Nothing gets the blood pumping more than getting chased by the fuzz. Facing life in the slammer, hearing the sirens creeping closer, seeing the red and blue flashing lights in the rear-view mirror–there’s no room for error. These are the games that do it best.
#10 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Developer: Grove Street Games
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Release Date: November 11, 2021
Those who grew up playing Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas are no stranger to being absolutely leveled by the po-po. The bigger the crime, the bigger the time–but in GTA, the rewards are worth the headache if you can evade the law. Jump in your ride, turn up the retro tunes, and enjoy leading the cops on a chase they’ll remember forever.
#9 Watch Dogs: Legion
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Developer: Ubisoft Toronto
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Release Date: October 29, 2020
Set in a futuristic, dystopian London, Watch Dogs: Legion follows a hacker syndicate called DedSec as they seek to clear their names after being framed for a series of bombings. Toppling an oppressive surveillance state takes some deadly force, however, and committing necessary crimes will begin to raise your wanted level. Get it high enough, and you’ll have cars, drones, and even more threats coming after you. Better get ready to run.
#8 Forza Horizon 5
- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
- Developer: Playground Games
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Release Date: November 9, 2021
While Forza Horizon 5 doesn’t have police chases in its offline mode, the online community was quick to establish something for those missing the sound of sirens. Jumping into the Forza 5 forums will find you plenty of hopeful cops and prospective speeders looking to up the drama in this gorgeous Mexico-inspired racer. For those looking to end things peacefully, some role players simply want to be pulled over. No destruction necessary.
#7 Grand Theft Auto IV
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Developer: Rockstar North
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
- Release Date: April 29, 2008
The 2008 title Grand Theft Auto IV places players on an absolutely massive map as Niko Bellic, a war veteran. Based on New York City, Liberty City offers plenty of narrow streets and unique areas to utilize while attempting to avoid the cops. While the game saw some negative feedback for its driving controls, the mod community has done an excellent job bringing things up to speed for new players.
#6 Driver: San Francisco
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Developer: Ubisoft Reflections
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, PC
- Release Date: August 30, 2011
The fifth installment in the Driver series, this 2012 game sees players exploring a fictional version of San Fransisco while solving missions in a collection of swanky real-world cars. The title allows players to switch to any car mid-mission without having to start over. Since you’re controlling a cop, the game is all about catching the bad guys–but the game also includes an impressive cops and robbers split-screen mode. Police chases and old-school fun with friends? Sign us up.
#5 L.A. Noire
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Developer: Team Bond
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: May 17, 2011
There’s something extra engaging about solving crimes in the good ol’ days. L.A. Noire pulls from classic detective films from the early days of cinema, and tasks players with solving crimes in a city filled with bad guys. Questioning suspects is a big part of the job, but you’ll have to use your police cruiser to track them down first. Check out the enhanced version on more recent consoles and enjoy the swanky soundtrack.
#4 Burnout Paradise Remastered
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Developer: Criterion Games
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: January 22, 2008
Do people like watching Nascar for the racing or for the crashes? If you’re looking for completely over-the-top wrecks, Burnout Paradise Remastered is the game for you. Crashing doesn’t just wreck your own ride, but all the cars around you, with complete destruction the true name of the game. The Cops and Robbers DLC pack adds a unique ‘capture the flag’ game mode, pitting the good guys and the bad guys against each other. If you don’t want to drive the standard Crown Victoria, no worries–there are over 30 police cruisers to choose from.
#3 The Crew 2
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Developer: Ivory Tower
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: June 29, 2018
Gamers only want one thing, and that’s a map the size of the United States. The Crew 2 attempts to do this, giving players plenty of room to zoom around in a car, a motorcycle, a plane, or even a speedboat. You can also enjoy taking on the role of a police officer tasked with intercepting the bad guys before they can escape. Police vehicles are completely customizable, and you’ll want to pull a few friends into the action. This is one title best enjoyed with some buddies.
#2 Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Developer: Criterion Games
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: November 16, 2010
Nearly every racing fan has picked up a Need for Speed title, and Hot Pursuit is the title made for lawbreakers. The 2010 game puts players behind the wheel of a huge collection of luxury vehicles, with the aim to evade the cops and keep your ride looking decent in the meantime. Want to beef up your car to get away easier? Think again–if your car gets faster, the police get faster too. You’ll have to use power-ups to get away, including roadblocks and radar jamming.
#1 Grand Theft Auto V
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Developer: Rockstar North
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
- Release Date: September 17, 2013
The latest entry in the Grand Theft Auto series (despite coming out nearly 10 years ago), GTA 5 shines thanks to its dedicated modding community. The keyword for this title is ‘realism,’ with plenty of available tweaks available to make the cops act exactly as they would in the real world. Typically, you’d be running from the fuzz in a GTA game, but the LSPDFR mod will let you be the law instead, with several missions tasking players with completing high-speed chases and tracking down criminals. Maybe there’s more to discover in the decade-old game after all.
