.com www.askaboutgames.com - a UK initiative designed to help parents understand the age ratings system for computer and video games so that they can make more informed choices when choosing games for their children.

NINTENDO DS IS A TRADEMARK OF NINTENDO.