Best Classic Racing Games

Kazunori Yamauchi's obsessively detailed racing simulation brought genuine automotive culture to video games for the first time. Gran Turismo's 178 licensed cars, realistic physics, and career progression system created the 'Real Driving Simulator' standard that all subsequent racing games would be measured against.

Nintendo's kart racing series made its landmark 3D debut with Mario Kart 64, delivering sixteen imaginative tracks, eight beloved characters, and the four-player multiplayer that made it a mandatory purchase for any N64 owner. The game that made group gaming on consoles a standard part of social life.

The game that invented kart racing. Super Mario Kart's Mode 7 pseudo-3D tracks, item combat, and eight beloved characters launched one of gaming's most enduring and beloved racing franchises.

The SNES launch title that demonstrated Mode 7 racing at extreme speed. F-Zero's futuristic hover-car racing introduced Captain Falcon and delivered a technical showcase of unprecedented smoothness and speed.

SingleTrac's vehicular combat masterpiece cranked everything up from the original: bigger arenas set across world landmarks, more vehicles, more weapons, and darkly comic character endings that became the series' signature. Twisted Metal 2 remains the definitive entry in the beloved PlayStation franchise.

Nintendo's motocross racer was a launch title that showcased the NES's capabilities with smooth scrolling, physics-based racing, and a revolutionary track design mode.