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Best Race Games

Racing video games are where the player competes in time-based competitions to complete laps or courses ahead of other computer- and human-controlled opponents. This may be as a character who is running, in a vehicle or even in games where you have special powers to move quickly, jump long distances or even fly.

Racing games are based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings. At one end there are simple kart racing Action games where the battling, short cuts and tricks are important. At the other end are high-Simulation games that take weeks and months to get good at and offer a nuanced driving experience.

Some games fall into the Racing genre without offering an experience that, at first, looks like racing. These games obscure the race by placing the player in an unusual situation or with a strong Narrative. Other games double down on the Fighting element of play, so that bashing other vehicles is as important as hitting the perfect racing line.

DetailsGenre Details

Era: 1971 - 2023
Total Games: 171
Total Likes: 2,093
 

 

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Series)

Release Date: 27/08/1992, updated in 2018

Out Now: 3DS and 2DS, DS, GameCube, Switch and iOS

Skill Rating: 5+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Cartoon

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a go-kart racing game on Nintendo systems. You race against other Nintendo characters around different circuits, picking up power-ups, attacks and speed boosts. It is frantic and chaotic but still requires skills to do well.

The Crew 2 (Series)

Release Date: 02/12/2014, updated in 2018

Out Now: PC, PS4, Stadia and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 11+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Day and Night and Open World

The Crew is a series of open-world racing and exploration games set in a scaled down version of the United States. The emphasis is on enjoyable and exciting driving more than realism. It's a lot like Forza Horizon, although can be played on PlayStation...

Dobble

Release Date: 10/03/2011, updated in 2019

Skill Rating: 3+ year-olds

Components: Cards

Dobble (also called Spot It!) is a card game where you race other players to claim cards by spotting symbols. Each of the colourful cards has eight symbols, one of which always matches a symbol of another card. You race to spot the match, call it out...

Cruis’n Blast

Release Date: 14/09/2021

Out Now: Switch and Wii

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Cruis’n Blast is a brash over the top racing game based on a series of big arcade machines. Competing with games like Ridge Racer, OutRun and Daytona USA, it offers whacky racing with big and bombastic visuals and characters.

Escape: The Curse of the Temple

Release Date: 01/01/2012, updated in 2020

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: Cards, Dice, Figures and Tokens

Escape: The Curse of the Temple is a cooperative traversal game where teams try and escape an ancient temple before it collapses. You repeatedly roll dice to move from room to room, adding new tiles to the catacombs as you go. Play is against the...

JellyCar Worlds

Release Date: 10/12/2022

Out Now: Apple TV, Mac, PC, Switch and iOS

Skill Rating: 5+ year-olds

Components: 2D Side-On and Cartoon

JellyCar Worlds is a puzzle game about a car made of jelly traversing a squishy world. You use the physics properties of the car and the objects in the world to get from A to B. It's an action puzzle game that stands out for the joyous novelty of a...

Flamme Rouge

Release Date: 01/01/2016

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: Board, Cards and Figures

Flamme Rouge is a quick and tactical bike racing game. You control a team of two riders around the puzzle piece track to get to the finish first. The trick is using your endurance and sprinter rider cards to tactically use slipstream efficiently.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

Release Date: 04/08/2020

Out Now: PS4

Coming Soon: PC, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is a whacky obstacle race where up to 60 people compete to get to the end of the course and advance to the next round. Drawing on TV shows like Takeshi's Castle, Wipeout or It's a Knock Out you have to control top-heavy...

Forza Horizon 5 (Series)

Release Date: 05/11/2021

Out Now: PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Day and Night, Open World and Weather

Forza Horizon 5 is a fast-paced racing game where you drive all manner of different vehicles in races and across the vast open landscape. Building on Forza Horizon 4, this fifth entry to the series is set in Mexico,...

Gran Turismo (Series)

Release Date: 01/01/1997, updated in 2017

Out Now: PS3, PS4 and PSP

Skill Rating: 14+ year-olds

Components: 3D First-Person and 3D Third-Person

Gran Turismo is a driving simulator that focuses on a photo-realistic driving experience. Players race real-world cars where bodywork and interiors are perfectly modelled. Whether hatchbacks or super cars, this game lets you step into the world of the...

Camel Up

Release Date: 01/01/2014, updated in 2018

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: Board, Dice, Figures and Tokens

Camel Up is a crazy push-your-luck game where you bet on and influence camel races. Each turn you can move the camels, bet on which will win or place tokens to slow or speed things up. It's clever because it rewards players who make bets early and it's...

