Racing games have been popular among gamers since the golden age of arcade games. This great success cleared the way for numerous developers to construct complete racing series. Few game series have managed to convey the essence of racing with such astonishing intensity in the arena of virtual speed and adrenaline-fueled competition. From the classic arcady Outrun series to the fast and furious Need For Speed all the way to the endearing Forza series, there is always something for every kind of racing enthusiast.
The racing franchises have continuously given outstanding titles across each console generation, leading to the genre being perfected after each title. In today’s article, we’ll take a deep dive into gaming history, providing you with both classic and recent eras and covering multiple subgenres. So, without further ado, fasten your seat belt, buckle up, and prepare for a long journey through the best racing video game series of all time.
 | Need for Speed™ |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date December 09, 1994 (29 years) |  | First Entry Road & Track® Presents The Need for Speed™ |
 | Country of Origin Canada |
 | Main Developer EA Vancouver |
 | Main Publisher Electronic Arts |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
The Need For Speed series requires no introduction; this famous series offered years of success with entries that are still considered classics today. The series began as a usual blend of sim and arcade racing but quickly transitioned to the arcade genre with unrealistic driving and full chase sequences. This new method bridges the gap between racing enthusiasts and casual players, with both groups finding something to enjoy in every release in the franchise. Need for Speed Carbon, Underground, and Most Wanted revolutionized the open-world racing genre and left its mark as one of the top racing games in gaming history. In the years since the series has experimented with full simulation video games such as Need For Speed Shift and its direct successor.
The series then maintained its popularity with spectacular reboots produced by the famed Criterion studio, while the years that followed were a little rough around the edges. Later years saw the series’ full relaunch with the release of Need For Speed (2015), followed by a slew of successful titles that paid homage to the prior iconic titles. As of the day of writing this article, the series has over 25 titles to enjoy if you’re a newcomer to the series I hugely recommend revisiting the PlayStation 2 era titles, and pick up for there to the next generation and so on.
 | Forza |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date May 03, 2005 (19 years) |  | First Entry Forza Motorsport |
 | Country of Origin United States |
| Main Developer Turn 10 Studios | |
 | Main Publisher Xbox Game Studios |
| Main Genre Simulation Racing | |
The Forza series was Microsoft’s response to the enormously popular PlayStation blockbuster series Gran Turismo. With its first title launched in 2005, Microsoft hoped to capture the hearts of simulation racing lovers, and it did as it was a major success with both critics and gamers. The series was then continued with a couple of sequels that concentrated completely on realism and drove both the original Xbox and the Xbox 360 to their limits. Following four consecutive Forza Motorsport titles, the newly formed firm Playground Games threw a bombshell into gaming history with the release of the first Forza Horizon title.
This time Microsoft took a different approach with a fully open world environment where you can free roam the beautiful landscape while completing various events and challenges. This new approach attracted a whole new set of audience who enjoyed arcade racers. The initial popularity of Forza Horizon paved the way for multiple sequels, making it one of the most successful and finest arcade racing series to this day.
Despite the success of Forza Horizon, the original series did not lose its luster, as numerous successful sequels were created in the years that followed, covering every Xbox console to this day. Overall, Forza Motorsport is by far the best franchise on this list, giving plenty for both hardcore sim enthusiasts and arcade fans who appreciate a free ride on Europe’s wide coast.
 | Gran Turismo |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date December 23, 1997 (26 years) |  | First Entry Gran Turismo |
 | Country of Origin Japan |
 | Main Developer Polyphony Digital |
 | Main Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Main Genre Simulation Racing | |
Gran Turismo was intended to be “The Real Driving Simulator,” as stated on the first game cover, and it certainly was a rigorous driving simulation series. Gran Turismo was a great surprise for both gamers and critics when it was first released on the formidable PlayStation 1. With over 140 real licensed cars, incredible mechanics, and outstanding course design, the game provided a comprehensive racing simulation experience at home. This success cleared the path for the game to grow into a full-fledged sim-racers franchise, leading to a sequel in the years that followed. The sequel improved on the formula used on the first PlayStation, resulting in another major success that increased the series’ popularity.
The series continued its triumph by transitioning to the next generation of consoles where it dropped four outstanding titles that pushed the mighty PlayStation 2 to its limit. As the technology evolved in the following years, Gran Turismo took the leap to the HD realm with over 1000 cars to drive and more precise realism and physics. Sim racer enthusiasts were drooling over the outstanding graphics of the mighty Playstation 3, but graphics were not the only things that Gran Turismo offered during the time.
