Let’s face it: Unless you’re wearing a chauffeur’s cap or are okay with playing Morgan Freeman in Driving Miss Daisy, chances are you’re not driving professionally. Being a professional driver—I’m talking Formula One or street racing, sorry Miss Daisy—is a pretty unrealistic goal for ninety-nine percent of the population, but that doesn’t mean the desire to get behind the wheel and push the peddle to the floor fades with time. Agreed? Good.
Racing-simulators are as close to racing for pink-slips or feeling adoration of millions as most of us will get, so why are we ashamed to fire-up our favorite gaming system and listen to a few hundred horses roar from the surround-sound? Listen, we’re not psychoanalysts, we don’t know why you think you’re “too old” to smoke the competition on a virtual track, but we do have three words of advice for you: Get over it! Life’s too short to be spent not doing what you love, and if racing’s your thing, then it’s high time you reconnect with the feel drifting around a corner or blazing down a straight. Worried you don’t know where to start? What sort of titles are even out there today? Calm down, we’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find a wide selection of the best racing games on the market today. Whether you’re a purist or just looking to tear up some dirt roads, we’ve got what you’re looking for:
Gran Turismo:
The Turismo franchise has been the leader in racing games for years; if you’re a hardcore racing fan or car-nut, this is as good a place to play as any. With ultra-realistic physics, vehicle upgrades, race settings and environments, Gran Turismo is the purist’s dream. Ever want to know what it actually feels like to take the newest high-end models around the tight curves of Italy or Milan? Check out Turismo. If you can get dizzy from the science of the prefect drift, this game’s for you.
Need for speed:
This one’s a constant winner in the arena of the police-chase. If your idea of a fun car game is outrunning the fuzz, watching gorgeous cars, and executing amazing jumps and getaways, this one’s for you. Not as realistic as other simulators, but no cartoon: this is the ultimate get-away fantasy.
Mario cart:
So maybe you’ve got a job, a serious girlfriend or wife, maybe even a kid; don’t pretend you don’t love throwing a green-shell around. It’s a classic for a reason. Dust off your system and get ready to unleash star, mushroom, shell, and lightning bolt power on your enemies.
F1
The name says it all. If you’re a Formula One fan, this is the title for you. F1 is the exemplar of Grand Prix realism with steep corners and impressive physics. With online and single-player modes, you’ll find yourself trash talking in French or Italian in no time flat.
Dirt:
Maybe asphalt isn’t your thing. If you’re into back-country slop and jumps and dust and grime, Dirt is the game for you. The scenery and cars look amazing, and the feel of the driving is the just right balance of realism and fantasy for that perfect tire-to-dirt experience.
Midnight Club:
So maybe you’re into the underground scene. You love the idea of racing for pink-slips, or hard-cash, or bragging rights, or turf. This is the franchise for you. Recently Midnight Club added bikes into the mix, which adds a whole new level of mayhem to this NOS filled joy.
NASCAR The Game:
NASCAR is one of the fastest growing sports in America, and if you’re a fan it’s high time you got off your couch and into those four-left turns. With the realism of the chase, the pits, and the energy of that final lap, NASCAR is the game for lovers of the sport.
Gran Theft Auto:
Okay, so maybe not a racing game, but let’s cover all the corners regardless. The car fantasy of some doesn’t involve tracks, or straights, or dirt, or even Mario. Some people want the grit of the streets. Some people want to just cruise a city simulator. Heck, some people’s fantasy is to commit the crime title suggests. With a fairly captivating physics system in its own right, the game is the definition of guilty-pleasure, and that’s what we’re all here for anyways, right?
So there you have it, people: a list to fit the needs of any suitor. Whatever your racing fantasy, you’ll find a game to fit it in the list above or you could head over to www.Playberry.com and find hundreds of them. You’ve worked hard to have a little free time, so take a little enjoyment in it. Hit the power button on your favorite platform and take it to the competition. You’ll either get your fix this way or the Morgan Freeman route, and maybe it’s just me, but that guy’s voice puts me to sleep.
This article was written by Jordan Graves who when not wasting time playing games actually does work as an internet entrepreneur. However he does specialize in marketing his gaming websites so he gets the best of both worlds!