SPOnG has been aware that there is a new version of the fondly remembered Micro Machines in the pipeline for a couple of weeks now, after having seen some ads for the game in the boxes of recent Codemasters releases, including TOCA 3 and RF Online.

Well, after some nagging and bugging on our part, Codemasters has finally broken its annoying silence and released the first details on the new title in the classic series.

The game currently has the not-very-imaginative working title of ‘Micro Machines v4 game’ and is now in development for PlayStation 2, PC, PSP and Nintendo DS, scheduled for a summer 2006 release.

Fans of the series will also be glad to hear that development duties are back with the team at Supersonic Software, creators of the best Micro Machines games and more recently Mashed and Mashed: Fully Loaded from Empire Interactive/Xplosiv. And yes, whilst Mashed really was one of our favourite four player games of the last few years, we couldn’t help but think it could have been just that bit better if it had been, well, Micro Machines!

So, details, we will keep this short and to the point: the game will arrive “packed with knockabout, breakneck racing in the fastest scale miniatures, complete with explosive weapon power-ups…hundreds of vehicles… wildest tracks where everyday household objects appear immense in size and can become lethal hazards.” Power ups, you’ll be glad to hear, will include the all-time favourite - mounted giant hammer!

Plus, for the first time, some of the featured tracks will be set outside of the house and garden, including dodgy house roofs, smelly sewers, packed supermarkets, dusty museums and animal antics down the farm, with its danger-packed chicken coop!

Shame there's no Xbox 360 version on the cards, as the idea of 4 player wireless Micro Machines marathons is more than a little appealing. And as for the online possibilities...