The physics and handling system was completely improved to provide a genuine feel and handling, and extra attention was taken with each and every car to imitate real-life cars in every way. The success of Gran Turismo 7 was sustained with the release of the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, with one of the most realistic visuals and physics in the world of gaming. On the whole, Gran Turismo is a must-play for any racing fan, let alone sim-racing aficionados, if you enjoy sim racing games I beg you to pick a Gran Turismo title to have a taste of this wonderful series.
 | Ridge Racer |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date December 03, 1995 (28 years) |  | First Entry Ridge Racer Revolution |
| Country of Origin Japan |
 | Main Developer & Publisher Namco |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
Ridge Racer combined the thrill of drift-based racing with an outstanding selection of capturing music, unlike many series at the time Ridge Raced focused more on unrealistic driving where it tried to sacrifice the realistic feel over the arcade enjoyment and the sonic speed feel. From its early arcade adaption to its subsequent home console release, this series has always won the hearts of arcade fans with its unique futuristic style and amazing drifting mechanics. This concept grew over time to include new ideas, a large number of licensed cars, and, of course, a significant leap in graphic quality from one generation to the next.
Unfortunately, the series’ early success faded away in the later years since the publishers kind of gave up on the whole series since the 2012 Ridge Racer Unbound release which weirdly tried to take on a whole new approach compared to the classic early titles. Although the series is fairly dead at the time of writing this post, if you’re new to the series, I highly recommend reviewing the early games as they mark a classic era of arcade racing games.
 | Wipeout |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date September 29, 1995 (28 years) |  | First Entry Wipeout |
 | Country of Origin United Kingdom |
 | Main Developer Studio Liverpool |
| Main Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
The success of the Wipeout series came at the expense of swimming against the current; developers at the time had the bravery to do something so new that it stands out in comparison to other racing titles at the time. This racing series takes a futuristic perspective, with races set in the distant future. The user pilots one of the several futuristic ships, competing in a series of races across antigravity tracks. The series adds more to the mix adding weapon and upgrade to the races where you can simply pick and use them to gain the upper hand over your opponents.
The success of the original game on the formidable PlayStation 1 cleared the path for more sequels on the same platform, and so on through the subsequent generations of consoles, all the way to the underrated PlayStation Vita. Even if the series has been on an ambiguous pause, every single title is worth revisiting, especially for fans of science fiction and future settings.
 | Outrun™ |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date September 25, 1986 (37 years) |  | First Entry OutRun |
| Country of Origin Japan |
 | Main Developer & Publisher SEGA |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
As one of the earliest racing franchises ever, Outrun first appeared on an arcade cabinet and quickly gained popularity. It subsequently made its way to home consoles on the powerful Sega Master System and eventually to many platforms and handhelds throughout the years. The main idea of the game was fairly simple but the simple approach is not always a bad thing. Players have the opportunity to drive a Ferrari across an endless coast road where the goal is to keep driving at full speed while avoiding traffic and drifting on the incoming tight corners.
The same concept persisted into the 16-bit gaming period with a few minor adjustments here and there. Following a brief break, the series’ true successor was released as a full 3D reinvention that made its way to arcade cabinets and later home consoles like the original Xbox and the PlayStation 2. A dozen cars to unlock, predefined tracks, and many more brilliant concepts were added in the 3D relaunch. This success was followed by a straight sequel, which went on to become one of the greatest 3D arcade racing games of all time. Unfortunately, the series’ popularity did not persist, since Sega has been putting the series on hold since 2009.
 | Midnight Club |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date October 26, 2000 (23 years) |  | First Entry Midnight Club: Street Racing |
| Country of Origin United States |
 | Main Developer Rockstar San Diego |
 | Main Publisher Rockstar Games |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
Midnight Club was released during a period when Need For Speed titles dominated the market; nevertheless, despite this stiff competition, Midnight Club managed to carve out its own niche by listening to critics’ and fans’ feedback and consistently improving with each sequel. The game provided a distinct ambiance by emphasizing on both open-world characteristics and the beautiful realm of underground racing. The player roams several imaginary locations based on several towns in the United States.
The goal of each event is to be the first to cross the finish line while drifting around tight turns and taking shortcuts to gain an advantage. The series’ enormous popularity on the PlayStation 2 motivated the developers to take a fresh step forward, publishing Midnight Club: Los Angeles on the formidable PlayStation 3. Although this was the series’ final entry, it was the best of the bunch, merging all of the wonderful qualities of the previous game into a flawlessly wrapped sequel.
 | Colin McRae Rally / DiRT |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date 1998 (25 years) |  | First Entry Colin McRae Rally |
| Country of Origin United Kingdom |
 | Main Developer & Publisher Codemasters |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
The Colin McRae Rally series came out as strong realistic rally video games, the legendary Codemasters development studio knew exactly how to capture the heart of rally fans with outstanding graphics, and one of the most realistic and authentic physics to this very day. The first two games were a big success on the PlayStation 1, so creators decided to continue the series on the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox. These sequels were also a huge success paving the way for the wildly popular DiRT series to come to light.
