The best racing games on PC

Racing games have long and firmly established their niche. Currently, the variety of projects is astonishing, ranging from the legendary Need For Speed series to the arcade Trackmania. We have compiled the top 20 best racing simulators for you. Let's go!

Need For Speed: Most Wanted 

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We start our selection with a cult project that once set the standard for the genre. Most Wanted is designed in the popular street racing style, where ruthless rules override any laws. One of the main features of this game is that police can join almost any race and start chasing the participants.

The bold, aggressive atmosphere is matched by the music: the soundtrack consists of powerful tracks, with the song "I Am Rock" remaining in the hearts of many players. The car selection is also impressive: more than 30 different models with varying characteristics, handling. Additionally, there are extensive customization options. The game has aged well and is perfect for those new to the genre.

GRID Autosport

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The third, final part of the GRID series tries to be everything at once: it features supercar races, street-style races, a career mode. Despite the variety of options, the quality of car handling does not suffer: whether it's a drift car or a high-speed racing car, each of the approximately hundred cars in the game feels unique.

Another major advantage of the simulator is the damage physics system. Did you cut off a competitor? The tires will lose grip, thus speed. If you hit an opponent hard, the suspension and engine can be damaged. GRID Autosport doesn’t offer unique mechanics or groundbreaking innovations, but it remains a reliable, challenging, and proven racing game where every genre enthusiast will find something to enjoy.

Assetto Corsa Competizione

Image:  simracer.es

Italian developers don't often make headlines in the gaming industry, but Assetto Corsa Competizione is an outstanding racing simulator created for the GT World Challenge, formerly known as the Blancpain GT Series until 2019. The title recreates the atmosphere of the 2018-2019 tournament season and all its inherent elements: detailed tracks and all participating cars.

The available sports cars will make any heart skip a beat: Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT3 2019, Porsche 911 GT3 R 2018, Ferrari 488 GT3 2018… In total, there are 30 cars, each with its own characteristics, handling. There are only two drawbacks: a limited number of tracks, ultra-realistic car behavior simulation. For experienced gamers who have driven tens of thousands of virtual miles, the latter will certainly be an advantage, but newcomers might find it a bit unusual.

Art of Rally

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After the strict realism of Assetto Corsa, the sophisticated, stylish Art of Rally allows you to relax, simply enjoy the visuals. The project stands out among competitors with its visual style: warm, pleasant minimalism. Additionally, the setting is the 1960s-1980s, which imposes its own limitations: the game features cars from that era.

The title balances between arcade, realism: different surfaces provide different levels of grip, there’s shaking when using the handbrake, and the cars feel heavy. Moreover, the camera is positioned unconventionally, almost from above, as if the car is being filmed by a helicopter.

This racing simulator will appeal to those who are tired of the cold, metallic sheen of sports cars and want to immerse themselves in a soft, calming atmosphere.

DiRT Rally 2.0

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There's no time to relax here! Brutal, challenging, possibly the best racing + rally simulator combined. The DiRT series is legendary, starting in 1998 with Colin McRae Rally and has since firmly established its niche.

The most important aspects – car handling, physics – are executed at a high level: breaking headlights during a daytime race means you’ll be left without lights at night, falling behind competitors and ending up in a disappointing second-to-last place. Moreover, as in real competitions, it's not enough to just drive the car: you need to listen carefully to the co-driver's instructions, or else the race is lost. Fortunately, this function is optional.

This race will appeal to all challenge enthusiasts and can present far more difficulties than even the Dark Souls series.

F1 23

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Codemasters are arguably the most experienced developers of racing simulators in the gaming industry. Since the 2010s, they have focused almost exclusively on this genre and have achieved great success in it. In F1 23, the developers have once again shown their best and continued the racing series about high-speed car races.

Of course, there's no choice other than Formula 1 cars. They are well-crafted, with physics close to realism but not irritating, and flexible car settings such as tire pressure levels allow players to adjust the gameplay to their style.

The project will definitely appeal to fans of this high-speed sport.

Split/Second

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Now we move on to more arcade representatives of the genre. Split/Second features an unusual narrative — the events take place in a reality show where participants must not only be the first to reach the finish line but also eliminate opponents by any means necessary. The most exciting part is precisely the latter, as both competitors and the player can activate traps set along the track. You can never be sure that in the next ten seconds, there won't be an explosion or a bridge support collapsing!

Car handling remains at an arcade level and isn't as flexible as in other racing games. However, the title covers the basics well enough: drifting, sharp braking, and the heavy feel of the cars.

