WHAT TO PLAY

Racing games

383 games in the catalog

A racing game rests on one simple idea: you drive a machine faster than you could ever run, and you try to keep it on the track. The groundwork was laid by electromechanical arcade cabinets of the 1960s, which projected a road onto rotating drums and had a real steering wheel. Video games took over the idea in 1974, when Atari released Gran Trak 10 and Taito released Speed Race. From there the genre branches in two directions. One wants driving boiled down to reflexes, shortcuts and power-ups; the other wants the feel of a real car, with its weight, grip and wear.

It has lasted because anyone understands the rules within a minute: whoever crosses the line first wins. At the same time almost anything the hardware allows can be bolted on, from perspective to physics to online seasons. That is why racing returns with every hardware generation, and why it is so often one of the first genres used to show off a new machine.

Today (2015 onwards)

64 games in the catalog

After 2015 racing spread into several streams. Forza Horizon 4 (2018) combined an open world with seasons shared by all players, and Gran Turismo Sport (2017) built its career around online races and official FIA championships. Simulation returned to strictness: DiRT Rally (2015) and iRacing offer driving where one mistake costs the race. At the other end stand Rocket League, where cars play football, and Wreckfest with its deforming bodywork. Virtual reality, direct-drive wheels and the adaptive triggers of the DualSense controller in Gran Turismo 7 were added. Many games now also appear on phones and the Switch.

Fast Fusion – boxart Switch 2

Fast Fusion

Switch 2 Závodní ⏱ S

Anti-gravity racing from Shin'en that squeezes more out of the small studio than you'd expect.

Kirby Air Riders – boxart Switch 2

Kirby Air Riders

Switch 2 Závodní ⏱ M

Sakurai's sequel to Kirby Air Ride, with deliberately simplified, accessible controls.

Mario Kart World – boxart Switch 2

Mario Kart World

Switch 2 Závodní ⏱ XL ⭐ Must-play

The Switch 2 launch title that for the first time connected all the tracks into one continuous map.

F1 24 – boxart PS5

F1 24

PS5Series Závodní simulace ⏱ L

The official F1 game with a driving model built on "car feel".

MotoGP 24 – boxart PS5

MotoGP 24

PS5Series Závodní simulace ⏱ L

The official MotoGP game with the full starting grid and tire wear.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown – boxart PS5

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

PS5Series Závodní ⏱ L

A return after ten years: an open Hong Kong Island and the fight between two rival factions.

EA Sports WRC – boxart PS5

EA Sports WRC

PS5Series Závodní simulace ⏱ L

The WRC license returns to Codemasters: track surface changes with the weather and rivals' tire marks.

F1 23 – boxart PS5

F1 23

PS5Series Závodní ⏱ L

The return of a story campaign to the F1 series; a human dimension for an otherwise cold simulator.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged – boxart Series

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged

Series Zavodni ⏱ M

Arcade racing on Hot Wheels tracks; the courses wind through entire households.

MotoGP 23 – boxart Series

MotoGP 23

Series Závodní ⏱ M

The official MotoGP simulation; the Rivals mode revives legendary duels from the nineties.

Ride 5 – boxart PS5

Ride 5

PS5 Závodní simulace ⏱ M

A motorcycle simulation from Milestone with an extensive lineup spanning history to circuits.

The Crew Motorfest – boxart PS5

The Crew Motorfest

PS5SeriesPS4 Závodní ⏱ L

An open world narrowed down to a single Hawaiian island; content divided into themed playlists.

The HD generation (2005–2014)

111 games in the catalog

The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 brought HD and, above all, a permanent connection. Online leaderboards and multiplayer became part of the game rather than an extra. Racing opened up into whole cities: Midnight Club: Los Angeles and Burnout Paradise (2008) let players roam a city with no tracks and no menus between events. The police chases of Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005) set the direction of that series for years. Simulation carried on in Forza Motorsport and Project Gotham Racing. Meanwhile the iPhone brought tilt-steered mobile racing such as Asphalt, and Trials HD (2009) turned a motorbike into a physics puzzle.

Asphalt Overdrive – boxart Mobil

Asphalt Overdrive

Mobil Arkádové závody ⏱ S

Nekonečné pouliční závody na útěku před policií, stavěné čistě pro dotykový displej.

Assetto Corsa – boxart PC

Assetto Corsa

PCPCVRXONE Závodní simulátor ⏱ XL ⭐ Must-play

A racing simulator built on the most faithful possible driving model and scanned real-world tracks.

Driveclub – boxart PS4

Driveclub

PS4 Závodní ⏱ M

A racing game on the border between arcade and simulation from the creators of MotorStorm; the cars have a noticeable weight.

Forza Horizon 2 – boxart X360

Forza Horizon 2

X360XONE závodní hra (arkádové závody v otevřeném světě) ⏱ M

Stejný název, jiný tým i hardware: verze pro Xbox 360 je jiná hra pro starší konzoli.

GRID Autosport – boxart PC

GRID Autosport

PCMobilSwitch závodní hra ⏱ M

Původní PC verze z roku 2014 nabízí volant a plnou grafiku bez ústupků mobilu.

