Summary
- Racing games offer a thrilling and safe virtual racecar experience, whether playing solo or multiplayer and are a staple of the video game market.
- Racing games can improve hand-eye coordination and quick response times, making them beneficial for improving real-world driving skills.
- From realistic simulators like Assetto Corsa to arcade-style games like Mario Kart , various racing games on the market cater to different preferences and provide exciting gameplay experiences.
In video games, the racing genre has become a timeless classic type of gaming. Whether enjoying a party-style game like Mario Kart with friends or experiencing the more serious and realistic nature of driving in a game like Forza Motorsport, racing games are a staple of the video game market, and they aren't going anywhere soon. Playing solo or multiplayer, there is nothing else that brings the same feeling of exhilaration and speed without real-life dangers as a good virtual racecar.
Racing games are great for laughs and competition at parties and provide a real challenge for the focused enthusiast, but they can possibly improve real-world driving skills as well. Racing games are surprisingly good for helping with improving hand-eye coordination and learning quicker response times with the fast-paced aspect that is the backbone of their game mechanics. The racing game genre can range wildly from silly go-karts to realistic racing and driving simulators. Here are some of the best racing games on the market today.
10 Assetto Corsa
Assetto Corsa is a racing game that prides itself on being the most realistic racing simulator available. Its cars are designed to handle more like they would in the real world, including how they respond to track conditions through detailed physics. Because of this, it can also have a very steep learning curve, and playing with a Racing Wheel attachment is recommended for best results. As far as looking for a realistic race experience, however, Assetto Corsa is one of the best in that regard.
9 Horizon Chase 2
Though definitely not a realistic approach to racing, Horizon Chase 2 offers all the fun of a 1990s arcade racing game with modern graphics and improvements such as added online multiplayer and even mobile support. It is bright and cheerful, with just the right amount of challenge to it, and has a solo play campaign going through a world tour approach to tracks. The soundtrack also will keep the energy up as the drivers' silly quips add to the lighthearted nature of the game.
8 Hot Wheels Unleashed
Hot Wheels Unleashed brings to life the races that children imagine when playing with their toy Hot Wheels cars, with fun collectible cars and wonderfully designed tracks. The racing game offers a surprisingly steep learning curve if anyone wants to play on anything other than the lower difficulty settings, yet the challenge can be a good motivator as well.
7 BeamNG.drive
Although many consider BeamNG.drive to be a racing game, in many ways, it is more of a physics-based driving simulator that offers some very satisfying crashes. The handling of the cars can be very realistic, and collisions are impressively detailed. The maps are all open-world, and there are various racing scenarios and time trials available, as well as the opportunity to just charge around the environment causing chaos.
6 DIRT 5
When it comes to off-road racing, the DIRT series provides some of the best opportunities for races that go through mud, ice, dirt, and everything else, with lots of fun rally cars and a bit of an arcade feel. Although the AI can be a bit aggressive, the race modes are fun and gritty and provide a great chance just to get lost in a racing game, trying to be just a little bit better constantly. Online Playgrounds and Throwdown races also are available to add online multiplayer experiences to the mix.
5 Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo is one of the leading franchises for immersing players in the world of professional racing. The game blends realistic graphics with a stunning selection of cars and tracks and has a strong emphasis on competitive online match-ups. Players can enjoy taking on the many challenges it offers through its Missions and Championships or just have fun with the arcade-style Music Rally. Overall, the game is a polished and beautiful approach to sports-style racing games.
4 Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 5 provides an open-world racing experience with countless races, large and small, spread throughout the map to find and compete in. With its beautiful backdrop of Mexico, Forza Horizon 5 lets players unlock and customize vehicles and race their way to the top with a well-developed solo campaign and plenty of multiplayer opportunities. Its gameplay mechanics feel smooth in the driving, and players can even make their own tracks and make them as complicated or easy as they like.
3 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart has been the most well-known kart-racing game since the series first debuted on the SNES in 1992. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to drive popularity for the series with consistent updates and DLC adding new drivers and tracks to the game, despite Mario Kart 8 first launching for the WiiU back in 2014. Its cartoony graphics and popular Nintendo characters have made the series hold up through the years in a way that continues to entertain its audience on the Nintendo Switch.
2 F1 23
EA Sports created F1 23 to be a story-driven sports story in the world of Formula One racecar driving. Over the solo campaign, the main character can go from a young driver and team to leading the pack and becoming the best of the best. Drivers can take part in many additional solo and multiplayer race modes, with more options being unlocked through playing. It provides an exciting story as well as speedy races featuring the Formula One race cars and their characteristic high speeds.
1 Forza Motorsport
When it comes to virtual racing games, it is hard for any game to top Forza Motorsport for its realistic driving of over 500 cars, real-world tracks, and even its AI drivers. It focuses on tracks rather than the open-world feel of Forza Horizon 5 and offers an exhilarating chance to feel what racing can be. Its multiplayer options and many choices for solo play, including the Builder's Cup and Free Race modes, lend itself to hours of replayability, and more DLC for this tremendous racing game is already confirmed to be in development. From cartoony titles like Mario Kart 8 to more realistic games like Forza and Assetto Corsa, there's a ton to choose from for fans of racing titles.