Here’s our attempt to pay the respect due to racing games before online racing was normal, and a chance to hopefully compile the ultimate list of racing games to allow you to trace the family tree from the earliest days to the latest racers. We’re listing them in chronological order by first appearance (So if they were in the arcade first, that’s when they’ll be listed, followed by the home computer and console version, and the earliest global release date also applies, for whichever country got it first). And the debate over the possible inclusion of futuristic racers like F-Zero and Wipeout will probably go on for a while, but noone can deny the sublime handling model of the original Super Mario Kart, so it’s in!
Each game also gets one line of information, and hopefully in the future we’ll get a chance to do some more in-depth features on some of the greatest classics.
- 1974:
Gran Track 10 (Arcade) Atari released the first arcade game with a steering wheel.
Speed Race (Arcade) - 1976:
Night Driver (Arcade) The first attempt at pseudo-3D racing.
Sprint 2 (Arcade) The ‘2’ refers to the number of players.
Crashing Race (Arcade).
Moto-Cross (Arcade) Later re-named Fonz to tie into TV series Happy Days.
Road Race (Arcade). - 1979:
Speed Freak (Arcade) Vector graphics appear in racing. - 1982:
Pole Position (Arcade, 1983 Atari 2800) One of the most popular games of all time and featured in 1985 film D.A.R.Y.L. - 1983:
Chequered Flag (Spectrum): Early F1 title featuring 3 fictional cars driven from cockpit view, developed by Steve Kelly for Psion Software. Read more, here.
Tranz Am (Spectrum) Ultimate’s post-apocalyptic racer and one of ORD’s earliest driving experiences.
TX-1 (Arcade) The first three-screen cabinet predating Ferrari F355 by 16 years. - 1986:
Outrun (Arcade, 1990 PC Engine,) Possibly the most famous Sega arcade game of all time.
Buggy Boy (Arcade) Cartoonish racer with three-screen cabinet.
WEC Le Mans 24 (Arcade) Great handling and jacuzzi-style cabinet which turned as you turned.
Super Sprint (Arcade) Three player sequel to the original Sprint. - 1987:
APB One of the first free-roaming driving games.
Road Blasters (Arcade) Cars with guns and other weaponry.
Final Lap (Arcade) The first multi-cabinet multi-player. - 1988:
Chase HQ (Arcade) Drive fast and catch the bad guys.
Power Drift (Arcade) Buggy-based racing on fantasy tracks.
Continental Circus (Arcade) The name was meant to be Continental Circuit! - 1989:
Grand Prix Simulator 2. Stunt Car Racer (Atari ST).
Special Criminal Investigation (Arcade).
Hard Drivin’ (Arcade).
Turbo Outrun (Arcade).
Winning Run (Arcade).
Super Monaco GP (Arcade).
Ironman Ivan Stewart’s Super Off Road (Arcade). - 1990:
Cisco Heat (Arcade).
Race Drivin’ (Arcade).
Driver’s Eyes (Arcade) - 1991:
Rad Mobile (Arcade).
Danny Sullivan’s Indy Heat (Arcade)
- 1992:
Virtua Racing (Arcade) Polygon racing hits the arcade.
F-Zero (SNES) Futuristic racer that used Mode 7 to give a 3D look, wowing racers around the world.
Super Mario Kart (SNES) An Italian plumber in a go-kart – brilliant handling and constant swearing when someone got a red shell at the end of a race. - 1993:
Ridge Racer (Arcade) Namco’s fast and furious racing game.
Lucky & Wild (Arcade).
Outrunners (Arcade) - 1994:
Daytona USA (Arcade).
Cruis’n USA (Arcade)
The Need for Speed (3DO).
Crash ‘n Burn (3DO). - 1995:
Sega Rally Championship (Arcade, 1996 Saturn).
- 1996:
Mario Kart 64 (N64)
- 1997:
Gran Turismo (Playstation) Do we really need to explain? - 1998:
Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge (Arcade).
Sega Rally Championship 2 (Arcade)
F-Zero X (N64) - 1999:
Ferrari F355 Challenge (Arcade) Ultra tough and realistic arcade game featuring 3 screens.
F-Zero Expansion Kit (64DD) Japan-only for the 64DD. Crazy Taxi (Arcade). - 2000:
Midnight Club: Street Racing (PS2, GBA).
- 2001:
Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec (Playstation 2) The series continues…
F-Zero Maximum Velocity (Gamecube).
Mario Kart: Super Circuit (GBA).
Wild Riders (Arcade) - 2002:
Auto Modellista (PS2)
- 2003:
Outrun 2 (Arcade)
Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller (Arcade).
Midnight Club II.
- 2005:
Forza Motorsport (Xbox) Bringing online racing to the console gaming world.
rFactor (PC).
GTR – FIA GT Racing Game (PC).
GT Legends (PC).
- 2006: netKar Pro (PC). Test Drive Unlimited (Xbox 360, PS3 2007, PC 2007, PSP 2007) The first console MMO racing game with an open-world Hawaii to cruise around. GTR 2 – FIA GT Racing Game. RACE – The Official WTCC Game
- 2007: Forza Motorsport 2 (Xbox 360). Race 07 The Official WTCC Game.