Forza Horizon 4 (Series)

Release Date: 25/09/2018

Out Now: PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 3D First-Person, 3D Third-Person, Day and Night, Open World and Weather

Forza Horizon 4 is a thrilling racing game where you race all manner of vehicles across a wide range of landscapes. This fourth iteration is set in the United Kingdom, with Edinburgh’s narrow streets, the Lake District’s hills and rainfall and the...

Blur

Release Date: 25/05/2010

Out Now: PC, PS3 and Xbox 360

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Blur is a four-player racing game with many Mario Kart-style features but with customisable real-model cars. The combination of such cars as the Dodge Viper, Ford Transit and Lotus Exige (to name a few) with weapons, stunts and power-ups is both unusual...

Burnout Paradise (Series)

Release Date: 16/03/2018, updated in 2018

Out Now: GameCube, PC, PS Vita, PS2, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 3D First-Person, 3D Third-Person, Day and Night and Open World

Burnout Paradise is the latest game int the Burnout series, an over-the-top racing game where you’re encouraged to crash, bash and ram other cars. Throughout the series the bravado and crashing increases, but they all have the same novel core gameplay.

Horizon Chase (Series)

Release Date: 08/11/2018, updated in 2022

Out Now: Android, Apple TV, Mac, PS4, Switch, Xbox One and iOS

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Day and Night

Horizon Chase 2 is the latest game in the Horizon Chase series of arcade racing games with a focus on competitive fun rather than realism; its graphics make it look like it was plucked from the nineties’ arcades, with a nod to Outrun and Lotus Turbo...

Need For Speed (Series)

Release Date: 08/11/2019

Out Now: PC, PS3, PS4 and Xbox One

Components: 3D Third-Person and Open World

Need for Speed: Heat is an open-world racing game. Races during the day are legally sanctioned street competitions where you try to win cash prizes. Races at night are illegal races where you aim to build a reputation. When racing at night, you need to...

Fuel

Release Date: 02/06/2009

Out Now: PC, PS3 and Xbox 360

Components: 3D Third-Person, Day and Night, Open World and Weather

Fuel is an open-world racing game set in a Mad-Max style post apocalyptic United States. It was one of the first driving games to let you drive anywhere on the huge map without loading times. With a day-night cycle and weather, you can take all manner...

Disney Speedstorm

Release Date: 01/09/2022

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Cartoon

Disney Speedstorm is a kart racing game like Mario Kart but with high-speed Disney and Pixar-inspired characters and racetracks. It's also different as it's a free-to-play with in-game purchases provided in seasons that offer new characters, circuits...

Chocobo GP

Release Date: 10/03/2022

Out Now: Switch

Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Cartoon

Chocobo Go is a racing game where fantasy characters compete to get around the circuits first. Each of the Chocobo characters (characters from Final Fantasy universe) have unique abilities and can equip Magicites items to delay or take out the...

Anki Overdrive

Release Date: 28/05/2010

Out Now: Android and iOS

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Anki Overdrive is a physical slot-car racing game you control with your smartphone. The cars are intelligent and follow the track so you can focus on steering them round the best racing line and triggering virtual weapons. Although discontinued,...

Forza Street

Release Date: 05/05/2020

Out Now: iOS

Coming Soon: PC

Components: 3D Third-Person

Forza Street is a simple racing game from the team behind Forza Motorsport. You race other players to earn and purchase a lineup of high-powered cars. Races are quick and focus on the cinematic rather than realism.

Tectonic (Dreams)

Release Date: 12/07/2020, updated in 2021

Out Now: PS4 and PS5

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Tectonic is a timed single-car racing game. It starts out as an ordinary race through an American city, but soon develops into an exciting experience as you drive through the city while it is being wrecked by an earthquake. Buildings fall all around you...

Ommy Kart (Dreams)

Release Date: 16/07/2019, updated in 2019

Out Now: PS4 and PS5

Skill Rating: 3+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Ommy Kart is a single player racing game. Race around Starfish Island as either Ommy, Frederick Fox, Artio, or Stanley the Bear. Try to beat the computer-controlled drivers to the finish line. You can collect offensive and defensive items along the way,...

Victory Heat Rally

Release Date: Coming soon

Coming Soon: PC and Switch

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead, Cartoon and Pixels

Victory Heat Rally is a frantically fast racing game, like arcade-style experience but with modern features and twists. Visually similar to Power Drift and the older Mario Kart games, but you can upgrade your car....

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Release Date: 16/10/2020

Out Now: Switch

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (Mario Kart Live, MarioKart Home Circuit) is a kart racing game with a difference. You play on the Switch but use it to control a real life Mario kart that races around...