Epic, dynamic, and engaging — these words perfectly describe the project from Black Rock Studio.

Wreckfest

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Brutal but fun races without rules. The spiritual successor to FlatOut has brought the formula of crazy races almost to perfection. It's not about how fast the player's car is or how skillfully they overtake competitors, but about how powerfully they crash into the opponent! The main goal here is to have fun and destroy everything that moves.

In this regard, the game has succeeded greatly — car damage is processed in real-time, and a head-on collision will crumple the body into an accordion. Additionally, there are several indicators showing the condition of various parts. The handling is entirely arcade-like, with no subtleties or intricacies, but in a project like Wreckfest, that's all you need.

Another plus is the extensive customization options. Want to add armor or upgrade the engine? No problem! Extra body kits or paint jobs? Of course! The developers nailed it: creating "Carmageddon" is much more fun with a stylish car.

This title is perfect for those who love causing chaos on virtual roads and having fun.

Road Redemption

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As described by the developers: "Mad Max fans will feel right at home here". There’s a lot of truth in that because, unlike other racing games, in this one, you have to deal with enemies on a motorcycle using melee weapons! Bats, clubs, katanas, pipes, and even kicks — the variety of options for eliminating competitors is impressive.

Simply overtaking them won't work: the project rewards in-game currency and experience for aggressive gameplay. Additionally, oncoming cars can end a race for opponents.

You can have fun alone in campaign mode, with friends in co-op up to four players, or online. Road Redemption offers several characters (unlocked throughout the storyline) with unique abilities: one might have low HP but strong weapons, while another has nitro but no weapons.

This fun yet brutal title may not appeal to everyone. However, if you're tired of classic racing simulators and just want to have some fun, this project is definitely a worthwhile choice.

MotoGP 23

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There aren't many racing simulators specializing in motorcycles on the market. The MotoGP series has long been valued by fans for its quality representation of the sport on screens.

The main elements of physics are top-notch: road grip, motorcycle behavior, flexible settings for both simulation and gamepad or keyboard. A distinguishing feature of the 23rd part is the weather conditions. They now affect the gameplay so significantly that you need to pay close attention to them during a race, or the motorcycle will simply skid off the track.

Additionally, there's an AI assistance feature for difficult moments, with three modes. However, it might only be useful for beginners trying to get acquainted with the genre. For veterans, this option might just get in the way.

MotoGP 23 is an excellent choice for those who find motorcycles more appealing than cars.

The Crew 2

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The Crew 2 is unlike any other racing game because here you can switch between different types of vehicles on the fly! It sounds a bit absurd, but after a while, the ability to switch from a sports car to a boat and then to a plane becomes familiar, even entertaining.

The project is entirely arcade-style. The physics are not as refined as in some other top representatives of our list, but the emphasis is on the variety of transportation methods, and their number is impressive. The storyline is simple: hundreds of racers from all over the USA compete for money, fame, recognition, and the title of the best.

Customization, upgrading your fleet are also available: from painting the body to replacing the suspension — a classic set for almost any arcade racing game, inherited from the days of Underground or Most Wanted.

Spending time in The Crew 2 is fun. The graphics are bright, vibrant. The gameplay is engaging, exciting. It is recommended for everyone who loves variety and fast driving on virtual tracks.

Forza Horizon 5

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The next title on our list is also largely an open-world arcade racer with a huge variety of content. The project features over 500 cars and around 1800 different achievements! There’s plenty to keep you busy for a long time.

Moreover, the entire huge fleet of cars can be customized to taste,  preference: the user can change the engine or play with the exterior in the editor.

Forza Horizon 5 offers users a wide range of activities, points of interest, various races, challenges. The visual component is particularly noteworthy. The car models are top-notch, and the local landscapes make you want to switch to photo mode every ten minutes.

This racing simulator is perfect for fans of the "sandbox" format, where you need to set your own goals, explore the world, and discover new places, cars.

TrackMania

Image: ubisoft.com

TrackMania has long held a reputation in the gaming community as a fun, dynamic game. There’s no pomp, seriousness, or hint of realism — the physics feel like toy cars.

The gameplay formula hasn't changed in twenty years. The main goal of any track is to reach the finish line as efficiently, quickly as possible, overcoming jumps, loops.

To achieve the best result, you need to make dozens of runs, nail every turn perfectly, and use shortcuts. TrackMania tests players' persistence, perseverance and allows them to compete with other users.

This race will appeal to those who love perfecting their skills.