This time, the producers will forego the series’ long-standing realistic approach in favor of a more arcady atmosphere in which players compete in a series of colorful events across muddy tracks. Despite the fact that DiRT was a big success, Codemasters decided to revive the series’ roots with Dirt Rally 1 and 2. These two titles went back to the series’ beginnings with a full concentration on realistic rally events, fully licensed cars, and accurate physics. Overall, the Colin McRae Rally/Dirt series offers the best blend of realism and arcade, with 13 titles squeezing out the excitement of both sim-racers and over-the-top arcade racers.
 | Burnout |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date November 01, 2001 (22 years) |  | First Entry Burnout |
| Country of Origin United Kingdom |
 | Main Developer Criterion Games |
| Main Publisher Electronic Arts |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
The designers of the Burnout series knew just how to combine the excitement of racing with mayhem; this excellent series concentrated more on destruction since the player could ram, push, and wreck other opponents’ vehicles. This potential was expanded with unique modes such as road rage and crash mode, which allow the player to focus solely on destruction, providing a distinct experience when compared to the countless arcade racers released throughout the PS2 era.
This massive success paved the way for a slew of sequels, including the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and even the formidable Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. After several years of popularity, the series released its last offering as a fully open-world game called Burnout Paradise, which was hailed by critics and fans as one of the best arcade racers of the seventh generation of consoles. While Paradise was the final game released to this day, it was later rereleased as a remaster on all new systems and PC. All things considered, the Burnout series is a great classic that should be played at least once in the life of any gamer; if you enjoy slamming or smashing cars while racing, this series will keep you occupied for a very long time.
 | F-Zero™ |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date November 21, 1990 (33 years) |  | First Entry F-Zero™ |
| Country of Origin Japan |
 | Main Developer Nintendo EAD |
 | Main Publisher Nintendo |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
Talking about F-Zero is a bit sad because Nintendo has been putting this fantastic franchise on the back burner since 2004. F-zero debuted on the mighty Super Nintendo as one of the best arcade racers on the machine, with the player controlling one of the several futuristic automobiles in high-speed galactic races. The game’s high speed and challenge were well received by hardcore players at the time, making the first game a true classic to this day. With an iconic design of playable pilots such as Captain Falcon, Samurai Goroh, and the sinister Black Shadow, Nintendo made sure to give additional personality to the game.
The great popularity of the first game cleared the door for a sequel that made a seamless transition to the 3D world and was launched for the Nintendo 64. The series’ success was then extended with more sequels including F-Zero GX this later game was often considered the best of both worlds as it perfected the game formula with an extended cast, new tracks, and many additional contents. While the franchise has unfortunately been put on hold for several years, this wonderful series has always maintained inspiring new creators and gamers alike. If you’re even remotely interested in futuristic arcade racing, F-zero is undoubtedly one of the best series that refined the genre in its brief lifespan.
 | WRC |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date November 30, 2001 (22 years) | First Entry World Rally Championship |
 | Country of Origin France |
 | Main Developer Kylotonn |
| Main Publisher BigBen Interactive | |
| Main Genre Simulation Racing | |
Fans of realistic sim-racers will feel right at home with WRC, this incredible series was dedicated to producing an authentic rally game that both hardcore and casual fans can enjoy. The series debuted in early 2000, and its initial title quickly earned a following due to its authentic and realistic approach. Developers took benefit of the first game’s success to offer a string of sequels across various generations of consoles. Each of these successors expands on the rally concept by adding additional graphics, features, and vehicles.
Later games made it easier for casual gamers like myself to have fun without being concerned with the game’s numerous simulation options. Despite the fact that later games in the series provided a more casual experience, hardcore gamers could still alter the options to have an accurate rally sim with realistic handling, a manual gearbox, and the opportunity to tweak the car before each competition. Overall, WRC is a good series that you can enjoy year after year. Its simple design and approach make it an easy game to choose and play while uncovering new features with each sequel.
 | Trackmania |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date November 21, 2003 (20 years) |  | First Entry TrackMania |
| Country of Origin France |
 | Main Developer Ubisoft Nadeo |
 | Main Publisher Ubisoft |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
Trackmania was a huge surprise during its initial release since it took a whole different approach compared to other racers during that time. Ubisoft took a distinct strategy with this game, delivering short courses with odd roads and designs; this innovative approach thrilled the audience, giving this game a large fan base that aided in the series’ expansion over time.
