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There are many genres of racing games, from simulators to arcade racers. When a gamer hears the word “racing,” the NFS or F1 series most likely comes to mind at once. Yet, there are many more of them. Keep reading to find out the 5 best racing games of all time.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Do we need any comments here? This part of NFS has been played for 15 years. Three generations of gamers have grown on it. EA has been the developer of these simulators since 1982, so this company has no rivals. Most Wanted has already been released on all consoles, including smartphones. This is the most commercially successful project in the history of computer racing.
In the story, the hero loses the local top street racer, his BMW M3 GTR. Razor – that’s the name of the antagonist – wins unfairly, but no one cares. And now he has to start from the bottom to reach the top of the “Black List” and challenge Razor to a duel. In terms of gameplay mechanics, Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a typical simulator with a weighty share of arcade.
There are many minor differences from the previous part, but the main feature is the Chase mode, where the player has to get away from the cops. Another new feature is the option to slow down the time, which allows you to assess the situation and make a reasonable decision in a critical situation.
Burnout Paradise
Unlike the NFS series, the Burnout franchise was originally meant to be more arcade. The emphasis is placed on dangerous driving with an opportunity to exclude your opponent from the competition by inflicting damage incompatible with the roar of the engine under the hood.
In 2008 the game was distinguished by the excellent details and was so beloved by owners of PS3 that it was ported to PC the next year as Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box. There are no cars of real manufacturers, and in general, car control is implemented much easier than in typical simulators. The map is large and open; that is, the player is not limited in movement.
During and outside the race, seeing an improvised ramp, you can try to perform a stunt and get points for it. There is a multiplayer mode with many missions; some are aimed at the cooperation of players rather than a confrontation between them.
Race Driver: GRID
Despite an almost simultaneous release with Burnout, GRID was not a competitor because it has different target audiences. This one lives on the border between arcade and simulation.
Race Driver: GRID presents unique race cars like Aston Martin Vantage GT4, Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet Camaro SSX Concept. You won’t be able to drive these beauties in any other game. Otherwise, it is typical conditionally-realistic races on real tracks from all over the world. The important innovation is the Flashback option, which allows you to go 10 seconds back in time.
F1 2020
Although actually launched in 1976, the F1 franchise has gathered dozens of game makers, from Atari to EA. But for the past 10 years, only Codemasters has been releasing games in the series. And it’s hard to say which game from F1 2010 to F1 2020 is better.
Just like in FIFA, here the player also acts not as a specific racer but as the manager of the whole team. Although in the race, of course, he personally sits behind the wheel to experience all the hardships of the track at 350 km / h. The game features impeccable graphics, realistic car physics, and real teams actually participating in Formula 1 races.
The 2020 version features 22 tracks and several dozens of cars. A nice little feature – the pilots behind the wheel, is not conditional, but the real, and you can buy more models. For example, in the Deluxe edition, we are given to drive Michael Schumacher.
Project CARS 2
Fans of asphalt racing choose Project CARS 2. The game totally surpassed the first part of the sales and not only because of the mind-blowing graphics. Critics immediately noted perfect optimization on all platforms and tremendous cyber potential. That is, in Project CARS 2, you can ride alone, but very soon, the cursor itself will pull to the button network game.
The game offers more than 180 real cars, like Nissan GT3, Ferrari 488, Lamborghini Huracan GT3. You can’t complain about the graphics, 12K, and VR support.