FlatOut

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At the time of its release, FlatOut was a unique project, a phenomenon that Bugbear Entertainment repeated a decade later with Wreckfest. Nowhere before this game had such detailed car damage physics been seen. Another feature was the mechanic where, upon collision with an obstacle, the driver could be ejected through the windshield. In one of the challenges, the further they flew, the more points the player received!

It's no wonder that among racing games, FlatOut became quite an unusual phenomenon. The main goal of each race is to prevent opponents from reaching the finish line by crashing into them. Besides this, there are other modes, such as survival or fun challenges.

The project is suitable for all those who love to have fun. It becomes especially vibrant when playing with friends.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2

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The famous toy cars have made it to computers! In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2, their virtual versions are meticulously detailed to match the real-world originals.

The title is entirely arcade, which is not surprising. The controls are simple, smooth, and intuitive, with a few additional moves like a double jump. The gameplay depth comes from the upgrades — you can improve the cars, boosting their characteristics, and there are several classes, each with its own strengths, weaknesses.

This racing simulator is not like FlatOut with its adult seriousness. Here, the cars don’t even have drivers. Nevertheless, the project encourages knocking out opponents and setting up traps, obstacles for them.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for lively, dynamic gameplay.

Asphalt 9: Legends

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The Asphalt series began its rise to the top of the best racing games from mobile phones. Then it transitioned to smartphones, gained 3D graphics, greater detail, and a few years ago, it made its way to desktop computers.

Asphalt 9 is largely an arcade game with a car lineup of more than 50 elite vehicles, including the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, Lamborghini Terzo Millenio, Bugatti Chiron, and other prestigious cars.

There are many tracks based on real locations, and the races themselves resemble street races from the heyday of the first "The Fast and the Furious": stylish, fast, colorful.

There are no deep, complex mechanics here, making this title perfect for relaxing, effortlessly hitting speeds of over 250 km/h.

Distance

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Definitely the most unusual entry in our top list! There aren't many games with a "neon + cyberpunk" aesthetic, and each project is unique in its own way.

Visually, Distance resembles the film "Tron", "Nitronic Rush", the fairly old project AudioSurf. In terms of gameplay, it's a mix of TrackMania, Hot Wheels: simple but enjoyable physics allow cars to soar off ramps, perform flips, triple somersaults, and drive on walls in certain sections.

The most enjoyable aspect here: user-created levels, which the developer claims exceed 2500! Additionally, you can create your own tracks, as the title includes an editor.

This project will appeal to all arcade racing enthusiasts.

Burnout Paradise Remastered

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At its time, Criterion Games redefined the racing genre: competing to see who reaches the finish line fastest is cool, but smashing everything around, including opponents, is even cooler! That's the motto of Burnout Paradise.

Of course, there were FlatOut, Carmageddon, but this project is much larger. More cars, more dynamics, and more arcade action. Plus, it features an open world: drive wherever you want and do whatever you want.

In the remaster version, the main gameplay formula hasn't changed: only the graphics, lighting, and, of course, vehicle destructibility have improved. Causing major crashes on the highway is a unique pleasure! Among other open-world racing projects, this is an undeniable advantage of the title.

Recommended for everyone without exception.

NASCAR Heat 5

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Another quality implementation of real racing tournaments. NASCAR Heat 5 is based on the 2020 competition and includes all the teams, cars, tracks involved in the event.

As with any similar simulator, there is a vast selection of control settings and vehicle management options, as well as well-developed car behavior physics. In this regard, the entire NASCAR series deserves credit.

One of the main features is the races themselves, involving 40 sports cars. This makes each race extremely intense, constantly testing the player's skills, attentiveness, reaction.

This project will appeal to all fans of this sport and those who want to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of world racing competitions.

Need for Speed Unbound

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Our selection opened and closed with games from the legendary series, with a 17-year gap between them. There have been many experiments, and over the years, different aspects of the titles have been emphasized: storylines, chases, street races, and even a semblance of an MMO. The community believes that Need for Speed has run its course, but each time the developers come up with something new.

Fans greeted Unbound quite skeptically, but the title showed that behind the stylish graphics, effects lies everything users love about the NFS series. The developers improved car physics, updated the AI, and made car upgrades more user-friendly. Overall, it's still the same open-world racing simulator with a wide variety of cars, tuning options, several competitive disciplines, trendy soundtrack.

Unbound is recommended for all fans of the genre.

We hope you found a title for a pleasant pastime. Do you have any favorites among racing games? Share them in the comments!

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