There’s no doubting that car racing has become a foundational genre in the world of video games, from the hazy, pixelated days of top 80s arcade game Namco’s classic Pole Position to the future crop of ultra-realistic car racing simulations.
So, fasten your seatbelts, lift the handbrake, and race through some of the most popular racing video games and driving games around!
DiRT Rally 2.0
The dedication to creating an authentic rally experience is what makes DiRT Rally 2.0 such a terrific driving game. There are driving assistance available but no rewind option. Whether you crash on the first or last corner, you are solely responsible for your actions. Every race is tense because you know failure is only a crash away. Are you falling behind in each of your fields? You can speed up the automobile by pushing it harder, but you’ll crash into a tree if you do so too hard.
In contrast to other driving games, 2.0’s vehicles are wild, strong. Driving a car with a steering wheel is an actual full-body workout, and even controllers offer an excellent sensation.
It wonderfully conveys rally driving’s continual danger while condensing it into a gripping and authentic experience.
Forte Horizon 4
The vibe of going for a Sunday drive is nicely captured in Forza Horizon. Enjoying the car, your surroundings, and selecting an appropriate soundtrack are all priorities. Rather than requiring you to drive in a perfect line, Forza wants you to go fast. It achieves this through simple controls that make every car accessible and enjoyable.
Forza Horizon 4 is the ideal road trip through the United Kingdom. The fourth game in the series features a limited version of Britain, allowing players to cruise through Edinburgh, the Cotswolds, and even the Lake District. It includes the best parts of Britain but excludes the long lines and inclement weather.
Gran Turismo Sport
Sport has the series’ tight controls and handling, as well as a variety of tuning and performance options for gamers who truly want to get their hands dirty. Gran Turismo Sport concentrates on online play rather than single-player content in its current iteration. There includes a career mode, time trials, and an offline league, but most players will want to attempt the online modes to get the most out of the game.
Gran Turismo Sport is the most famous driving game on PS4, and it has sold an estimated 8 million units. The sport continues the legacy of its forefathers. However, its emphasis on competitive racing and online play also foreshadows the series’ future. It’s the best racing game on PlayStation right now.
Need For Speed Heat
Need for Speed Heat is a racing game set in the open world of Palm City, a fictionalized representation of Miami, Florida, and its surroundings. The in-game world includes a variety of terrains, such as mountainous places and open fields.
The game does not include a 24-hour day-night cycle like Need for Speed Payback, but players can flip between day and night. During the day, players can compete in sanctioned races for cash, which they can use to buy new vehicles and upgrades. Players can participate in illegal street racing at night, which rewards REP, but racing at night will catch the notice of a rogue police task squad patrolling the streets of Palm City.
iRacing
For esports fans, iRacing is the game of choice, despite being the least well-known title on this list. iRacing, produced by iRacing.com and released in 2008, describes itself as “the world’s premier motorsports racing game.” It may not appear as visually appealing as some of the other games on this list, but there’s a reason it’s still considered the pinnacle of motorsport esports.
Racing offers a realistic and authentic driving experience. The suspension, tire differential, and brake bias may all be customized. On the circuit, cars behave similarly to their real-world counterparts. Many professional F1 and Nascar drivers use iRacing to train before events because of its realism.
Mario Kart 8
Nintendo’s Mario Kart 8 is a kart racing video game that was initially released in 2014 for the Wii U console. It keeps the Mario Kart series’ gaming fundamentals, with players controlling Mario franchise characters in kart racing while collecting various goodies to hinder opponents and gain benefits in the race.
Mario Kart 8 features anti-gravity driving on walls or ceilings and the ability for players to crash into one other for a short boost. Single-player and multiplayer modes are available and online play via the Nintendo Network.
Wreckfest
Wreckfest is a scrappy driving game that takes inspiration from demolition derby video games and real-life incidents. The unique destructive dynamics developed by Bugbear Entertainment play out in real-time, making every automobile a target. A car’s various components may be scraped, crumpled, and removed with astonishing accuracy.
The diversity of options available makes it such a fun driving game. There are various race options to choose from, including pure demolition events, typical stadium races, and events with converted furniture vehicles.
Wreckfest makes excellent use of those demolition physics, providing thrilling races that can change with the flip of a coin. If you trade paint with other drivers too much, your car will be irreparably damaged. Vehicle performance is affected by damage, influencing how your vehicle performs.
SnowRunner
It’s all about the journey in SnowRunner. Rather than competing against other drivers, you must navigate dirt, water, snow, ice, and just about anything else. This driving game focuses on the actual driving experience. Rather than rushing through bends and chasing lap times, you’ll spend your time delivering stuff.
Players in SnowRunner are encouraged to drive in ways that other games do not. You can modify the differential lock, use all-wheel drive, and even use a winch to pull yourself out of a bind to boost traction. You’ll need to know how each component of a truck or car works to succeed. It’s a lot of fun to get to know the vehicles in SnowRunner and to improve your skills with them. You’ll be amazed at the feats of endurance you’ll accomplish just a few hours into the game.