24 Best Single Player Racing Games You Need To Play

Being one of the most popular genres in the gaming community, it’s only right to cover some of the coolest racing games known to man. There is just something so amazing about taking to the track and really stepping on the gas, blasting past competitors, and taking home the Championship trophy.

Here is a list of a few single-player racing games that stand out above the rest.

#24 Forza Motorsport

Platform: PC XSX|S
Release Date: October 10, 2023

Steam | Xbox

Racing is one of the sports everyone loves, even if they don’t do it themselves or watch it regularly. There’s just something primal about going as fast as possible in the best cars on the planet and seeing how things turn out.

Thankfully for you gamers, Forza Motorsport will give you the ability to race at a high level without having to risk your health or really fancy cars. If you throw your controller at the screen, though, that’s on you.

So pick from over 500 cars, outfit them to fit your style, and take the checkered flag! Or don’t, and lose. Your call!

#23 The Crew Motorfest

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: September 14, 2023

Epic | PlayStation | Xbox

In racing titles, it’s often about having the best car possible as you blitz down the road or track to get the best result. In The Crew Motorfest, you’ll have numerous car options from the past and present to pick from as you race down the numerous tracks and areas that Hawaii has to offer.

If you want specifics, classic cars are begging to be tried out, or you could go the electric route and see what it’s like to drive without using gas.

Once you have your car, go racing down the track or hook up with friends and see how fast you can race down the state’s wild side.

#22 F1 23

Platform: PC PS4 PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: JUNE 16, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

There are two kinds of racing games out there. There are the kinds where you are simply racing to have fun and be the best racer out there, and there are the ones that try to get an authentic experience. F1 23 aims to deliver the most authentic simulation of the F1 circuit you’ll ever play.

From how the cars look to how they drive, you’ll feel as though you’re truly one of the F1 racers and must use everything at your disposal to win the races ahead of you.

Alongside the simulation elements, you can customize your experience to suit your needs, get put into a deep story mode, and more.

#21 Car Mechanic Simulator 2021

In Car Mechanic Simulator 2021, players will own and operate their very own car repair business! Players will take on jobs where they need to repair vehicles back to running condition.

The jobs will get more and more difficult over time, so it keeps players interested. Players start out with the basics such as changing fluids out and oil changes, building up the fully rebuilding vehicles from the ground up.

#20 Road Redemption

If you’re ready to put the pedal to the metal in bike form, then get into Road Redemption as soon as possible.

In this game, you’ll play as a biker on a cross country journey to top them all. There’s a $15 million dollar bounty out on a mysterious killer, and every biker out there wants it for themselves. You’ll travel across the land to search for them, getting odd jobs to improve yourself and your bike in the process.

But even death won’t hold you back, you’ll come back stronger every time, and eventually, you’ll get that bounty for yourself!

#19 Flatout Series

Look, there are a LOT of racing games out there, that’s true, and many of them indeed want you to go fast and have fun and get victory. But in the Flatout Series, there is another goal here, and it’s to go as fast as you can so you can crash as best you can, and then revel in the destruction that you cause.

Yeah, didn’t see that coming, did you? Or perhaps you did if you’re a fan of the series! This is an arcade demolition derby as much as it is a racing game, and as a result of that, you’re going to have fun just thinking of ways to do your next big stunt so you can have a big crash.

#18 Split Second Velocity

We’ll admit, we don’t know how many of you out there have a PSP, so if you just play the original version of the game, that’s fine too.

Split Second Velocity is a video game set in a very unique competition. By “competition” we actually mean a reality show, one where the goal is not just to be the champion by season’s end, it’s to go and survive all the craziness of the tracks. Because make no mistake, the game’s course are rigged for destruction, and you won’t want to be on certain parts when things go boom.

So if you think you have what it takes to win, get Split Second Velocity.

#17 Wreckfest

There are certain games out there that are designed to let you not just race fast, but go full tilt and crash your ride into something just so you can see how it will crumble. Wreckfest is that title, and it’s something that many of you out there will no doubt enjoy.

This game was built to witness wrecks in the most beautiful of ways, including going deep with the physics engine and cameras to make sure that this happened spectacularly.

And don’t worry, there is still racing to be done here. But you’ll find that the crashes are the real joy and we’re not going to be mad at that at all.

#16 Driveclub

In most racing titles, you’re playing as a newcomer trying to make their way in the world. But in Driveclub, the emphasis is on more of a community. Mainly, you’ll be in a literal driving club, and get to participate in all sorts of races and challenges from all over the world.

In fact, many of the racing tracks and courses you’ll find yourself in are based off of places like Norway and India at points.

There are three main modes you’ll get to partake in, some you can do on your own, and others will be ones you challenge with friends.

How far will you and your club go? Jump into the driver’s seat and find out.

#15 Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Collection

Given that Mario had his own racing game, are we really surprised that Sonic and friends got their own as well? The Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Collection brings together the main Racing Transformed game along with the DLC for special characters like Metal Sonic.

You’ll get to go over a variety of tracks and wield all sorts of characters, including ones that aren’t exactly from the SEGA lineup.

But as the name suggests, this isn’t just about racing, it’s about having the very racecars you’re driving in transform before your very eyes into something even more outlandish. So how the characters rise to the challenge in this unique game!

#14 Hot Wheels Unleashed

This isn’t just an ordinary racing game; this is Hot Wheels Unleashed, a fully customizable racer experience. Players will take to the tracks that feature intense highly detailed environments with their choice of vehicles straight out of the toybox.