Mario Kart 8 – boxart Wii U

Mario Kart 8

Wii U Závodní ⏱ M ⭐ Must-play

The peak of the series thanks to anti-gravity; tracks twist into loops and you even drive on the ceiling.

MotoGP 14 – boxart PS3

MotoGP 14

PS3 Závodní simulace / motorky ⏱ M

Italské studio Milestone a sezóna 2014 na stárnoucí PS3

Trials Fusion – boxart X360

Trials Fusion

X360XONE Motocyklová plošinovka / závodní ⏱ M

Poslední velký Trials na Xboxu 360, těsně před koncem jeho éry.

Asphalt 8: Airborne – boxart Mobil

Asphalt 8: Airborne

Mobil Závodní ⏱ L

Arcade racing with flashy mid-air stunts; a Gameloft icon.

Forza Motorsport 5 – boxart XONE

Forza Motorsport 5

XONE Racing simulation ⏱ M

A launch title for the Xbox One; laser-scanned tracks and photorealistic car lighting.

Gran Turismo 6 – boxart PS3

Gran Turismo 6

PS3 Racing simulator ⏱ XL

Over twelve hundred cars and the GT Academy project linking the game to real-world racing.

MotoGP 13 – boxart Vita

MotoGP 13

VitaPS3 Závodní ⏱ M

A licensed motorcycle championship from the junior class all the way to the premier class.

The arrival of 3D (1995–2004)

111 games in the catalog

With 3D accelerators and the PlayStation, polygons became standard and the track stopped being a strip you drive along and became a space. Analogue controls, from the Nintendo 64 stick to the DualShock, allowed fine steering, and force-feedback wheels brought a sense of the road to the PC. Gran Turismo (1997) built a console simulation on licensed cars, licence tests and tuning, while Colin McRae Rally (1998) brought timed rally stages with a co-driver. Mario Kart 64 kept the lighter branch going, Burnout (2001) rewarded risky driving past traffic, and Need for Speed: Underground (2003) added tuning.

Asphalt: Urban GT – boxart DS

Asphalt: Urban GT

DSJava ME Zavodni ⏱ M

Arcade racing adapted to the DS's weak hardware; short time-trial and head-to-head races.

Burnout 3: Takedown – boxart PS2

Burnout 3: Takedown

PS2Xbox Racing ⏱ M

Perhaps the best arcade racer ever made; you recharge boost by driving dangerously and taking down rivals.

Colin McRae Rally 04 – boxart Xbox

Colin McRae Rally 04

Xbox Zavodni ⏱ M

Realistic rally driving on asphalt, gravel, and snow; the co-driver's calls are essential.

Gran Turismo 4 – boxart PS2

Gran Turismo 4

PS2 Racing ⏱ XL ⭐ Must-play

Over seven hundred licensed cars, the Nuerburgring, and a photo mode - a monstrously extensive entry.

MotoGP 3 – boxart PS2

MotoGP 3

PS2 Závodní hra (motocyklové závody) ⏱ M

Namco přivedlo mistrovství MotoGP na PS2 s oficiální licencí a důrazem na jízdu.

Need for Speed: Underground 2 – boxart GBA

Need for Speed: Underground 2

GBAPS2Xbox Arkádové závodění ⏱ S

Noční tuning a pouliční závody stlačené do kapesního formátu.

RalliSport Challenge 2 – boxart Xbox

RalliSport Challenge 2

Xbox Racing ⏱ M

A sequel to the popular rally title from DICE, with new disciplines and better tracks.

Ridge Racers – boxart PSP

Ridge Racers

PSP Arkádové závody ⏱ M

A PSP launch title made up of tracks from Ridge Racer Type 4 and V, fine-tuned for the new hardware.

Wipeout Pure – boxart PSP

Wipeout Pure

PSP Racing ⏱ M

A PSP launch title that showed what anti-gravity Wipeout could do even in your pocket.

1080° Avalanche – boxart GCN

1080° Avalanche

GCN Závodní (snowboarding) ⏱ M

Snowboard racing following up on the cult classic 1080° Snowboarding from the Nintendo 64.

Crash Nitro Kart – boxart GBA

Crash Nitro Kart

GBAPS2 Zavodni ⏱ S

The Game Boy Advance version of the Crash Bandicoot kart racing spin-off; a tournament hosted by aliens.

F-Zero GX – boxart GCN

F-Zero GX

GCN Racing ⏱ L ⭐ Must-play

The fastest and most unforgiving entry in the series; tracks without guardrails above sheer drops.

8- and 16-bit (1986–1994)

74 games in the catalog

Between 1986 and 1994 racing split in several directions. Sega's arcade games Hang-On and Out Run relied on fast sprite scaling and branching routes, and home computers and consoles tried to imitate them. Meanwhile the first true 3D geometry appeared: Hard Drivin' and Stunt Car Racer drew cars and track from polygons, and Stunts added a track editor. On the Super Nintendo, Mode 7 let the track plane rotate, which F-Zero and later Super Mario Kart (1992) were built on; the latter started the kart racing subgenre. Split screen for two players became standard.