- 2008: iRacing (PC). GTR Evolution. STCC – The Game
- 2009: Forza Motorsport 3 (Xbox 360). Race On. Race Pro. Volvo – The Game.
- 2010: X Motor Racing (PC). Gran Turismo 5 (PS3). F1 2010 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3). Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii)
- 2011: Test Drive Unlimited 2 (PC,Xbox 360,PS3). Shift 2 Unleashed (PC, XBox 360, PS3), Sega Rally Online Arcade (Xbox Live), MX vs ATV Online (PC, XBox 360, PS3), NASCAR The Game 2011 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii). MotoGP 10/11 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3). SBK 2011 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3). Formula Raceroom. STCC -2 The Game. Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360). F1 2011.
- 2012: Forza Horizon (Xbox 360).NASCAR The Game 2013 (PC). Wipteout 2048 (PSVita). MotorStorm: RS (PS3, PSVita). Ridge Racer Unbounded (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). Trials Evolution (PC, Xbox 360), DiRT Showdown (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). F1 2012 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Mac). WRC 3: FIA World Rally championship (PC, PS3, PSVita, Xbox 360). Euro Truck Simulator 2 (PC, Mac). Need for Speed: Most Wanted (PC, PS3, PSVita, Xbox 360, iOS, Android, Wii U). LittleBigPlanet Karting (PS3). Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transford (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PSVita, 3DS, iOS, Andoird). NASCAR The Game: Inside Line (PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360).
- 2013: rFactor 2 (PC), RaceRoom (PC), Auto Club Revolution (PC). Motocross Madness (Xbox 360), Grid 2 (PC, PS£, Xbox 360). MotoGP 13 (PC, PS3, PSVita, Xbox 360). Mario Kart Acrade GP DX (Arcade), F1 2013 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Mac). Gas Guzzlers Extreme (PC). WRC 4:FIA World Rally Championship (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PSVita). Assetto Corsa (PC, PS4, Xbox One). Need for Speed Rivals (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One). Forza Motorsport 5 (Xbox One). Gran Turismo 6 (PS3).
- 2014: Nascar ’14 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). Spintires (PC). MotoGP 14 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PSVita, PS4). GRID Autosport (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). Forza Horizon 2 (Xbox 360, Xbox One). F1 2014 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). Driveclub (PS4). MX vs ATV Supercross (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One). MXGP The Official Motocross Game (PC, PS3, PS4, PSVita, Xbox 360, Xbox One). The Crew (PC, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One).
- 2015: Ride (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One). Project Cars (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, Steam OS). NASCAR ’15 (PC, PS3 Xbox 360). MotoGP 15 (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One). Rocket League (PC, PS4, Xbox One, MacOS). F1 2015 (PC, PS4, Xbox One). Forza Motorsport 6 (PC, Xbox One). WRC 5 (PC, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, iOS, 3DS, Wii). Need for Speed (PC, PS4 Xbox One). Dirt Rally (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
- 2016: American Truck Similator (PC, Mac) Sbetasien Loeb Rally Evo (PC, PS4, Xbox One). Trackmania Turbo (PC, PS4, Xbox one). Trails of the Blood Dragon (PC, PS4, Xbox One). Valentino Rossi: the Game (PC, PS4, Xbox One). Ducati: 90th Anniversary (PC, PS4, Xbox One). F1 2016 (PC, PS4, Xbox One). NASCAR Heat Evolution (PC, PS4 Xbox One). Forza Horizon 3 (PC, Xbox One). Ride 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One). WRC 6 (PC, PS4 Xbox One). Moto Racer 4 (PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One).
- 2017: Dirt 4 (PC, PS4 Xbox One). MotoGP 17 (PC, PS4 Xbox One). Micro Machines World Series (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Mac). NASCAR Heat 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One). WRC 7 (PC, PS4 Xbox One). Project CARS 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, Mac). Forza Motorsport 7 (Xbox One, PC). Gran Turismo Sport (PS4). Spintires: Mudrunner (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch). Need for Speed Payback (PC, PS4, Xbox One). Road Rage (PC, PS4, Xbox One). Gear Club Unlimited (Nintendo Switch).
- 2018:
Gravel (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
MX vs ATV All Out (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
MotoGP 18 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
Wreckfest (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
The Crew 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
F1 2018 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
V-Rally 4 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
NASCAR Heat 3 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
Assetto Corsa Competizione (PC).
Dakar 18 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
Forza Horizon 4 (PC, Xbox One).
Grip: Combat Racing (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch).
Ride 3 (PC, PS4, Xbox One). - 2019:
Direct Rally 2.0 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
The Grand Tour Game (PS4, Xbox One).
Trials Rising (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nitnendo Switch).
Team Sonic Racing (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch).
MotoGP 19 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
F1 2019 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
WRC 8 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
NASCAR Heat 4 (PC, PS4, Xbox One).
Grid (PC, PS4, Xbox One). - 2020:
Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame (PC, Google Stadia, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)