In the field of racing games, there are essentially three types - the full simulations, the arcade modes, and then the "cartoony" variety like Mario Kart.

Very, very rarely will any game deviate from these three templates. Sure, the occasional game based on demolition derbies has been created, but as the formula for what makes a "racing" game has developed, the ultimate goal of speed, speed, speed has been pretty fixed in place. Even in the Burnout line, where crashing and exploding cars was an option, actual car-to-car combat was limited to trying to force your opponents to spin out or crash.

On the other hand, Bizarre Creations are known for taking a genre and trying to make a new twist and change to it. The end result this time around isn't necessarily quite as clean as it could be, but Blur does offer a title that will appease racing fans while still being accessible for the non-hardcore player.