Race with Ryan

Release Date: 09/11/2020

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 3+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Race with Ryan is a kart racing game staring Ryan from the Ryan’s World YouTube channel. Along with the racing you need to collect the Mystery Eggs scattered across each track. Each one then gives you a power up to help you win.

Cars 3: Driven to Win

Release Date: 13/06/2017

Out Now: PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Open World

Cars 3: Driven to Win is a racing adventure game based on the 2017 film. You explore the world of Radiator Springs and other locations from the film. As you do, you meet the other cars, collect items and unlock new areas.

Riders Republic

Release Date: 25/02/2021

Out Now: PS4, PS5, Stadia and Xbox One

Coming Soon: PC and Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Open World

Riders Republic is an extreme sports game. You can mountain bike, ski, snowboard, fly in a wingsuit and rocket-suit. This builds on other spots games with tens of online players competing at once in each event.

Descenders

Release Date: 08/05/2019, updated in 2020

Out Now: Android, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One and iOS

Coming Soon: Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Descenders is a downhill mountain biking game with a focus on skill. In each downhill run, your goal is to score as many points as possible by completing skill based challenges and executing as many tricks and flips as you can, all while you try to...

Crossout

Release Date: 15/05/2015, updated in 2017

Out Now: PC, PS4 and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Crossout is an online vehicle combat game set in a Mad Max, post-apocalyptic world. Players design modular vehicles combine weapons, armour and engines. As you progress in the game you earn currency to upgrade components and access more powerful parts....

Hotshot Racing

Release Date: 10/09/2020

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D First-Person, 3D Third-Person and Cartoon

Hotshot Racing is a simple and fast racing game. You have to drift round corners, hit the apex on razor-sharp bends in coastal, jungle, alpine and Las Vegas desert environments.

Sonic Racing (Series)

Release Date: 23/02/2010

Out Now: 3DS and 2DS, Android, Mac, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One and iPhone, iPad

Skill Rating: 5+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Sonic Racing is the latest kart racing game in a series featuring Sonic the Hedgehog and other Sega characters. Like Mario Kart, you control one of 15 characters in races using fantasy sports cars, while performing tricks,...

Forza Motorsport 7 (Series)

Release Date: 03/10/2017

Out Now: Xbox 360 and Xbox One

Coming Soon: PC

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 3D First-Person, 3D Third-Person and Weather

Forza Motorsport 7 immerses players in the exhilarating thrill of competitive racing. From mastering the new motorsport-inspired campaign to collecting a wide range of cars to experiencing the excitement of driving at the limit, this is Forza reimagined.

Asphalt 9: Legends (Series)

Release Date: 08/10/2019

Out Now: Android, Mac, PC, Switch and iOS

Components: 3D Third-Person

Asphalt 9: Legends is a racing game in the series that focuses on fast driving fun. This year the game adds new cars, a wide range of accessible control schemes, race modes, and nitro boosts for extra speed.

Dirt (Series)

Release Date: 01/01/2007, updated in 2020

Out Now: DS, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Components: 3D First-Person and 3D Third-Person

Dirt 5 is the latest game in a series of extreme sports racing games. Like Forza Horizon or the older MotorStorm games, the series focuses on exuberance and party atmosphere rather than just...

KartRider (Series)

Release Date: 31/05/2020, updated in 2022

Out Now: Android, Mac, PC, PS4, Xbox One and iOS

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead

KartRider is an online kart racing game. You race and customise your kart on a variety of different circuits. Along with the usual fantasy vehicles this includes real cars. It's similar to Mario Kart and has power-ups and drift...

Inertial Drift

Release Date: 11/09/2020

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Components: 3D Third-Person

Inertial Drift is a racing game set in an alternative 90s retro future. Unusually, you use two sticks to control the direction with one stick and the drift with the other. Choose to either enter races or play the single player story mode, where you...

Lifeslide

Release Date: 19/09/2019

Out Now: Apple TV, PC, iOS and iPhone, iPad

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon, Hand-Made and Open World

Lifeslide is an adventure where you fly a paper plane through an ever-changing landscape. It's a metaphorical journey through the stages of life as you learn to use eddies and up-drafts to soar higher and further.

Steep

Release Date: 02/12/2016

Out Now: PC, PS4 and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon, Day and Night and Open World

Steep is an extreme winter sports game set in a fully explorable Alps. You can ski, snowboard, paraglide or wingsuit (fly) down various mountains, with alternate pathways to explore and create. You gain experience points from performing tricks and...

Car Quest

Release Date: 25/10/2018

Out Now: Switch

Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Open World

Car Quest is an exploration puzzle adventure you navigate by driving your car. With no time pressure and a relaxed vibe you can take your time to drive, collect, explore, solve, discover.

Taming Gaming Book Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships.

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