While most video game enthusiasts focus on first-person shooters, such as “Battlefield 6,” “Halo” and “Grand Theft Auto V,” a demographic of players prefer to sit behind a steering wheel and take on the role of a street racer aiming to reach the finish line first. Here are the top five racing games:
Burnout: Paradise (2008/2018)
If you just want to have fun racing or wreaking havoc, this game has all that you need. As the eighth game in the series, “Burnout: Paradise” marks a huge leap from the previous titles, with new driving physics, an open world map and updated adventures to complete in Paradise City. The game came out on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in January 2008, with a remastered release in March 2018.
The comparison of the original and its remastered counterpart isn’t much; besides the enhanced graphics, lighting and shaders, the game plays just like the original. Both editions cap around 60 frames per second, in which it plays smoothly. Other than that, it’s the same game as intended.
Available on Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC and Switch.
The Crew 2 (2018)
“The Crew 2” takes you to a scaled-down version of the United States that serves as a map to roam around. The twist here is that you can now — as opposed to the first entry — choose to drive a plane or boat. The tone moves away from the revenge-themed story with illegal street racing to hosting a festival racing scene called “Motornation,” in which you play as an unnamed driver looking to make a name for yourself. You are invited to leagues where you will race your way to the top, whether by car, motorbike, boat or plane.
Originally released as an online-only game, the game required a constant internet connection to play. But now, “The Crew 2” has the option to be played offline, allowing the user to freely play without worrying about an internet outage or the servers shutting down.
Available on Platforms: PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Need For Speed: Heat (2019)
For those on a budget, “Need For Speed: Heat” still plays the same as “Need For Speed: Unbound.” The game sets itself in Palm City, a fictional Miami with similar gameplay that brings the same day and night cycle like “Need For Speed: Unbound.” The difference in “Need For Speed: Heat” is that you only earn money at daytime races. And at nighttime races, you earn reputation, but follow-up races can earn better rewards, such as performance parts for upgrades and a higher bank reward.
You can still immerse yourself with the amount of content “Need For Speed: Heat” has to offer, with the vast amount of parts to customize your car to activities such as drifting, speed traps and jumps like in ”Need For Speed: Unbound.” The story, though, is much shorter than the current installment — it can take you a week or less to finish from start to end. To further increase the playtime, you can still play online multiplayer and race other people.
Available on Platforms: PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Need For Speed: Unbound (2022)
The newest game in the “Need For Speed” series, “Unbound” takes place in a fictionalized version of Chicago called Lakeshore City and follows the same revenge-theme story like every other past “Need For Speed” title. The characters here are diverse, many coming from Germany, Syria or Japan, and for some reason, they also have A$AP Rocky in the game.
Developers added new game features, such as burst nitrous, which boosts your car faster than the average use of nitrous, and the option to remove bumpers and spoilers, expanding the possibilities of customizing your ride. Another addition is the ability to place bets on opponents for extra cash, if you’re looking for a risk and reward situation. You can choose to deliver cars to their destined location as fast as possible during the day, or at night when you’re being chased by cops while also avoiding as little damage to the car at the same time.
Available on Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Midnight Club: Los Angeles (2008)
While “Forza Horizon,” “Need For Speed” and “The Crew” are today’s top three, “Midnight Club” established a lot of popularity in the 2000s, with “Midnight Club: Los Angeles” the latest entry. Published by Rockstar Games, the company known for owning the “Grand Theft Auto” and “Red Dead” series, “Midnight Club: Los Angeles” is obviously set in LA. Although it is scaled down, it features real-life landmarks throughout the city, including buildings and licensed billboards.
Unlike “Need For Speed,” which has enclosed tracks keeping you from driving out of bounds, “Midnight Club: Los Angeles” lets the player decide which route is the fastest in terms of roads or shortcuts to reach first place. In terms of gameplay, this is the easiest out of all the series. Online servers are no longer accessible on PlayStation 3 since May 2014, but are still active on Xbox 360 or Xbox One as of 2026.
Available on Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