The game also showcases the cars as these tiny little vehicles, just like real-life Hot Wheels. Players drive past basketballs that look humongous in comparison, making the game feel life-like yet interesting!

#13 Ride 4

If you’re looking for something to drive that isn’t a car, then Ride 4 might be the one that you want. Because this will take you into the world of extreme motorcycle racing, and that means you’ll be able to put your body on the line as you go around and around in various tracks while going at breakneck speeds.

You’ll have hundreds of cycles to choose from and see the best brands of the sport come together to make things better for you as a racer.

But it’s not just about the racing, it’s about making sure you love how you look. Customize yourself and your bike to make a statement as you outrace your competition.

#12 Need for Speed: Payback

Each Need for Speed game has its own story that makes it different from the others. In Need for Speed: Payback’s case, you are a former crew that was at one point at each other’s throats, but then, you come back together for a common goal: revenge.

In this case, revenge against a vicious cartel known as The House. They own Fortune Valley from top to bottom, and now, you’ll need to drive fast to dismantle the organization, get away from the cops, and more.

There’s a massive “Risk vs Reward” system in the game. Use it to your advantage, and do what you have to in order to forever take down The House.

#11 Project Cars 3

Everything gamers know about racing sims is thrown out the window in Project Cars 3. Players will race their way to the top, starting with road cars and working their way up to hypercars.

Instead of the usual long-winded races, the game features quick five-minute events, leaving the player ready to take on the next race. The game is well thought out and strays away from the status quo, which players find magnificent.

#10 TrackMania

Trackmania features time trials that racing game fans have been begging for. Though it is a simple game, it is highly addictive to racing fanatics.

Whether gamers choose to play alone or in multiplayer online races, they will soon see their only competition is themselves. The game even features boosts and tricks to maneuver past the competition with ease. 

#9 Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit

A beloved arcade racer-style game, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit is one for the books. Though it is considered to have more of an arcade-style, the game hangs in the balance of being playful yet realistic. It was called one of the best in the franchise, it features sleek exotic cars that leave enthusiasts drooling.

The fast-paced races, heart-pumping action, and high-speed police chases keep everyone on their toes and engulfed in the thrill the game offers.

#8 GRID Series

The GRID series of racing titles might not be the most popular out there, but they have been trying to get their racing gameplay down for some time and there are marks of improvements at certain points.  Since its debut in 2008, the games have steadily improved. To the point where you will be able to race some of the best and fastest cars out there on some of the best tracks in order to see if you can come out on top.

A new title just came out this February from the series, so don’t be afraid to try it and see what the game has to offer.

#7 Burnout Paradise

The Burnout franchise is another that isn’t afraid to let you crash things, but it’s also one that has done its best to expand its reach and give all sorts of freedom to its players. Burnout Paradise is the masterclass in that, as you’ll be a part of Paradise City. A thriving sprawl of a place where you can race to your hearts content throughout each street and backway as you go and do whatever you want.

Want to be a part of races? You can do that. Want to wreck the city one building at a time? By all means try.

There are also various DLC packets you can get to give yourself better cars and modes to play in.

#6 Dirt Series

Unlike other racing series out there, the Dirt Series has more of a priority to show you all manner of racing not just from the track, but from the natural and gravely roads that you can sometimes find yourself racing on. Yes, you’ll have to go and deal with the elements here and race on gravel, mud, water, ice, snow and everything in between if you’re going to prove that you are the best out there.

With some of these titles, they’ll put you all over the world and have you try and figure out the best routes to the finish line.

Just remember, if you don’t use the dirt properly, it’ll make sure you mess up.

#5 The Crew 2

The open-world high-velocity racing game The Crew 2 features more vehicles than most racers would expect. This includes aircraft, boats, and classic cars. The vehicles are very easy to handle, keeping it life-like and realistic to those who play these types of games regularly.

Even the tracks prove to be a dangerous feat, showcasing slim, tight waterways, sweltering swamps, and even vast caves.

#4 Gran Turismo 7

Gran Turismo 7 is a simulated racing game that is very well known, as it is the eighth installment in the series. Players can choose from several different modes, customizing their vehicles to their full extent, and battling head to head with other phenomenal racers. The game even added in weather effects, adding to the difficulty of the game.

#3 F1 22

In F2 22, gamers will take on the life of the principle of a Formula 1 racing team. The players’ main goal is to lead their team to victory by bringing home the gold at the Constructors Championship.

Players handle all decisions made, no matter how small. The game allows players to recruit drivers from other teams and even deal with all of the contracts involved.

#2 Need For Speed: Heat

The 2019 game Need For Speed: Heat is set in an open-world environment they call Palm City. It is supposed to be a fictional version of Miami, Florida, and it replicates the atmosphere quite well. Players can drive around and see the sights, including large mountainous terrain and wide-open fields to really step on the gas.

#1 Forza Horizon 5

A phenomenal and thrilling racing game, Forza Horizon 5 shows off intense gameplay that sucks the player in from the very first race. In the first week after its release, over 10 million people began playing the game, making it highly acclaimed and extremely popular. It is another open-world racing game, stationed in Mexico.

The map features insane volcanos, thick jungles, and intricate ancient Mayan Temples. While players can explore as much or as little as they wish, the main objective is to compete in the races they’ll find all around the map and beat out all competitors who stand in their way.