PC players who indulge in their pastime through Steam are treated to a plethora of racing games. The racing experiences available on Steam range from realistic sims to arcade racers and everything in between. Racing video games come in a wide range of themes and aesthetics, with some focusing on a photorealistic driving experience and others offering a more cartoonish feel, for instance.
You will undoubtedly find a ton of racing games on Steam, regardless of the genre you enjoy. However, not all of them will succeed in winning the race. Check out the top racing games listed below on Steam if you want to tear up the track, put the pedal to the metal, and burn through a variety of racing environments.
Hot Wheels Unleashed
Hot Wheels Unleashed is incredibly well-polished, smooth, and entertaining. With this arcade-inspired game, which fans of the genre and of Hot Wheels in general can support, developer/publisher Milestone struck gold. If for some reason you haven’t tried Unleashed yet, know that you are in for a treat with a sizable selection of authentic Hot Wheels vehicles, an abundance of outrageous and outlandish tracks, and a variety of fun gaming modes.
Given that many of us spent our childhoods assembling orange track pieces all over our homes to create the course of our dreams, Unleashed’s inclusion of a completely customized track maker is totally amazing. This game stands out in its genre since it allows players to create the craziest tunes to share with the community.
CarX Drift Racing Online
Look no further than the popular Steam racing game CarX Drift Racing Online if you’re itching to play some racing but want the ferocity of online competitive multiplayer. This realistic racing sim is all about the rush of the drift boss in opposition to the competition, as you might expect. CarX Drift Racing Online features a variety of real-world cities and locations and has something to offer everyone.
Complexity and individualization are the watchwords in this situation. You can pick from a variety of gorgeous cars that can be tuned and personalized before hitting the racetracks. As you try to outwit the vicious opponents, the online modes will keep you glued to the computer screen. Just be sure to dry your face off before the following race.
Need For Speed Heat
One of the better and more complete installments in the storied arcade racing series is Need for Speed Heat. The thrills of street racing are the focus of Need for Speed Heat. In this made-up, Palm City-inspired version of Miami street racer, you have to start at the bottom and work your way up. You can legally street race during the daytime Speedhunter Showdown to gain notoriety and reputation in one of two separate play areas.
However, the wildest times of the day are at night. When night falls, Palm City’s illegal street races really heat up—pun intended—and this is when the real rivalry emerges. Need for Speed Heat adds a ton of awesome vehicle customization options to make sure your ride is completely unique while maintaining the same high-octane arcade racing feel.
Forza Horizon 5
Wide-open driving areas, a large selection of vehicles, and a ton of in-game challenges were all hallmarks of the previous Horizon games, and Forza Horizon 5 cranks them all up to eleven. In Forza Horizon 5, which is set in a setting inspired by Mexico, you get to drive through beaches, deserts, jungles, and volcanoes.
Anyone who has played the previous iterations will recognize the arcade-style racing right away, but the content on offer here is occasionally overwhelming—in the best way possible. Forza Horizon 5 is a complete joy to play thanks to the combination of biomes and racing competitions.
Wreckfest
Wreckfest is a video game that combines the best elements of demolition derbies and off-road racing, and it is equally strong in terms of both style and substance. The whole point of Wreckfest is to crash your large vehicles into other cars. Yes, it is as enjoyable and easy as it sounds. Nevertheless, this game also takes great pleasure in everything off-road, with lots of mud and dirt flying around.
Since almost every aspect of the game can be altered to make each race or derby feel unique, Wreckfest stands out as a special game for fans of motorsports. The best high-speed racing gameplay can be found here.
Project Cars 2
Project Cars 2 is the only game you need if you want your racing experience to feel a little more difficult and realistic. This Project Cars sequel offers you a huge selection of real-world automobiles, expertly tuned vehicle handling, and a protracted career mode to advance through.
With dynamic weather effects, a complete day/night cycle, and a ton of championships to keep you moving forward, Project Cars 2 aims to completely immerse you in its racing game world. If the game’s impressive visuals alone don’t draw you in, its variety of available content most certainly will.
Burnout Paradise Remastered
Before adopting the name “remastered,” the original Burnout Paradise sought to reclaim the crown that the flawless Burnout 3: Takedown so fervently guarded. Intense high-speed arcade racing on precisely tuned tracks is a trademark of the Burnout series. Of course, you can always collide with your rivals for additional shenanigans when things don’t go your way.
The incredible driving in Burnout Paradise Remastered is continued, but this time it takes place in the open-world streets of Paradise City. Each intersection served as a new event or racing start point in this game, which contributed to its uniqueness and helped the game feel fluid and dynamic.
Redout: Enhanced Edition
Look no further than Redout: Enhanced Edition for something wholly unique yet still incredibly alluring. Redout 2 is a sequel that has since become available, but for fans of sci-fi racing games like Wipeout, F-Zero, or Extreme-G, the original version continues to hold up the best.
As in early arcade racers, Redout: Enhanced Edition has you tearing across sci-fi and cyberpunk-style tracks at incredible speeds. Redout offers a tight-handling model that is simple to grasp but takes some time to master, making it a great choice for fans of arcade racers.
Speedrunners
Speedrunners is both a racing game and a top-tier 2D multiplayer platformer, forgoing traditional car racing in favor of on-foot parkour platforming. Even though this may not initially appear to be a racing game, you will soon discover that it requires ability, accuracy, and patience to lead one of your runners through the numerous stages.
In Speedrunners, a gang of speedrunning superheroes compete against one another in a cartoonish sci-fi setting. A nice pleasure for a racing-related game on Steam is the ability to play this game in local multiplayer with friends or family, with bots, or online.
Team Sonic Racing
Team Sonic Racing is the only option for those who enjoy fast-paced racing, kart racing, and cartoon-style video games. Playing this racer with a Sonic theme is a blast, especially in multiplayer, which is what the games seem to be made for. In Team Sonic Racing, you will control Sonic and his friends as they navigate a variety of vibrant and bizarre environments in an effort to defeat your opponents using special offensive and defensive pickups.
The team aspect is important throughout a race because winning depends on your entire racing team as well as your own racing skills. Even better, you can modify your car to meet your personal aesthetic.
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered
The Need for Speed series has had its share of highs and lows, but Need for Speed Hot Pursuit from 2010 was unquestionably among the best in the series’ history. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered was a successful attempt by EA to update this cherished arcade racer even though it wasn’t necessarily in need of one.
In this game, you can choose to play as either a cop or an outlaw driver, blending two different game modes. Although you had to master the top-notch driving controls for both roles, it was very different to play as a criminal trying to escape the police and vice versa. The incredible sense of speed in this game demonstrates why the Need for Speed series may still have some life left in it.
Grid Legends
One of those rare racing games, Grid Legends combines simulation and arcade-style racing while attempting to tell a globe-trotting, immersive story. Although story modes in racing games can be hit or miss, Grid Legends demonstrates that an engaging narrative is in fact feasible.
The extensive career mode in Legends, which lets you lead your racer through a variety of thrilling competitions around the globe, is without a doubt its best feature. Your aim is to turn your racer into the sport’s ultimate champion, which will take perseverance and commitment.
Dirt 4
Although any of the mainline, numbered Dirt games could be included on this list, Dirt 4 truly stands out from the competition. For those who are unfamiliar, Dirt 4 is an arcade-style rally racing game that forgoes the punishing simulation focus of the Dirt Rally series.
With its complex yet user-friendly driving and handling model, a variety of wonderful and world-spanning locations, and, of course, incredible rally cars, Dirt 4 immediately draws you in. Although there is a career mode in the game, you can also enjoy races on your own with lots of customization.