GB

Al Unser Jr. Turbo Racing

GB Závodní ⏱ S

IndyCar racing under the name of real-life driver Al Unser Jr. from the nineties.

Daytona USA – boxart MAME

Daytona USA

MAMESaturn Racing ⏱ M

Roaring engines and linked cabinets for driver-versus-driver duels; it defined the look of racing arcades.

Mario Andretti Racing – boxart MD

Mario Andretti Racing

MD Zavodni ⏱ S

A licensed game based on the famous racing driver Mario Andretti; each vehicle class handles differently.

Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament – boxart MD

Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament

MD Zavodni ⏱ S ⭐ Must-play

Races of miniature cars across kitchen tables; fall behind the screen and you explode.

NASCAR Racing – boxart DOS

NASCAR Racing

DOS Závodní ⏱ L ⭐ Must-play

American stock cars with tremendous power; the key is a consistent pace, not a heroic lap.

Off-World Interceptor – boxart 3DO

Off-World Interceptor

3DO Akční závodní ⏱ M

Action behind the wheel of an off-road vehicle; a bounty hunter crushes fugitives on alien planets.

Sega Rally Championship – boxart MAME

Sega Rally Championship

MAMESaturn Racing ⏱ M

Mud, gravel, and asphalt behave differently; a rally about reading the terrain, not just speed.

Stunt Race FX – boxart SNES

Stunt Race FX

SNES Závodní ⏱ S

Races powered by the Super FX chip with polygonal 3D graphics; vehicles differ in weight and handling.

The Need for Speed – boxart 3DO

The Need for Speed

3DOXONEPC Závodní ⏱ M ⭐ Must-play

This is where the famous racing series began; the first game was more of a meticulous simulation of exotic cars.

Uniracers – boxart SNES

Uniracers

SNES Závodní ⏱ S

Unicycle races where mid-air tricks recharge energy and boost speed.

Virtua Racing Deluxe – boxart 32X

Virtua Racing Deluxe

32X Závodní ⏱ M ⭐ Must-play

An expanded arcade classic with full polygons, new tracks, and new car types.

Crash 'n Burn – boxart 3DO

Crash 'n Burn

3DO Závodní ⏱ S

The pack-in game bundled directly with the console; armored racing where you destroy rivals outright with weapons.

The beginnings (until 1985)

18 games in the catalog

The first racing games were less about the track than about what fit into a few kilobytes. Night Driver (arcade 1976, Atari 2600 in 1978) showed the road as nothing but a row of white posts on a dark screen, seen from the driver's seat. The turning point came in 1981 and 1982: Sega with Turbo and above all Namco with Pole Position taught arcade boards to scale sprites by distance, so the road ran into the screen. Pole Position added a qualifying lap and the real Fuji circuit. Home machines copied this with limits; Enduro on the Atari 2600 added a cycle of day and night and changing weather.

Enduro Racer – boxart MAME

Enduro Racer

MAMESMSZX Závodní hra (motokros) ⏱ S

Sega's motocross race with a bumpy track and a cabinet that leans into turns.

Hang-On – boxart MAME

Hang-On

MAMESMS Racing / motorky ⏱ S

It put the player right onto a motorcycle that leans into turns; an experience you don't forget.

Mach Rider – boxart NES

Mach Rider

NES Racing ⏱ S

A post-apocalyptic motorcycle survival battle in the year 2112 with on-track shooting elements.

Racing Destruction Set – boxart A800

Racing Destruction Set

A800 Konstrukční sada / závody ⏱ S

A track editor combined with arcade racing and a destruction mode, from Electronic Arts.

Excitebike – boxart NES

Excitebike

NES Racing / motorky ⏱ S

A cult motocross game by Nintendo; judging your landing angle and watching for an overheated engine.

Pitstop II – boxart 2600

Pitstop II

2600A800C64 Závodní ⏱ S ⭐ Must-play

A sequel with a split screen for two players at once; an unusual feat on the Atari 2600.

Enduro – boxart 2600

Enduro

2600 Racing ⏱ S

An endless race against time as day turns to night. One of the most addictive racers on the 2600.

Chequered Flag – boxart ZX

Chequered Flag

ZXMAME Závodní simulátor (F1) ⏱ S

One of the very first F1 simulators; a wireframe track gave a sense of speed as early as 1983.

Monaco GP – boxart SG

Monaco GP

SG Závodní ⏱ S

A home version of an early Sega racing arcade game; no laps, just an endless dash forward.

Pitstop – boxart 2600

Pitstop

2600 Závodní ⏱ S

Racing with pit stops; worn tires must be swapped in time.

Pole Position II – boxart MAME

Pole Position II

MAME7800 Racing ⏱ S

An expansion of Pole Position with more tracks; more content, the same proven formula.

Bump 'n' Jump – boxart NES

Bump 'n' Jump

NES Racing ⏱ S

Racing built on two verbs: bumping into opponents and jumping over gaps.

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