While a lot of games showcased at E3 are flashed before your eyes on big screens complete with celebrity spokespeople and lines an hour deep just to get your hands on a controller, every once in a while you find a hidden gem on the show floor with little fanfare, but plenty of upside.

To me, that game was “F1 2012.”

I walked past the game twice before even realizing I was in the right place (it was that hidden), but once I saw the game move, man was I impressed.

That’s because the game is juiced with some serious speed, making every turn a white-knuckle challenge, while making every straight-away feel like you’re about to break the virtual speed of sound.

"F1" follows other award-winning Codemasters racing games such as “DiRT” and “Colin McRae,” and really captures the simulation aspects of the sport, while at the same time offering fans new to F1 a racer that captures the thrill of charging down the track at incredible speeds.

One cool new feature is the ability for the game’s active track technology to produce rain showers on certain areas of the track, while leaving other parts dry. This makes for a more unpredictable experience as gamers must pay attention to track and weather conditions when taking every turn, as one miscalculation can send you spinning into the wall.

Also new to the "F1" gaming franchise this year is the Circuit of Americas, located in Austin, Texas, which gives gamers the ability to race the new circuit before the track debuts in real life this November. The 3,427 mile, 20-turn circuit includes elevation changes of up to 133 feet. In addition, the game will feature all of the circuits from the expanded 2012 calendar, including Germany’s Hockenheimring.

In order to make the fast-moving game more accessible to F1 newbies, Codemasters has added lap tutorials from F1 test driver (and the game’s technical consultant) Anthony Davidson. Davidson will be by your side, talking you through a lap from each circuit on the 2012 calendar, breaking down turns, gearing points, and spots on each track to pick up additional speed.

On top of that, there is even a Young Drivers Test in the game to introduce new fans to the nuances of how to drive a Formula One car. Taking place at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina, gamers get behind the wheel of a Ferrari, McLaren, or Red Bull to learn how to use the game’s Kinetic Energy Recovery System and the Drag Reduction System.

But, like I said, after checking out “F1 2012” for a bit, the one thing I was left replaying in my mind was the game’s amazing sense of speed. You can check it out for yourself when the game races into stores this September for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.