One of the game’s key features is the track editor, which allows players to utilize their imagination to create their own race tracks and share them with other fans online. The multiplayer option, in which users battled against one other in prebuilt and creative tracks, was also a tremendous success. Although the series was only available on PC, its success led the way for two Nintendo DS titles, one Wii reboot, and, finally, a console version released on both the PS4 and Xbox One. As of the making of this article the series has offered over 14 main titles over the course of 20 years, you can download the latest version for free on Steam and Epic Store.
 | Project Gotham Racing® |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date November 15, 2001 (22 years) |  | First Entry Project Gotham Racing |
| Country of Origin United Kingdom |
 | Main Developer Bizarre Creations |
| Main Publisher Xbox Game Studios |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
This overlooked series began way back in the early days of the original Xbox as a beautiful blend of both arcade and simulation, which hit the right spot for a lot of gamers at the time. The series later included three more Xbox-exclusive sequels that improved in terms of looks, essence, and soundtrack. The dynamic weather effect, as well as the fantastic graphics at the time, were two of the game’s primary selling points.
The game maintained its exceptional atmosphere with a distinctive art design, the option to select and import your own music tracks when racing, and many other features. Furthermore, the game was noted for its innovative Kudo system, which awarded the player for skilled driving maneuvers such as drifting, power slides, and near misses. Despite all of these unique elements, the series has been dormant since its last release on the Xbox 360; however, I’m confident that racing fans will enjoy revisiting this series’ four releases on both consoles.
 | Test Drive™ |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date 1987 (36 years) |  | First Entry Test Drive™ |
| Country of Origin United Kingdom |
 | Main Developer Pitbull Syndicate |
 | Main Publisher Accolade |
| Main Genre Arcade Racing | |
As one of the oldest franchises on this list, Test Drive has gone through multiple generations, dating back to the late 1980s. As the title suggests, the series’ major focus is on letting the player take a Test Drive over various locations, testing their driving skills and pushing the car to its limits. As technology advanced, the series made the leap to the 3D world with Test Drive Off-Road. Unlike previous titles, this game focuses on off-road racing, with the user controlling a wide range of 4×4 cars in exciting races against friends and AI.
The series would subsequently go on to produce a few good sequels, including arcade racers, rally racers, and simulation racers. This long classic series will enter a new era in 2006 when developers lift the curtain on the first Test Drive Unlimited. This amazing game was well received by both fans and critics since it introduced players to a huge open-world map where they can participate in various events while building a fortune and buying houses, as well as a plethora of licensed cars.
This success paved the way for a sequel named Test Drive Unlimited 2 five years later. This excellent sequel was what fans were hoping for as it expanded on the previous game concept with better visuals, a larger map, and an even greater range of vehicles. While the series has been on hiatus since 2012, to our luck developers took advantage of the opportunity to revive the franchise when they announced a new sequel for the Unlimited series.
 | F1™ |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date March 24, 2000 (24 years) |  | First Entry EA Sports™ F1 2000 |
| Country of Origin United Kingdom |
| Main Developer & Publisher Codemasters |
| Main Genre Simulation Racing | |
F1 has always been the fastest racing championship, resulting in dozens of F1 games – both official and unofficial – up until the point EA Sports™ got the F1™ license. It didn’t go as expected however, and after a long hiatus between 2003 & 2009, Codemasters received the license and started releasing annual entries from F1 2009 onwards. EA ended up acquiring Codemasters down the line, therefore the “EA Sports™” acronym came into play.
Enough with history though, since the F1 games don’t need to rely on any licenses or celebrities to succeed! Arguably one of the best sim-racing series, placing a heavy emphasis on realistic handling through a racing wheel, but at the same time offering controller players a big part of the excitement! Offering a huge array of simulation settings, the F1 games can even be enjoyed in an arcade setting, letting you get all the speed, without the “hassle” of driving a real F1 car!
 | MotoGP™ |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Initial Release Date February 15, 2002 (22 years) |  | First Entry MotoGP Ultimate Racing Technology |
 | Country of Origin Italy |
 | Main Developer & Publisher Milestone |
| Main Genre Simulation Racing | |
To this day, the MotoGP series is by far the best Motorcycle racers sim. This excellent series knew precisely what simulation fans would expect in a MotoGP game and gave just that. MotoGP’s primary aim since the early 2000s has been to create an authentic experience while upping the challenge threshold. This unique combination resulted in a well-crafted simulation in which hardcore gamers will spend hours learning the controls, understanding the mechanics, and memorizing each track.
Later, the developers would partner with the commercial rights owners of the MotoGP championship, resulting in a massive cast of licensed Motorcycles, pilots, and tracks. The series would continue from there, with a slew of sequels that saw the game improve with each version. The series made significant advancement with its debut HD release as technology advanced, and it has since continued to produce excellent titles all the way up to current-generation consoles. Overall, MotoGP is a very reliable series that offers a fantastic home-based simulation of the MotoGP championship, if you’re a challenge seeker this series might be your next favorite sim racer.
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Freecs
A casual gamer who loves everything Nintendo, and swears by arcade racers, platformers, and hack 'n slash games.
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