Top Ten: Racing Games

During lockdown, we've had plenty of other things to fill our time. One of these has been video games, and in particular for motorsport and car fans, racing games. But what are some of the best cars, and series? Here's my Top 10 Racing Games, in no particular order.

Nascar Racing 2003

Since NASCAR and Papyrus split in 2003, not too much joy has come from either side. NASCAR have released the awful Heat games, and while iRacing (the descendant of this save) is good, it's reputation on ovals is just as bad. However, the final NASCAR/Papyrus game was opened up for mods by the devs after NASCAR ditched them for EA and now it's one of the best games for oval racing there is. Not to mention, it just got even better, with the release of Armory Digital's ICR mod, which is a completely new gameplay experience.

Assetto Corsa

Both the original AC and the spinoff, Assetto Corsa Competizione, are very good games. The original AC is notable for both its accuracy and its customisability, with, in addition to around 200 cars stock, mods existing for everything from GTE race cars to a stairlift truck, a motorhome and one of these. Competizione only features GT3 cars for now, but it's probably the best game for racing those (and yes I love them). Also, it's booming right now, with British GT, International GT Challenge and GT4 expansions either here or planned, and the game going to console later this year.

Gran Turismo

Most games on this list I own but here's one I'm envious that I don't. The Gran Turismo franchise is really the seminal racing game. Every game is a classic, for different reasons. The early games were known for being brilliant for their time, and are now retro classics. GT5 and 6 are the least loved, and are painful to install, but GT6 features over 1300 cars, which is brilliant variety. And the latest installment, GT Sport, features a full FIA approved online system. We're also likely due another GT game next year.

Wreckfest

From games that you need to conserve your car to one where the point is that you don't. Wreckfest is a game where you, well, their official slogan is, "Drive Hard, Die Last." It's really the first brilliant demolition derby game since the days of Flatout in the early 2000s. Which is not a shock as the same Finnish boffins have developed it. It doesn't feature licenced cars, but there are some good tracks and good mechanics, as well as some good mods. Plus, you can set the AI names. How cool is that.

Dirt

Dirt really has two prongs- arcade and sim- but the title is the biggest offroad racing game there is. The arcade side really ticks off the sim guys but it's a very fun game to play, and shouldn't be discounted. Dirt 4, the most recent arcade game, featured a stage generator as well as licenced World Rallycross cars. Dirt 5 is set to come out this year as well. Meanwhile, on the sim side, Dirt Rally and Dirt Rally 2.0 are really good simulators. There's plenty of cars and plenty of places to race them. A very good rally game.

Beam NG Drive

Not a racing game but it does qualify. Possibly the only car game modded more than NR03 and AC, Beam is just a driving simulator. Simple as that. Oh, yeah, with a realistic damage model. This makes for some hilarious crashes, and gratuitous destruction. There are a ton of mods of maps, cars, and everything else you could imagine, even including a photon cannon and several planes. The game can also be used for practically anything, although it's not the game that's necessarily designed for racing. Other cool features include a working traffic system, damageable props and one for the inner seven year old: you can blow your car up.

Project Cars

Project Cars is often seen in the sim community as the poor brother of AC, but that also does make it a lot more accessible, and there is some perks too. For one, PC features several series that AC doesn't stock, such as rallycross and LMP1. The original Project Cars was a groundshaker when it came out and PC2, while prone to physics balls, is a very good game.

Euro Truck Simulator

ETS2 is once again not a racing game (not without the online mod, lol) but it once again merits inclusion. The premise of ETS2 is that you build a trucking empire by delivering goods on time, and safely. However, the game is probably most famous for speedruns but the likes of Jimmy Broadbent. Others to have played the game (and crashed into each other) are F1 drivers George Russell and Charles Leclerc.

Forza Horizon

I was actually considering not including Forza, and that's justified for the shining turd that is the latest Motorsport game, but Horizon definitely merits inclusion. Horizon is basically the best open world racing game there is (sorry to Ubisoft). Featuring nearly 700 cars, a rather large map and new content weekly, Horizon is the must buy game if you have an Xbox (or a good PC). Horizon's gone through a few iterations and locations: the original, set in the USA, featured bosses as the final objective, while FH2, in the Mediterranean, saw players compete in championships across six locations. The Aussie Horizon 3 featured players running their own Horizon Festival, while FH4 sees a return to the FH1/2 style of 'player as driver' but continuing with showcases and the Goliath being the main objectives. When you look at it overall, FH4 is one of the must have titles for anyone but hardcore sim racers.

Mario Kart

I had to add this as the 10th game. While recent additions have gone down, Mario Kart Wii is pretty much the ideal party game; that is, unless your friend loves TAS. Seriously, while the average you and me can pick up a Wiimote and play a fun and competitive game, or alternatively you can spend hours on one track, and then get a truly incredible set of laps (see this). There's some good mods for it, provided you're willing to risk the actual modding-your-Wii process, ranging from restoring Online to creating item rain, 300cc and days worth of new tracks.

Honorable Mentions

F1 2019- A good game for Formula 1 racing, and also modifiable on the PC.

Spintires- The original offroading game, it's now spawned several successors (MudRunner, SnowRunner and... erm, Chernobyl) and for good reason.

RFactor- A very nice racing sim, and it has mods that occur for nearly every series in the world.

The Crew 2- Ubisoft's Forza Horizon rival isn't as good overall but does feature boats, planes and an absolutely gargantuan map.

Ride 3- I don't usually play motorbike games, but when I do...